Barbara Freedman: A Career Dedicated to Helping Others
Barbara Freedman is a seasoned social service professional and counselor with more than 20 years of experience helping individuals and families navigate challenges, overcome obstacles, and move toward fuller, more meaningful lives. Her career reflects a longstanding commitment to counseling, education, advocacy, crisis intervention, and community service.
Throughout her professional journey, Barbara has worked extensively in victim services, providing counseling and support to individuals affected by trauma and other difficult circumstances. From 2017 through 2025, she served as a Counselor with Ottawa Victim Services through the Quick Victim Response Program. She also provided counseling through Victim Services of Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry & Akwesasne, including Internet Child Exploitation counseling. Earlier in her career, she supported adoption and foster care services through Lifespan Family Services in Pennsylvania.
Barbara’s experience extends beyond individual counseling. She has facilitated workshops and support groups addressing stress management, suicide loss, parenting, education, childcare, and family well-being. She has also worked as a private tutor for students with special needs and served as an occasional teacher with the Ottawa Board of Education, where she taught students from Kindergarten through Grade 8, including specialized classes serving students with learning and developmental disabilities.
Entrepreneurial and educational leadership have also been important parts of Barbara’s career. From 1997 to 2003, she founded, owned, and directed The Growing Tree Preschool in Ottawa. In that role, she developed educational programming and reading resources, trained and supervised staff, prepared grant proposals and business plans, and advocated for the importance of early education and resources for families.
Her commitment to service is equally evident through her volunteer work. Barbara has contributed to organizations supporting women and children, suicide prevention, youth, individuals with autism, and families in need. Her volunteer experience has included crisis intervention, community outreach, referrals to social services, recreational programming, and leadership roles with community organizations.
Barbara holds a Master of Education from the University of Ottawa, a Bachelor of Education from McGill University, and a Social Sciences Diploma and Women’s Studies Certificate from Vanier College. Her professional development includes specialized training in Emotionally Focused Therapy, trauma, personality disorders, suicide intervention, crisis intervention, Object Relations Therapy and Self-Psychology, Montessori education, and other areas relevant to counseling and human services.
Her dedication to service and professional excellence has been recognized through several honors, including a nomination for the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education and recognition for her volunteer contributions to Jewish Family Services. She also completed the Army Run half marathon 12 consecutive years, reflecting the perseverance and commitment that have characterized both her personal and professional life.
Today, Barbara’s professional profile reflects a career built around one central purpose: helping people find the support, resources, and confidence they need to move forward. Her combination of counseling expertise, educational experience, community advocacy, and lifelong commitment to service continues to shape the meaningful work she brings to those she serves.
For more information about Barbara and her counseling background, visit her TherapyTribe professional profile.
Worldwide Women’s Association member Barbara Freedman can be found on the directory where she is looking forward to networking with you.