- CBT and mindfulness
- Focus on sleep
- Ten years experience
About David
David Shirly is a licensed mental health counselor who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. He uses straightforward, person-centered work to help clients feel heard and to find workable steps forward. David practices from Florida and brings ten years of counseling experience to his sessions.
He begins by listening to each person's story and priorities. From there he and the client set clear, practical goals. Sessions often involve learning simple skills for reducing worry, improving sleep habits, and handling difficult feelings in the moment.
David draws on cognitive behavioral techniques to spot unhelpful thinking and test new ways of coping. He also uses elements of dialectical behavior therapy to teach emotion regulation and distress-tolerance skills. These approaches are mixed with client-centered and mindfulness practices to tailor the work to each person’s needs.
His background includes helping people face addiction, trauma, relationship conflict, and parenting stress. He also works with intimacy-related concerns, ADHD, attachment and abandonment worries, and body image or identity issues. The aim is practical change, not labels: learning tools that fit daily life.
People who notice trouble sleeping, persistent anxiety, or repeated conflicts often start by describing what’s most disruptive. David then helps build routines and short-term strategies to improve rest, mood, and relationships. He encourages small, steady steps toward lasting relief.
How his approaches translate to online therapy
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and responding to what each person needs in the moment. It supports building a trusting working relationship and naming practical goals for sleep, anxiety, or relationship problems. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps identify unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors; it often includes homework like sleep routines, thought records, and behavior experiments. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) provides short, teachable skills for managing intense emotions and tolerating distress when sleep or stress spikes make things harder.Finding the right blend of approaches is part of the work. The therapist collaborates with each person to choose techniques that match their goals, preferences, and daily life. That decision can shift as progress is made or new challenges come up.
The original profile does not specify session formats, so please confirm available options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow focused check-ins between other responsibilities. It also supports practicing sleep hygiene and coping skills in the context of everyday routines, which can help translate learning from session to daily life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
10+ years
Credentials
Florida, New York
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does he help with?
He helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, sleep difficulties, parenting strain, ADHD, trauma, anger, and related concerns.
What is his basic therapy style?
Sessions are collaborative and person-centered, with practical skill-building from cognitive behavioral and mindfulness approaches to manage thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
How much experience does he have?
He has ten years of clinical experience working with a range of concerns such as addiction, trauma, and chronic stress.
Where is he licensed and located?
He is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) practicing in Florida and holds licensure as NY LMHC and FL LMHC.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English, and he accepts international clients.
What session formats are offered?
The original profile does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to therapist availability.