Stalburn VanSluytman, LCSW

Stalburn VanSluytman is a licensed clinical social worker with 40 years of experience helping people navigate life transitions and emotional struggles. He draws on long experience in social work, substance use counseling, and community programs to support people facing stress, anxiety, grief, mood shifts, and midlife concerns.

He began studying psychology and sociology at Howard University in the late 1960s and volunteered with nonprofit agencies while finishing his degree. Early work in case management and substance abuse counseling led him to graduate study in clinical social work at Adelphi University, which shaped his clinical outlook and practice.

Over decades he has worked in agency settings, private practice, and later within the Florida Department of Corrections, where he spent his final ten years before retiring from that role in 2014. That mix of roles offered experience with both individual and group work across many life situations.

His clinical background includes psychodynamic perspectives alongside training in cognitive behavioral methods and experience supervising masters-level clinicians in those approaches. He has also used motivational interviewing and mindfulness techniques to help people change patterns and manage difficult feelings.

Since retirement he has continued part-time quality-control work for a community mental health center and volunteered with organizations such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, hospice services, and the American Cancer Society, though some volunteer activities paused during the COVID pandemic. He practices in Florida and offers services in English.

How therapy approaches shape online care

Stalburn often draws on cognitive behavioral therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. CBT is practical and goal-oriented, and it can be useful for anxiety, mood concerns, and coping with life changes.

He also uses mindfulness techniques that teach simple attention and breathing practices to reduce rumination and support emotional regulation. Mindfulness can help with stress, panic, and managing strong feelings when life feels overwhelming.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, past experiences, and preferences, then suggest methods to try. This is a collaborative process and adjustments are made as progress and needs become clearer.

Session formats are not specified in the provided biography, so please confirm current options before booking. In general, online care can make scheduling easier, let people join sessions from different locations, and reduce travel time. It can also allow shorter check-ins when a quick follow-up is helpful, or provide a way to continue work between in-person visits.