Aileen Barnhouse

Aileen Barnhouse is an Iowa licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) with 17 years of professional counseling experience. She works with people dealing with stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, coping with life changes, and attention deficit disorder. She focuses on practical support for everyday problems and decisions related to work, family roles, and personal direction.

Aileen uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and client-centered methods to help people notice patterns and try different ways of responding. Sessions look at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going, and then introduce concrete skills to change them. She helps people identify strengths they already have and practice using those strengths in real life.

Her style is straightforward and collaborative. She listens to what a person wants to change, then suggests steps to try between sessions. Conversations often include goal-setting, problem-solving, and brief exercises to build new habits.

Beyond core concerns like anxiety and depression, she has experience with issues such as abandonment, communication problems, caregiver stress, codependency, impulsivity, loneliness, aging and geriatric issues, cancer-related concerns, and first responder stress. That range informs how she adapts tools to each person’s situation.

People who come when they feel stuck or unsure what comes next will find a counselor who focuses on practical options and steady progress. Before scheduling, confirm the current session formats and logistics to make sure they fit your needs.

How Aileen uses client-centered work and CBT online

Aileen draws on two clear methods. Client-centered work focuses on the person's own goals and perspective. It means the therapist listens closely and follows what matters most to the person in session.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact. It uses exercises and experiments to change patterns that sustain anxiety, low mood, or impulsive reactions. CBT is useful for stress, anxiety, depression, and ADHD-related challenges.

Deciding which approach to use is part of the work. She will help you weigh goals, preferences, and what feels most useful in the moment. Sessions are collaborative and may combine both methods as needed.

Confirm current session formats before booking so you know the practical options offered. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. They also let people try strategies in their daily routines and bring those experiences back to session for feedback.