RELATIONSHIP & SEXUALITY THERAPIST IN CORPUS CHRISTI & SAN ANTONIO, TX
It’s time to invest in yourself.
SHAKIRA BARNES, MA, LPC, ABS
Licensed Professional Counselor in Corpus Christi & San Antonio, Texas
You second-guess yourself after years of being gaslit, minimized, or emotionally overrun. You can name the patterns, yet you feel trapped inside them. Somewhere along the way, you started to feel like a stranger to yourself.
Compassionate Online Therapy for San Antonio & Corpus Christi
Many of my clients arrive already deeply insightful. They understand their patterns, they have read the books, and they have tried to cope. What they want now is different. They want to feel safe again. They want to trust their instincts, stop questioning their own reality, and experience peace without having to earn it. Whether you are seeking therapy in my primary service area of Corpus Christi or looking for support in San Antonio, you are in the right place.
Specialized Support for Relationships, Neurodivergence, & Trauma
Work with Shakira Barnes, MA, LPC, ABS
My counseling practice is tailored to individuals and partners looking to build healthier patterns and address deep-seated relational challenges. While I serve clients virtually across the entire state of Texas, I provide dedicated local care for clients throughout my primary service areas in Corpus Christi and secondary regions in San Antonio. My primary clinical specialties include:
I work closely with women and partners healing from high-conflict, toxic, or emotionally imbalanced relationships. Together, we address the lasting impacts of gaslighting, emotional neglect, and chronic self-doubt so you can reclaim your voice and establish healthy boundaries.
Anxiety & Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy
As a neurodivergent therapist, I offer tailored, strengths-based support for neurodivergent individuals navigating anxiety, shame, burnout, or executive functioning challenges. Our focus is on regulating the nervous system rather than forcing yourself to fit restrictive molds.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy
For individuals who understand their patterns intellectually but still feel stuck, I integrate somatic parts work through IFS therapy in Corpus Christi and San Antonio. This approach helps you connect with your core Self, heal protective patterns of perfectionism, and process stored emotional burdens.
Couples & Relationship Counseling
I provide a sex-positive, judgment-free space for individuals and long-term partners looking to rebuild intimacy, deepen communication, and resolve conflict. Whether you are navigating everyday relationship shifts or safely exploring alternative lifestyles and kink dynamics, I am here to support your unique journey.
therapy approach
Therapy with me is…
01 Authentic
I don’t sit above you with all the answers. I walk beside you. Our conversations are grounded in honesty, warmth, and a space where you do not have to perform or pretend. You won’t be rushed or reduced to a checklist.
02 Direct
Growth requires clarity. I speak openly about patterns, dynamics, and hard truths that may be shaping your relationships and inner world. The goal is never harshness, but gentle honesty that helps you see what has been difficult to name.
03 Individualized
Your life is not a template, and your therapy shouldn’t be either. Every person and relationship carries its own history, wounds, and strengths. Our work is shaped around your story, your pace, and what will actually help you move forward.
04 Action-Oriented
Insight is important, but change happens when insight turns into something you can actually do. In our work, we focus on small, meaningful shifts you can practice between sessions, like setting a boundary or responding differently in real time. Therapy becomes something you carry into your life, not just something you think about afterward.
05 Intentional
Therapy should feel purposeful, not like wandering conversations without direction. Each session builds on the last as we explore patterns, strengthen insight, and practice new ways of relating to yourself and others. Change happens through thoughtful, steady work that keeps your goals in focus.
Credentials, Education, & Advanced Clinical Training
Work with Shakira Barnes, MA, LPC, ABS
To ensure my clients receive high-quality, evidence-based care, my clinical foundation is backed by rigorous academic study and ongoing professional training. As a San Antonio native who completed my academic and early clinical career in Corpus Christi, I have a deep personal and professional commitment to supporting both of these incredible Texas communities. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of Texas (License No. 90432), specializing in integrative, trauma-informed counseling modalities.
Academic Foundations & Licensure
San Antonio Roots: Born and raised in San Antonio, serving clients virtually in my hometown.
Master of Arts in Psychology: Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, cementing my clinical connections in the Coastal Bend.
Licensed Professional Counselor: Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors (License No. 90432).
Clinical Foundations: Experience spans private practice, behavioral and psychiatric hospitals, higher education counseling center, and the local mental health authority for Nueces County.
Advanced Modalities & Certifications
Internal Family Systems (IFS): Completed IFS Institute Level 1 Training, supported by biweekly IFS Consultation Groups.
Sexuality: American Board of Sexology Board Certified Diplomate and Certified Sexologist (Certification No. 26075). Studied with the Kinsey Institute during their Human Sexuality Intensive.
Somatic Parts Work: Trained in Integrative Somatic Parts Work, bridging mental insights with physical nervous system regulation.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Comprehensive DBT Certification Training, providing practical distress tolerance tools.
Attachment & Relational Therapy: In-depth training focused on untangling generational patterns and healing relationship blueprints.
Telehealth Specialist: Completion of the 2-Day Distance Therapy Training for Mental Health Professionals, ensuring secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual care across Texas.
Affordable Pathways: Insurance Partnerships & Premium Self-Pay
I believe in making therapy transparent, secure, and aligned with your unique personal needs.
Option 1: The Premium Self-Pay Pathway
Many clients choose private pay to maintain complete control and confidentiality over their therapeutic care. Self-pay ensures that your therapeutic records remain completely private, with no mandatory mental health diagnosis shared with commercial insurance databases. This model allows us to focus entirely on your goals without the restrictions often imposed by insurance networks.
Option 2: In-Network Insurance Options
To help make therapy more accessible, I partner with major insurance networks through Headway, a verified third-party billing platform. If you plan to use insurance, we can verify your coverage for major plans including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Aetna, Cigna, and Carelon Behavioral Health (formerly Beacon Health).
Ready to explore what healing
could feel like?
You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to start.