Guiding Compass Counseling
Dr. Amber Laird Bárcenas PhD LPC RPT
Licensed Professional Counselor
Registered Play Therapist
(940) 320-9325
amber@guidingcompass.com
Hello, and welcome! Since you’re reading this, chances are, you or someone close to you may be experiencing some changes or challenges in life. Seeking help can be scary, but a counseling relationship can be a very meaningful and healing one.
I believe that we all come into this world needing and deserving to belong and be unconditionally accepted. When we are accepted and understood for who we are, we are able to find our unique paths and develop into our truest selves. Often in life, we don’t receive exactly the acceptance or belonging we need, and our abilities to trust ourselves and recognize our own worth become difficult to connect with. When we don’t trust ourselves or believe in ourselves, it’s very difficult to follow our hearts and live authentic lives with meaningful, fulfilling relationships.
Through the relationships I create with my clients, I seek to understand them and appreciate them for who they are—to see the person inside who has been impacted by all the ways that they have struggled to trust their own inner guidance. I provide space for the true person to emerge through our relationship—a relationship full of acceptance, authenticity, and empathy. As we build trust, my clients can explore themselves, find their inner guidance, and practice listening to it.
A little about me…I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Registered Play Therapist (RPT). I earned my PhD in counseling from the University of North Texas in 2021. In addition to my work with clients, I teach graduate level counseling classes at the University of North Texas. I enjoy working with diverse clients of all ages as well as students who are interested in becoming counselors. My training has prepared me to work across the lifespan with clients to promote wellness and healing.
My journey into the counseling profession began when I lost my grandmother as a young child. I struggled with the loss, and through that, found an amazing counselor who was able to connect with me and understand my pain. Due to my childhood experience of the power of counseling, I now love working with children and adolescents and connecting with them as they explore their own experiences. As a young adult, I experienced my own divorce and recognized that I needed someone to talk to—and again sought counseling. Based on the healing and connections I experienced, I decided I wanted to walk alongside others as they navigate through their own journeys in life.
I now live with my amazingly loving husband in a relationship in which we both work to understand and support each other. I like to do yoga, meditate, and journal, and garden. I enjoy baking more than cooking (but I find I do a lot more cooking than baking). I love to read and spend time outdoors—a walk to the lake is another thing I really enjoy.
I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you. I hope to accompany you along your path as you find your way.