Kirk Sheppard

I believe your story is important. The pain, the victories, the traumas, and the triumphs – all of those elements come together in a way that can either devastate us, hold us back, or motivate us to move forward. I want to cheer you on as you move farther forward than you imagined was possible. I have a compassionate, empathetic, and kind heart. Because we talk about some hard things, my unique sense of humor is a purposeful tool used to disarm and relax you as we find the best strategies to help move you towards your goals. I believe that all clients who want to get better can get better. As your provider, I will extend hope – even if you may currently not be able to. My positive attitude, combined with a realistic perspective and honest feedback, can help you improve your life. If you are primarily interested in asynchronous messaging, I’m thrilled to work with you, as this is one of my specialties. I also offer 30-minute counseling sessions via messaging, phone, and video – your choice. We have relationships with other people, of course, but we also are in relationships with places and things and concepts – and with ourselves. We need to fully understand those relationships and how they impact our wellness and happiness. I want to hear your stories. I want to understand your point of view. And I want to help you better understand all of your relationships. When it comes to my style, my approach is heavily influenced by the work of Jean Baker Miller and Relational-Cultural Theory, but I also utilize a variety of tools from other theories like Cognitive-Behavioral, Reality Therapy, Adlerian, and Gestalt. Because I have an eclectic toolbox, I’m able to choose tools, interventions, and approaches that will work for just about anyone’s personality. I love to look at the root causes for your problems and can discuss these issues in both philosophical ways and practical ones, too. I’ll work hard to provide you with what you need – but if at any time you don’t think we’re a good fit, you can change providers at any time. I’ll also be honest with you if I think you’d do better working with someone else. I respond to messages within 24 hours (except for weekends) and often much sooner. Also, I regularly send check-in messages, some encouraging words, housekeeping items, and writing prompts to make sure we’re connecting and engaging together. I look forward to working with you!