Barbara Linko

I am glad you have taken the time to find a therapist that will a good fit for you issues. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania. I am a graduate of Geneva College with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Professional Psychology. Prior to being a therapist, I worked as a social worker with patients in area hospitals, served as a caseworker with child protective services both as a protective care worker and as a foster care worker which also included assisting families in adoption proceedings. I also served as a social worker/chaplain for a hospice care center affiliated with Cleveland Clinic helping families with grief and loss issues and conducted funeral and memorial services in addition to providing grief and loss group therapy. As a protective care worker for child protective services, I conducted investigations in abuse and neglect of children. My work also included investigating and providing details to the court regarding allegations of sexual abuse as well as generating assistance and resources for the individual child and their family when needed. Specifically, my work in these key areas led to my decision to become a therapist having discerned the great need to assist and offer counseling to those suffering in these areas. Likewise, during this time, I became aware of a growing need within my local area in specific situations which led me to develop the local Women’s Center with a group of like-minded individuals over 30 years ago. That agency today continues to assist women regarding domestic abuse, and other women related topics as well as providing a safe-haven for those in need. In addition, I also worked with the local medical facilities and United Way to develop the first information and referral service for the county which enabled individuals to have one specific area when seeking assistance and advice of local service availability. This service continues today as an integral part of the United Way community and now provides online access to services for the community. I also was instrumental in organizing a group to develop a “help line” program, which was the first of its kind in the area. This service provided those in crisis an opportunity to seek out assistance when imminent self-harm or death may occur. This service provided volunteer workers training to assist on a phone help line in our area. After the completion of my social work experience, I sought my master’s level training in Psychology to direct my career as a next step into counseling and therapy. For the past thirty years I have worked as a therapist for a local non-profit counseling center. I have also served as the executive director of that agency for over twenty years. Most recently I have added an additional service to the agency which provides services and resources to teenagers struggling with sexual issues as well as LGBTQIA identity issues as well. This program provides specific help to the teen population in key areas of teen pregnancy, sexually related disease prevention as well as assistance with sexual identity counseling. Over the past twenty years I have provided counseling to individuals, couples and families with various topics and issues. I have also worked with the court system to provide reconciliation services where divorced or separated parents are seeking to resolve custody issues. In addition, I also provide Anger Management and Parenting programs to individuals and couples through either Court order or upon individual request.