Carl Harbison

Carl Harbison Jr. is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with experience in behavioral health, crisis intervention, substance use treatment, suicide prevention, and helping individuals navigate some of life's most challenging circumstances. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Central Methodist University in 2013 and his Master of Science in Clinical Counseling in 2016.

Throughout his career, Carl has served as a Crisis Counselor, Mental Health and Substance Use Therapist, and Suicide Prevention and Firearm Safety Specialist. His approach is grounded in compassion, authenticity, and meeting people where they are. He strives to create a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where clients can openly address difficult experiences, recognize their strengths, develop practical coping skills, and work toward meaningful change.

Carl has extensive experience in suicide prevention, crisis response, and mental health education and is an instructor in ASIST, Construction Working Minds, QPR, CPI, and CSSH. His clinical interests include anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, grief and loss, substance use, life transitions, and working with veterans and first responders.

Carl is also a retired U.S. Army veteran, serving on active duty from 1990–1995 and with the Missouri Army National Guard from 2011–2024, including deployments to Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Syria. His military and clinical experiences provide a unique perspective on resilience, trauma, transition, and overcoming adversity.

Outside of his professional work, Carl is a husband, father of six, and grandfather of six. He believes therapy is about more than managing symptoms—it is about helping people develop the insight, confidence, skills, and resilience to move forward and create a healthier, more fulfilling life.

My therapeutic approach is primarily humanistic and person-centered. I believe that every individual has their own unique experiences, strengths, values, and goals, and therapy should provide a safe and supportive environment where those things can be explored without fear of judgment.

I strive to meet clients where they are and build a genuine therapeutic relationship based on trust, empathy, respect, and authenticity. I don't believe my role is to tell you how to live your life or simply give you answers. Instead, my role is to walk alongside you, help you better understand yourself and your experiences, identify patterns that may be holding you back, and discover solutions that are meaningful and realistic for your life.

While my foundation is humanistic, I also believe therapy should be practical. When appropriate, I incorporate evidence-based techniques and coping strategies to help clients manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, stress, and other life challenges.

Ultimately, my goal is to create a space where you feel heard, respected, and understood while also being encouraged to grow. Therapy is a collaborative process, and together we will work toward greater self-awareness, personal growth, resilience, and a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Your first session is really about getting to know one another and creating a comfortable space where you can be yourself. I understand that starting therapy can feel intimidating, especially when you're being asked to talk with someone you've never met about personal or difficult experiences. My goal is to make that process as comfortable and natural as possible.

We'll spend time talking about what brought you to therapy, what you're currently experiencing, and what you would like to see change. I'll ask questions to better understand your history, relationships, strengths, challenges, and the things that are most important to you. But therapy with me isn't meant to feel like an interview or a checklist—we'll have a genuine conversation.

You don't have to have everything figured out before you arrive, and you don't have to tell your entire story in the first session. We'll move at a pace that feels appropriate while beginning to identify practical goals for therapy.

Most importantly, I want you to leave the first session feeling heard, respected, and hopeful that you have someone in your corner. Therapy is a partnership, and we'll work together to develop a plan that fits you, your experiences, and where you want to go.