Adult, Couple and Child
Counselors



Barbara Handelman, M.Ed.
Bob Handelman, ACSW
Norwich, VT 05055
Flexible Hours
Emergency Appointments Available
e-mail: Bob.Handelman@Valley.Net
(802) 649-1030


Barbara Handelman, M.Ed.
I became a therapist through my interest in children and families. In 1966, I earned a B.A. in Child Development and Psychology from Goddard College. In 1974 , after eight years of experience in the field, I received my M.Ed. from Boston University. I am licensed by the State of Vermont as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor.

In my work with others, I have discovered that dangers encountered in times of crisis open opportunities for growth and change. Emotional upheaval, divorce, disability and death are potentially dangerous crises. As a therapist, it is my goal to enable people to surmount danger and encourage them to grow and change in the process. My own personal evolution has led me to become involved with women's issues and feminist therapy. I am particularly skillful in helping women discover patterns of choice-making in their daily lives. I believe that women and men alike have the power to change their own lives by learning to make active choices. I offer women empathy and commonality of experience. I also believe that in certain instances, it can be helpful for women to work through their issues with a male therapist who can listen without judging, accept their anger, and offer nurturing. Bob is a therapist who has those qualities and skills. I am the mother of twins, Sasha Clark and Kali Ginger, who are a source of delight as well as a challenge to my own parenting skills.


Bob Handelman, ACSW
My sense of curiosity about family relations and my involvement with disturbed children have led me to become a therapist. I received a B.A. in Creative Writing and Literature from Antioch College in 1970 and an M.S.W. in Clinical Social Work from California State University in 1977. I am licensed by the State of Vermont as a Clinical Social Worker.

Through my academic years, I worked extensively with children as a houseparent and counselor. To me, therapy is a mutual process involving trust, energy and personal commitment. It is a way of discovering how stress and anxiety impact at home and at work. In therapy , we learn how to change patterns that have led to difficulties with families as well as friends. The most productive way to explore unhealthy patterns is to focus on present experience, without getting caught up in the past. Whether in the midst of a crisis or a long-standing struggle, the goal of therapy is to make a positive change in our lives. My own leadership in groups covers a wide range of ages and topics: from children's play therapy to Vietnam veterans and their families, from divorce and separation to single parenting. Sasha and Kali and Barbara are the central part of my life; as a father and husband, I enjoy a sense of fulfillment with my family. I am also a late night poet and early morning runner.


Working Together -- Barbara and Bob
We choose to work together as a team with couples, families, and groups. When a family or couple is not in harmony , their energy is usually scattered and out of focus. Their views of a single problem may be quite different. By working together we offer not only the energy of two people, but also the balance of ourselves as a couple.

Our ability to play and to resolve our own differences is a primary tool in working with couples. Blending our personalities enables us to focus on problem resolution in a relationship. We match our individual skills to the specific needs of our clients.

Adult, Couple and Child Counselors
Barbara Handelman, M.Ed.
Bob Handelman, ACSW
Norwich, VT 05055
Flexible Hours
e-mail: Bob.Handelman@Valley.Net
(802) 649-1030