
“Let’s Plant the Seeds of Healing and Bloom from Within.”
Licensed PMH-C Therapist
Serving Tennessee Virtually
Destinee Barker, LCSW, PMH-C
Are you feeling overwhelmed by pregnancy, postpartum, infertility, or the many transitions of life? Have you been feeling overwhelmed by stress, grief, or chronic illness? Struggling to cope with depression or anxiety? Perhaps you and your partner are experiencing infidelity, feel stuck, disconnected, or face communication challenges. Or hey, maybe you’re just really freaking tired from carrying it all.
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re in the right place.
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C) Tennessee therapist offering compassionate, trauma-informed therapy through virtual appointments. I specialize in perinatal and postpartum mental health, including pregnancy, infertility, new parent transitions, and LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy.
I also support adults, teens, and couples experiencing anxiety, chronic illness, grief, depression, trauma, life transitions, identity or relationship challenges.
Virtual therapy is available statewide for clients located anywhere in Tennessee, including Nashville, Knoxville, Memphis, and beyond. No matter what you are facing, you don’t have to go through it alone. Therapy can be a place to breathe, reflect, share humor, and start again. Let’s plant the seeds of healing and help you bloom within.
Our Services - Accepting Clients
→ Private/Self-Pay or Sliding Scale, book here
→ Using insurance? Book Here (Accepted plans: Aetna, Cigna & More)
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Navigating fertility, pregnancy, birth, or life after baby? You're not alone. As a certified perinatal mental health therapist, I provide compassionate support for the emotional ups and downs of the perinatal journey, including postpartum anxiety, grief, birth trauma, and identity shifts in new parenthood.
Using CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy), ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), and IFS (Internal Family Systems), we explore your emotional experience while equipping you with tools to manage anxiety, guilt, or identity shifts. You're not alone. Your wellness matters here.
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Trauma affects the mind, body, and nervous system. I use a trauma-informed blend of IFS, CPT, ACT, and Narrative Therapy to help you understand your story, reconnect with your inner self, and gently reduce shame, flashbacks, or emotional triggers. You’ll learn grounding skills (with DBT) and develop resilience at your own pace.
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Adolescence is full of change! Emotionally, socially, and physically. Teens often feel overwhelmed, misunderstood, or unsure of how to cope. I provide a supportive, judgment-free space where teens can process their experiences, develop emotional regulation skills, and build self-esteem.
Using a blend of CBT, DBT, ACT, and Person-Centered Therapy, I help teens manage anxiety, depression, peer relationships, family conflict, and identity concerns. Together, we work toward growth, resilience, and a stronger sense of self, all while honoring their voice and autonomy.
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Relationships take work and sometimes, they need a safe place to be repaired, reconnected, or reimagined. Whether you're navigating conflict, communication breakdowns, trust issues, or life transitions (like parenting or grief), I help couples move from disconnection to understanding.
I draw from The Gottman Method, IFS (parts work in relationships), and ACT to help each partner feel seen and heard, while also fostering skills for healthy communication, emotional regulation, and long-term connection.
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Depression often steals motivation, joy, and connection. If you’re feeling heavy, angry, numb, stuck, or ashamed of how hard things feel, therapy can help you reconnect with yourself. We’ll use CBT to shift self-critical thinking, ACT to help you move toward what matters, and IFS to give voice to the parts of you holding sadness and fatigue.
If you experience mood swings, elevated energy, or episodes that feel “too much” or “not enough,” you’re not alone. Living with bipolar disorder or mood instability can be confusing and exhausting, but you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Our work will help you make sense of your patterns, build insight, and find steadiness with compassion.
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Anxiety can feel like a constant hum, or even a tidal wave. Whether it shows up as overthinking, irritability, panic, or avoidance, we’ll work together to calm your nervous system and regain a sense of safety in your body and mind. Through CBT and ACT, you’ll learn to challenge anxious thought patterns, while DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) skills and IFS help you respond to those inner alarm bells with compassion, not criticism. You’re not too much, and you are good enough.
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Loss can change everything. Not just what’s gone, but how you see yourself. Whether grieving a loved one, a relationship, or a version of life you hoped for, I use Narrative Therapy, ACT, and Person-Centered support to help you process loss, honor your story, and find meaning amid the pain.
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Living with illness or caring for someone who is can be emotionally exhausting. You may feel angry, overwhelmed, or invisible. I integrate CBT, IFS, and mindfulness-based ACT to help you cope with uncertainty, honor your limits, and prioritize your own care without guilt.
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I support women at all stages through identity shifts, caregiving, career pressure, reproductive decisions, and relationship changes. Therapy is a place where your story, your body, and your voice matter. From body image and boundary setting to burnout and reproductive choices, I create a space for women to explore who they are and how they want to live. My approach weaves Person-Centered Therapy, ACT, and IFS to empower your voice, values, and inner wisdom.
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Mental health challenges don’t discriminate, but men are often taught to silence or suppress their emotional struggles. I offer a space where men can speak honestly about what’s going on beneath the surface, without judgment or pressure to "tough it out."
Whether you’re facing anxiety, anger, burnout, trauma, or relationship difficulties, I use CBT, ACT, and Person-Centered Therapy to help men build emotional insight, healthier coping tools, and a deeper sense of purpose. -
Your identity deserves to be celebrated, not questioned. I offer a safe, affirming space for LGBTQ+ individuals navigating mental health, relationships, family dynamics, gender identity, or life transitions.
With a foundation in Narrative Therapy, IFS, and Person-Centered support, we work together to explore your story, reduce shame, and strengthen your connection to self and community. You are valid just as you are.
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As a clinician who values cultural humility and racial identity, I create space for all clients to feel seen, heard, and supported. Whether you're facing racial trauma, code-switching exhaustion, generational pain, or identity questions, this space is for you.
I use tools like Narrative Therapy, IFS, and ACT to honor your lived experience while working toward healing, empowerment, and emotional relief.
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Whether you're exploring communication issues, codependency, emotional disconnection, or healing from relational trauma, therapy can help rebuild safety and intimacy. I use The Gottman Method with couples and IFS and Person-Centered Therapy for individuals to uncover patterns, increase empathy, and foster deeper connection.
In Crisis?
This practice is not an emergency service and messages are not monitored in real-time. If you're experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please contact:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Dial 988
Text "HOME" to 741741 – Free, 24/7 Crisis Text Line
Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room