Kirby Barkley
Hi, I'm Kirby. I'm a therapist in Florida and South Carolina, and I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, panic, and burnout. Many of my clients are capable, caring people who have been running on empty for a long time. They keep showing up for work, family, and everyone else while feeling anxious, flat, or exhausted underneath. If that sounds familiar, you're in the right place.
I draw on mindfulness, compassion focused therapy, and behavioral approaches, so our work blends slowing down and treating yourself with kindness with taking small, concrete steps toward the life you want.
My style is warm, down to earth, and collaborative. We'll work together to understand what's keeping you stuck, then build practical skills you can use between sessions. I draw on mindfulness, compassion focused therapy, and behavioral approaches, so our work blends slowing down and treating yourself with kindness with taking small, concrete steps toward the life you want. Mindfulness is part of my own life too, so I know what it takes to practice these skills in the real world. I meet with clients by telehealth, with evening and weekend sessions available so therapy fits into your life. You can start where you are, and we'll take it from there.
First session
Your first session is a relaxed conversation. We'll talk about what brought you to therapy, what you've been carrying, and what you hope will change. You can share as much or as little as feels comfortable, and we'll move at your pace. If this is your first time in therapy, I'll walk you through how it works and answer any questions you have. Together we'll begin to identify your goals and talk about how we might work toward them. I'll also share a simple skill, such as a breathing or grounding technique, so you leave with something you can use right away when anxiety or stress shows up. My hope is that you leave your first session feeling heard, understood, and a little lighter. I want you to feel hopeful that change is possible, clear about our next steps, and confident that you have someone in your corner. Since we meet by telehealth, you can do all of this from the comfort of your own space.
Strengths
My biggest strength is that I understand anxiety from the inside. I have experienced panic attacks myself, and I know how frightening and isolating they can feel. Learning meditation techniques changed my relationship with anxiety, and that experience led me to become a meditation practitioner. I bring that firsthand understanding into every session, along with the skills that helped me. Because I have practiced these tools in my own life, I can teach them in a way that is practical and realistic. We'll work with your breath, your body, and your thoughts so you have something to reach for when anxiety shows up in the moment. In session, I listen closely first so you feel heard and understood. From there, I'm active and engaged. I'll offer honest feedback, gently challenge the patterns that keep you stuck, and encourage you to try new skills between sessions. My clients describe our work as a balance of compassion and accountability, with room for humor along the way.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is an adult who feels stuck in their head. They look like they have it together on the outside while overthinking, worrying, and feeling worn down on the inside. Many are busy professionals who carry a lot of responsibility at work and at home, and who have spent years putting everyone else first. They may be dealing with constant worry, racing thoughts, panic attacks, low mood, or the deep exhaustion that comes with burnout. Some are in the middle of a transition, such as a career change, a new level of responsibility, or a season of life that has them asking what they truly want. Others have simply reached a point where the way they have been coping has stopped working. The clients I work best with are curious about themselves and ready to take an active role in therapy. They want to understand why they feel the way they do, and they also want practical tools they can use in daily life. They are open to trying mindfulness and meditation, practicing new skills between sessions, and looking honestly at the habits and beliefs that hold them back. Their goals often include feeling calmer and more present, setting healthier boundaries, quieting their inner critic, and reconnecting with energy and meaning in their lives. They value a therapist who is warm and supportive and who will also offer honest feedback and gentle accountability. If you are ready to get out of your head, treat yourself with more compassion, and build a life that feels sustainable, we will likely work well together.
Ongoing work together
Each session builds on the one before it. We'll start by checking in on how things have gone since we last met, including what worked, what felt hard, and how the skills you practiced showed up in real life. From there, we'll go deeper into the patterns behind your anxiety, low mood, or burnout and add new tools as you're ready for them. Early sessions focus on understanding what you're experiencing and building a foundation of skills, such as mindfulness, meditation, and ways to calm your body and mind. As we continue, we'll apply those skills to the situations that challenge you most, practice responding to yourself with more compassion, and take steps toward the changes you want to make. We'll revisit your goals regularly so you can see how far you've come. You'll know you're making progress when you spend less time caught in your head, recover more quickly from stressful moments, and feel more present in your daily life. Many clients notice they sleep better, set boundaries with more ease, and speak to themselves with more kindness. Over time, my goal is for you to trust your own ability to handle whatever comes up, using tools that stay with you long after our work together ends.
Treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, is a practical approach that helps you change your relationship with difficult thoughts and feelings so they have less control over your life. When you're stuck in your head, anxious thoughts can feel like facts and uncomfortable feelings can feel like emergencies. In our sessions, I'll teach you simple ways to notice a thought, step back from it, and let it pass. We'll also practice making room for hard feelings so they take up less of your energy. Then we'll get clear on what matters most to you, such as your relationships, your health, or the kind of person you want to be. Together we'll choose small, realistic steps that move you toward those things, even on days when anxiety shows up. Over time, clients find they spend less energy struggling with their thoughts and more energy living the life they want.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness is the skill of paying attention to what is happening right now, with curiosity and kindness toward yourself. Mindfulness based therapy teaches you that skill and helps you use it when anxiety, stress, or low mood shows up. In our sessions, I'll guide you through short, simple practices, such as focusing on your breath, noticing sensations in your body, or observing your thoughts as they come and go. You don't need any experience with meditation. We'll start small, and I'll show you how to fit these practices into a busy day. As a meditation practitioner who learned these techniques while working through my own panic attacks, I teach what I have used myself. With practice, you'll get better at catching worry and overthinking early, calming your body, and coming back to the present moment. Clients often find they feel steadier and less caught up in their thoughts.
Compassion-Focused
Compassion focused therapy helps you relate to yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a good friend. It is especially helpful if you are hard on yourself, struggle with self-criticism, or feel like you are never doing enough. In our sessions, we'll look at how your inner critic shows up and what it is trying to protect you from. I'll teach you simple practices, such as calming breathing, supportive self-talk, and short guided exercises, that help your mind and body settle and feel safe. We'll also practice responding to mistakes, setbacks, and hard emotions with patience and encouragement. This is a skill, and like any skill it grows stronger with practice. Over time, clients find that a kinder inner voice makes it easier to handle stress, take healthy risks, and care for themselves while still caring for others.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Serves
Licensed in
- FloridaLicense MH27793
- South CarolinaLicense 11038