Kellie Kiernan, LPCC

Kellie Kiernan is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) based in Ohio with 15 years of experience working with adults aged 18 and older. She provides therapy by scheduled chat messaging only and does not offer video or phone sessions; clients must reside in and be physically located in Ohio to receive services. Her practice addresses a broad range of concerns including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem, relationship and family difficulties, intimacy-related issues, anger, depression, and coping with life changes, as well as related areas such as abandonment, attachment challenges, codependency, communication and control problems, guilt and shame, isolation, and hospice and end-of-life counseling.

Kiernan begins treatment with an initial consultation to assess the issues a client brings and to determine whether her expertise is an appropriate match. Her hours of availability are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and messages sent outside of a scheduled appointment are typically answered within 24 to 48 hours. She does not treat severe treatment-resistant depression or anxiety, bipolar disorders, certain personality disorders including borderline and narcissistic presentations, substance use disorders, autism spectrum disorders, eating disorders, psychotic disorders, or several other specified conditions, and she asks clients needing those services to seek providers who list them as areas of specialty.

Kiernan maintains clear office policies: if a client is more than seven minutes late the session is canceled and may be rescheduled, clients must be physically in Ohio and not driving during sessions, and clinical notes, legal documents, FMLA or disability paperwork, DSM-5 diagnoses, letters, or other forms are not provided. Prospective clients who live in Ohio and are interested in chat-based counseling are encouraged to schedule an initial consultation to explore fit and next steps.

Therapeutic approaches and online chat therapy

Kellie Kiernan draws from several established approaches to support clients in a chat-based format. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and adjusting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, offering practical skills for managing anxiety, depression, stress, and everyday coping challenges. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness, making it useful for people who experience intense emotions or difficulty managing reactions in relationships. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) centers on understanding and reshaping emotional responses and attachment patterns, which can be especially helpful for grief, intimacy-related concerns, and relationship distress.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Kellie works collaboratively with each client to explore which methods fit their goals, preferences, and presenting needs, adapting techniques over time as progress and priorities evolve. The aim is to tailor strategies to the individual rather than apply a one-size-fits-all model.

Online therapy increases accessibility and flexibility for many people. While licensed professionals may offer video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, Kellie provides scheduled chat messaging sessions only. Chat-based work can allow clients to engage from home or other convenient locations during agreed appointment times, fit therapy into busy schedules, and use written exchanges to reflect on thoughts and feelings between sessions.