Stalburn VanSluytman, LCSW

Stalburn VanSluytman is a licensed clinical social worker with four decades of practice. He draws on long experience helping people manage anxiety, mood changes, addiction, and life transitions. His work also addresses caregiver stress, cancer-related concerns, and aging and geriatric issues.

He began studying social behavior as an undergraduate at Howard University in the late 1960s. After early volunteer work and case management in New York City, he completed a clinical social work degree at Adelphi University. That graduate training shaped his interest in psychodynamic ideas while also introducing him to behavior-focused methods.

Over his career he has worked in agencies, run an independent practice, and provided mental health services within the Florida Department of Corrections until retiring in 2014. He has led trainings for master’s level therapists in cognitive behavioral techniques and supervised clinicians in that work.

He has experience with group and individual work and has presented in schools and churches on emotional health and symptom recognition. In retirement he has continued part-time quality-control work for a community mental health center and volunteered with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, a hospice center, and the American Cancer Society.

In sessions he combines psychodynamic perspective with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing when helpful. His style tends to be practical and grounded, focused on helping people talk through problems, try new coping strategies, and make changes that fit their lives.

How therapeutic approaches guide online care

Stalburn often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people change unhelpful thoughts and habits. CBT breaks problems into small steps and offers concrete skills for anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes.

He also draws on Mindfulness Therapy to teach simple attention and breathing practices. Mindfulness can help with stress, rumination, and staying present during difficult moments. Motivational Interviewing appears in his work when people want to make changes but feel uncertain; it focuses on strengthening motivation and planning next steps.

Choosing the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and suggest which methods to try first. Plans are adjusted over time based on what helps and what feels workable in daily life.

Session formats are not listed in the biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Many people find that remote sessions let them keep therapy consistent during work or caregiving responsibilities.