David Shirly, LMHC

David Shirly is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) in Florida who focuses on practical, person-centered therapy. He helps people facing anxiety, depression, relationship strain, addiction concerns, trauma and abuse, and issues with self-esteem or ADHD. Sessions emphasize clear steps and steady support so people can begin making changes right away.

He uses a mix of approaches to match each person's needs. That includes client-centered work that centers the person’s goals and experience. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers concrete tools for changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills help with emotion regulation and distress tolerance.

David often guides people through common life stressors like parenting strain, sleep problems, workplace stress, and the emotional fallout from separation or loss. He also addresses attachment and abandonment concerns, codependency, body image, and issues tied to BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture in a nonjudgmental way. Practical coping skills are a steady focus.

Over ten years of work in counseling inform his approach. He aims to make therapy straightforward and useful, with plain language and step-by-step strategies. Sessions include planning small, manageable changes and tracking progress between meetings.

Clients can expect a collaborative working style. The therapist listens first, then helps build strategies that fit daily life. People who want direct tools for managing anxiety, improving relationships, or recovering from trauma and abuse may find this approach helpful.

How his approaches translate to online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the person's goals and experience. In practice this means the therapist listens carefully and shapes sessions around what the person says matters most, helping them set next steps that feel doable. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) emphasizes identifying unhelpful thoughts and trying specific behavioral experiments to change them; it is useful for anxiety, depression, and many day-to-day problems. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers skills for managing intense emotions and reducing impulsive behaviors, with attention to building distress tolerance and better emotion regulation.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to figure out which methods match their needs, goals, and preferences, and will adjust the plan as progress is made. Clients help shape what to try and when to shift strategies.

The original profile does not specify which online session formats are offered, so confirm available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when days are tight. It can also let people use skills and homework in the settings where they live and work, which often helps with applying what is learned in therapy.