I’m Kirk Shelton, a Licensed Professional Counselor offering online therapy to clients in Missouri, Kansas, and Florida. If you’re considering therapy, you can start by scheduling a brief consultation or contacting me directly.

  • Specialties: Anxiety, Depression, Trauma/PTSD, Abuse, Existential Issues, Life Transitions, Grief and Loss
  • Therapeutic Approaches: EMDR, Person-Centered Therapy, Gestalt, CBT, ACT, Motivational Interviewing, SFBT
  • Insurance Accepted: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Optum/UnitedHealth, Cigna/Evernorth, Humana, and more
  • Session Cost: $145 (If not using insurance)
  • Service Areas: Missouri, Kansas, Florida

Who I Work With

My work is grounded in a person-centered approach, which means I place a high value on learning from the client’s own vantage point. I take seriously differences in temperament, processing style, and lived experience, including neurodivergence. I aim to offer a space where your experience does not need to be translated, defended, or improved before it can be understood. I focus on noticing what matters most to you and supporting your own sense of choice and what you want to explore or change.

People come to therapy for many reasons: curiosity about themselves, a desire to understand patterns in their thinking, feeling, or relationships, or simply to have a space to work through whatever feels challenging or unresolved. My role is to help notice what is maintaining unhelpful patterns, explore what matters to you, and support practical ways to try new approaches. Therapy is meant to be relevant and grounded in your experience, helping you see and test what works in your life.

My Approach

I draw from a variety of therapeutic methods, grounded in a person-centered philosophy. I believe everyone has the capacity to adapt and move forward with the right support. I’ll meet you where you are and work with you to explore your experiences and challenges. Techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing, and Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) are applied as needed, tailored to your goals and what matters most in the moment. As an EMDR-certified therapist, I’m prepared to guide trauma work and emotional healing, always with flexibility and respect for your process.

“We cannot change, we cannot move away from what we are, until we thoroughly accept what we are. Then change seems to come about almost unnoticed.”

– Carl Rogers, On Becoming a Person: A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy

Trauma and EMDR

Trauma changes how you feel, think, and act, but it doesn’t have to run your life. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps your brain sort through difficult memories, so they lose their grip and you can respond rather than react.

I also use the Flash Method, which moves trauma work along more efficiently, and CIPOS (Constant Installation of Positive Orientations), which reinforces positive beliefs and shifts the way you experience yourself. These methods, used as part of EMDR, let us process the memories that matter while strengthening your sense of agency and confidence.

In session, we identify the memories causing the most distress and approach them in steps that feel manageable. EMDR helps transform the beliefs tied to those memories so you can remember without being overwhelmed—and carry that shift into the rest of your life.

“Beneath the surface of the protective parts of trauma survivors there exists an undamaged essence, a Self that is confident, curious, and calm, a Self that has been sheltered from destruction by the various protectors that have emerged in their efforts to ensure survival. Once those protectors trust that it is safe to separate, the Self will spontaneously emerge, and the parts can be enlisted in the healing process.”

– Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

What to Expect in Session

In therapy with me, you’ll find a space focused on understanding your thoughts, feelings, and experiences without judgment. Our work is collaborative; you lead the exploration, and I help track patterns, clarify meaning, and offer tools to respond differently when old ways of thinking or reacting show up. We’ll examine how you relate to yourself and others, how past experiences influence your present, and what gets in the way of your goals. I’ll support you in noticing unhelpful patterns, practicing new skills, and strengthening coping strategies, always within the context of your autonomy and choice. The aim is to increase self-awareness, enhance emotional and behavioral flexibility, and build confidence in navigating life’s challenges. Between sessions, I may suggest exercises or strategies to help integrate what we explore into daily life.

“I believe that a different therapy must be constructed for each patient because each has a unique story.”

– Irvin Yalom, Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy

Why Choose Therapy?

Life is complicated, and sometimes our thoughts, emotions, and reactions can feel like they’re running the show. Therapy offers a space to step back, understand their patterns, and explore what’s really shaping your experience. It’s a chance to examine old habits, process difficult experiences, and discover ways to respond rather than react.

In therapy, you’re not being fixed; you’re being heard, understood, and guided in building your own tools for change. Together, we look at what’s getting in the way of your goals, experiment with strategies, and strengthen your capacity to navigate challenges. The work is practical, personal, and oriented toward helping you move through life with greater confidence and clarity.

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

– Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

Insurance Billing

I am in-network with several major insurance providers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Optum/UHC, Humana, and Cigna. This means I can directly bill your insurance for you, making the process as simple and straightforward as possible. If you have any questions about your specific plan or coverage, I’m happy to assist you in navigating the details and ensuring that you understand your benefits. (Please note that at this time, I cannot bill Medicare or Medicaid.)

If you’re ready to explore this process, feel free to reach out to schedule a consultation, ask any questions, or set up your first session.