- Trauma recovery
- Blended household concerns
- Addiction support
About Kimberly
Kimberly Birrell is a Licensed Master Social Worker, LMSW, practicing in Michigan with 30 years of counseling experience. She has spent the last decade working with combat military clients and brings long-term clinical experience to complex issues. Her listed concerns include trauma and abuse, grief, anxiety, addiction, mood disorders, relationship and family matters, and stress-related problems.
Kimberly focuses on practical steps people can use right away. Sessions address symptoms such as anger, depression, sleep and eating difficulties, and problems with concentration or motivation. She also helps people navigate life transitions, career questions, caregiving strain, and identity concerns including LGBT and gender dysphoria issues.
The work is collaborative and goal-oriented. Kimberly and each person set clear aims and adjust the plan as progress and needs change. She draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques to reduce distress and improve daily functioning.
Her background includes long-term clinical work with trauma, including clients with combat-related experiences. That experience informs her approach to dissociation, attachment wounds, abandonment issues, and first responder stress. She also supports people dealing with addiction and recovery challenges.
Sessions aim to be straightforward and focused. Kimberly helps people build coping skills, improve communication, and manage intense emotions. If you are handling a blended household, loyalty conflicts, or changing family roles, she lists blended family issues among her areas of focus and can help you think through next steps.
Approaches used and online session practicalities
Kimberly uses evidence-based therapeutic approaches to address trauma and mood-related concerns. One common approach focuses on processing traumatic memories in manageable steps and building skills to reduce emotional flooding; this can help with symptoms such as flashbacks, dissociation, and high arousal. Another approach centers on skill-building for emotion regulation and coping - teaching breathing and grounding techniques, thought strategies, and behavioral changes to reduce anxiety and anger.Finding the right method is part of the work. Kimberly will talk with each person about symptoms, goals, and preferences and then shape the approach together. That collaboration helps select which techniques to prioritize and how to pace sessions so they feel useful and realistic.
The biography does not list specific online formats, so confirm the available session types before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. For people juggling blended household responsibilities, remote sessions can let you meet with a licensed professional from a different location and keep momentum between in-person appointments.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Experience
30+ years
Listed in
Michigan
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address relevant to blended households?
She lists trauma and abuse, grief, anxiety, relationship and family issues, and blended family issues among her areas of focus. Those topics are commonly discussed in stepfamily and co-parenting situations.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
She uses collaborative, goal-focused work and evidence-based techniques. Sessions are practical and aimed at building coping skills and improving daily functioning.
How much clinical experience does she bring?
She has 30 years of counseling experience and has worked with combat military clients for the last ten years, which has shaped her trauma-informed approach.
What credential does she hold and where is she located?
She is an LMSW, which stands for Licensed Master Social Worker, and practices in Michigan.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English. She is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
The original profile does not specify session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Begin by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.