Stalburn VanSluytman , LCSW

Stalburn VanSluytman brings a long career in clinical social work and community service to his practice, tracing his interest in individual and social psychology back to undergraduate studies at Howard University in the late 1960s. While earning a degree in sociology he volunteered with nonprofit agencies around Washington, DC, and later moved into case management and substance abuse counseling in New York City, work that led to admission into an accelerated graduate program in Clinical Social Work at Adelphi University.

His clinical training combined psychodynamic perspectives with skill-based methods, and he became certified as a trainer and supervisor for masters-level therapists in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Over the years he has worked with individuals and groups on a wide range of concerns including substance abuse, emotional disorders, relationships, trauma, and grief. He relocated to Florida in the 1990s, where he worked for several notable agencies and maintained a period of independent practice before spending his final decade of employment as a mental health therapist with the Florida Department of Corrections, retiring in 2014.

Since retirement he has continued contributing through part-time quality-control work for a community mental health center and volunteer roles with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, a local hospice center, and the American Cancer Society, activities that were paused with the onset of the COVID pandemic. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW - a clinical credential for social work practice, and he brings more than four decades of experience to his therapeutic perspective.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Stalburn draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; CBT is practical and often used for conditions such as anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. He also works from a psychodynamic perspective, exploring how early experiences and recurring patterns influence current feelings and relationships - an approach often helpful for understanding long-standing emotional issues, grief, and interpersonal difficulties. Motivational Interviewing is used when clients are considering change, particularly around addictions or health behaviors; this collaborative, goal-focused method supports a person's own motivation to move forward.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Stalburn works collaboratively with clients and licensed professionals to determine methods that best fit a person's goals, needs, and preferences. He tailors strategies over time so the work remains relevant and effective.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to access care from different locations. These options can improve accessibility, allow for consistent follow-up, and support different communication preferences when working with therapists.