Kimberly Birrell, LMSW

Kimberly Birrell is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with 30 years of professional counseling experience, based in Michigan. She has spent the last ten years working closely with combat military populations, developing focused expertise in trauma and its lasting impacts. Her practice also addresses a broad range of concerns including anger, depression, grief and loss, anxiety, addiction, lifespan transitions, couples therapy, and intergenerational trauma.

Kimberly emphasizes individualized care and collaborates with each person to design a treatment plan tailored to their particular needs and goals. She combines practical coping strategies with compassionate support to help clients navigate difficult emotions, rebuild relationships, and move through major life changes. Her approach honors the strengths people already bring when they seek help and builds on those strengths to promote meaningful change.

Clients work with Kimberly to develop skills for emotional regulation, address patterns that interfere with wellbeing, and explore underlying issues that contribute to distress. She welcomes adults facing a variety of challenges and offers flexible session formats to fit different schedules and needs. Kimberly is committed to empowering people as they pursue a more fulfilling and balanced life.

Trauma-informed and skills-based online therapy

Kimberly emphasizes trauma-focused therapy, which helps people process overwhelming experiences and reduce their lingering effects by combining emotional processing with practical coping strategies. This approach is often used for combat-related trauma, complex loss, or other events that continue to affect daily functioning.

She also uses skills-based interventions for stress, anxiety, and addiction that teach concrete tools for managing symptoms, improving sleep and eating habits, and reducing impulsive behaviors. These techniques focus on building everyday strategies that support stability and resilience.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the work. Kimberly collaborates with each person to determine which methods best fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan over time as progress is made.

Online sessions - including video calls, phone appointments, live chat, and text-based messaging - offer flexibility for people with busy schedules or limited local options. Working remotely with licensed professionals can make it easier to maintain continuity of care, attend sessions during life transitions, and access support from home or while traveling.