I’m Kimberly Klaer, a Licensed Professional Counselor at The Banyan Tree Center in Athens, Georgia. I work with tweens, teens, college students, and adults navigating life transitions, anxiety, low self-esteem, religious deconstruction, and the complicated feelings that come with big changes. I see clients in person in Athens and via telehealth across Georgia.

Growing up I was always told I was a great listener and deeply empathetic. As an adult I wanted to find a way to use those skills, combine them with everything I could learn, and actually help people. I studied French and have always loved culture, which is something I bring into my sessions. I genuinely want to know what movies you are watching, what music you are listening to, and how your background shapes the way you see the world. That kind of curiosity is built into how I work.

Before graduate school I spent nine years working at a college ministry, meeting with students and young adults through life transitions, mental health challenges, and spiritual questions. I learned a lot about helping people make the shift from teenager to adult, and I also spent a lot of time learning about faith, the Bible, and the spiritual struggles people carry. I bring all of that into my work when clients want it, and I leave it aside when they don’t.

My number one goal in every session is to create a space where you feel safe, comfortable, and like you can be completely yourself. I think of counseling like snorkeling and scuba diving. We start at the surface, build our relationship, and then dive down into the deeper or more serious topics when you are ready. Then we come back up for air. You set the pace and I follow your lead.

My goal is to create a safe space where you feel like you can be yourself.

Background and Credentials

• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), State of Georgia
• MA in Mental Health Counseling, Asbury Theological Seminary
• BA in French and TESOL, University of Georgia
• 9 years in college ministry working with students and young adults
• Somatic therapy training in progress
• Mindful self-compassion training in progress

How I Work

• In person at The Banyan Tree Center in Athens, GA
• Telehealth across Georgia
• Ages 11+

Approaches

CBT, DBT, mindfulness, mindful self-compassion, somatic approaches, an integrative approach, and spiritually integrated therapy.

Life Transitions

Who I work with. Are you about to graduate? Making a big move? About to have a baby? Starting or leaving a relationship? Big changes, even the ones you chose and wanted, can bring up anxiety, exhaustion, sadness, and a kind of lost feeling you did not expect. A lot of people going through transitions feel unsure of who they are on the other side, and that is exactly when it helps to have a consistent, safe space to land.

What we do together. We talk through what is happening and take time to figure out what feelings are actually coming up as a result of the change. Then we work on practical strategies and goals to help you take care of yourself and stay connected to who you are throughout it. You do not have to have it figured out before you come in.

Low or Negative Self-Concept

Who I work with. Do you give yourself a hard time? Do you have a lot of critical thoughts about yourself that you would never say to someone else? Does the way you see yourself hold you back in relationships, at work, or when you think about your future? A lot of people carry this quietly for a long time before realizing it does not have to be this way.

What we do together. I use an approach called Mindful Self-Compassion to identify thought patterns that might be harmful and are no longer helpful. To me it is practical and it makes sense. Together we find new ways of thinking that make room for you to be genuinely kinder to yourself, not just in theory but in your actual day-to-day life.

Anxiety in Athens, GA

Who I work with. Do you find yourself overthinking or stuck in a thought spiral you cannot get out of? Are you noticing physical things showing up when you are overwhelmed — stomach aches, headaches, tension, feeling physically exhausted? Anxiety does not always look like panic. Sometimes it is a low hum that never fully turns off.

What we do together. We talk through the stressors and find ways to de-stress. But a lot of times anxiety feels the worst when the circumstances cannot be changed. So we work on finding peace even when the things around you are still chaotic. We build a toolbox of skills that actually feel approachable and useful to you specifically, not a one-size-fits-all list.

Religious Deconstruction and Spiritual Trauma

Who I work with. Have you recently shifted your spiritual or political beliefs? Have you experienced something painful within a religious or political community? You might be feeling lost, alone, or like you have lost your sense of self along with the beliefs you used to hold. Especially in the South, a lot of people do not have a safe space to talk about what they are actually thinking without being pulled into an argument or having someone try to change their mind. That isolation is real and it deserves space.

What we do together. My goal is to create a space where your beliefs, whatever they are right now, are completely valid. You do not have to commit to anything or arrive with answers. We explore together. I have read widely on religious deconstruction and spiritual trauma, and I am deeply familiar with the experiences of people who have left a church community or grown up in politically isolating environments. I can integrate faith into our work if that is something you want, and I am equally comfortable working completely outside of it.

A Few Things I Want You to Know

Before your first session

Do not worry about knowing what to say. I come ready with questions, and I am also happy to answer those same questions myself if it helps you feel more comfortable. The first session is really just about getting to know each other, seeing if the vibe feels right, and figuring out if this feels like a safe space for you. That is the whole job.

Something I wish more people knew

Having a consistent safe space to talk to someone is one of the most important things you can do for your mental health. I take that seriously down to the small details, whether that means having the fan on a certain way or keeping a blanket ready for clients who like to feel cozy in a session. Whatever makes you feel safe and comfortable in our space matters to me.

Who I do my best work with

I love working with clients who think a lot, maybe even overthink, and need an outlet to process and get feedback. Honestly I love a good yap session, as long as we circle back and look at what we just talked about together. I also love working with tweens and teens who have never been to therapy before. My goal is to give them a first experience that is positive enough that they remember therapy as something that helped, and keep the door open for the rest of their life.

For parents

If you are looking for support for your tween or teen and you are ready to be an active partner in the process, I would love to work with your family. I enjoy sharing resources and skills that parents can help integrate at home. The more you are involved, the more your child gets out of it.