Stacy Jo Poffenbarger, LMHC | Therapist in Florida

Compassionate care
Goal focused
Evidence informed

About Stacy

Stacy Jo Poffenbarger is a Florida-licensed mental health counselor with 17 years of experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem, and struggles with motivation. Stacy also supports people coping with addiction and the families of those affected. She approaches care with respect, sensitivity, and compassion.

Stacy uses straightforward conversation to identify what feels most urgent. She tailors sessions to each person's needs and works with them to set practical goals. Her background includes work with caregivers dealing with compassion fatigue and people managing chronic health issues alongside emotional strain.

Her approach draws on a mix of methods that include cognitive-behavioral techniques, mindfulness practices, and motivational interviewing. Stacy integrates those tools with trauma-focused work when needed, aiming to help people build skills they can use day to day. She pays attention to patterns such as codependency and attachment difficulties and helps people find healthier ways to relate.

Stacy stays current with evolving theories and treatment options and adapts what she uses to fit each person's pace. She speaks English and practices in Florida as an LMHC. If someone is ready to explore change, she frames the process as collaborative and practical, focusing on small steps toward better functioning.

Taking the first step can feel hard, and Stacy honors that courage. She offers steady support and clear direction to help people move toward a more satisfying life.

How therapeutic approaches guide online work

Stacy commonly uses cognitive-behavioral techniques to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors that reduce distress and improve daily functioning. CBT is useful for anxiety, stress, and mood challenges because it focuses on practical steps and measurable changes.

She also draws on mindfulness practices to help people learn steadying attention and reduce reactivity to strong feelings. Mindfulness can be helpful for stress, grief, and managing symptoms that arise with caregiving or chronic health issues. When motivation is low, motivational interviewing helps people clarify values and build momentum for change by exploring ambivalence in a supportive way.

Finding the right approach is collaborative. Stacy will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped before. Together they choose methods and adapt them as progress unfolds so the work feels useful and manageable.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm current session options before booking so you know what formats are offered. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, avoid travel time, and keep momentum between sessions. Different formats can also allow shorter check-ins, sessions that do not require video, or scheduling during a work break depending on what the therapist and client agree on.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Addictions Trauma and abuse Grief Self esteem Coping with life changes

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependency Communication problems Control issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personality Domestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgiveness Guilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelity Isolation / lonelinessLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersNarcissismPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapySystemic Therapy

Experience

17+ years

Credentials

Florida

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Stacy commonly help with?

She helps people with stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem, motivation problems, addictions, caregiving strain, and related concerns such as codependency and attachment issues.

What is Stacy's style in sessions?

Her style is practical and conversational, focusing on clear goals and skills people can use between sessions.

How long has she been practicing clinically?

She has 17 years of professional work experience in mental health.

What credentials does Stacy hold and where does she practice?

She is a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor, listed as LMHC, and practices in Florida.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can people outside the United States work with her?

She is not accepting international clients at this time.

How does payment and cost work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with Stacy?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.