Barbara Kirkman

Barbara Kirkman is a licensed professional counselor and a licensed chemical dependency counselor in Texas with 40 years of experience helping people address a wide range of challenges, including stress, anxiety, addictions, family conflicts, bipolar disorder, depression, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, and more.

She earned a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Tennessee after returning to school during her own recovery from addiction. Early in her career she worked in a recovery center and then served as an aftercare supervisor, supporting clients through the critical early months of recovery. Later she practiced as an outpatient therapist at a community mental health agency, where she treated depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and trauma.

As a survivor of both physical and emotional domestic abuse and as someone in recovery from addiction, Barbara has a particular commitment to working with survivors of domestic abuse and with people facing substance use challenges. Her clinical approach draws on cognitive-behavioral techniques, mindfulness practices, and trauma recovery methods.

Barbara describes her philosophy of recovery as collaborative: she views clients as the experts on their own lives and offers professional experience and guidance to help them discover their own path to healing. She is a liberal thinker who embraces diverse lifestyle choices and encourages self-awareness and personal growth.

Her schedule is primarily daytime hours with a limited number of evening and weekend appointments, and she aims to be flexible to accommodate clients when possible. Barbara hopes to assist people in finding a life that feels meaningful, joyful, and satisfying. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas, a credential that indicates she is qualified to provide professional counseling (license TX LPC 16754), and she is also credentialed as a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor.