Exploring Life & Business with Kierra Bryant of Anchor Counseling and Support Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kierra Bryant.

Hi Kierra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! I’m Kierra Bryant, a 34-year-old social worker, clinician, entrepreneur, and mom. I was born in Germany to parents who proudly served in the United States Army and was raised in Savannah, Georgia, alongside my twin sister and younger brother. I’ve always been outgoing, curious, and talkative, but I never imagined those qualities would eventually become part of how I connect with and advocate for others.

I attended Valdosta State University, earning my bachelor’s degree in Sociology in 2015 and my Master of Social Work in 2021. While college shaped my career, it also shaped me personally. I experienced sexual assault as a college freshman, received a DUI, navigated my parents’ divorce, and saw a therapist for the first time. Those experiences taught me that people are often carrying things others cannot see and that asking for help is not a weakness.

My journey in social services began more than 10 years ago and has taken me through homelessness services, community mental health, child welfare, crisis counseling, employee assistance, inpatient settings, nursing homes, school based counseling, substance abuse treatment, and more. I have worked with children, adolescents, adults, families, veterans, survivors, and individuals navigating significant mental health concerns. Every position gave me another perspective and taught me to see the whole person, not just the presenting problem.

Those experiences ultimately led me to entrepreneurship. I founded Anchor Counseling and Support Services in January 2026 with a vision of making mental health support more accessible, practical, and personal. Through a state funded grant, Anchor currently provides no cost school based mental health services to approximately 40 students in grades 6 through 12 across South Georgia. We also provide virtual individual therapy for Georgians ages 11 and older, group counseling, psychoeducation, and community engagement.

I believe therapy should meet people where they are. Sometimes that means a conversation, sometimes a creative activity, and sometimes simply having a safe space to breathe and be honest.

When I think about my journey, I realize life did not just lead me to social work, it prepared me for it. Every experience, challenge, and opportunity became another piece of the person I am today.

And outside of being an anchor for others, I’m “Mom” to a wonderful little girl, loving on and hanging out with my family, a friend, a TV and movie lover, and someone who truly enjoys a good day of doing absolutely nothing and resting.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. I actually never planned to start a business. I had been with my previous employer for eight years, I was comfortable in my role, and I honestly thought I was going to continue doing what I had been doing. I had always been told that I would make a great therapist, but I never really pursued it. Then I was laid off, and suddenly I found myself having to figure out what was next. There were definitely financial hardships, especially during the summer months, and there were seasons where I had to work multiple jobs while also being a single parent.

What I did not know at the time was that getting laid off was going to open a door I never expected. A mentor of mine reached out and told me about a grant their school district had for school based mental health services. She asked if I would be interested in becoming a provider. I said yes, and honestly, that was the beginning of Anchor Counseling and Support Services. One opportunity turned into a business, and suddenly I was a business owner.

But honestly, those experiences are part of why I chose the name Anchor Counseling and Support Services. An anchor provides stability. It keeps a vessel from drifting when the water gets rough. That is what I want Anchor to represent for the people I serve.

Life gets hard, and sometimes people just need a safe place to pause, process, regroup, and find their footing again. I want to be an anchor in the lives of my clients. Not to fix everything for them or carry their burdens, but to provide support while they navigate their own storms.

In many ways, building Anchor has been a reflection of my own journey. I had a season where I was suddenly unsure of what was next, but I found my footing and kept moving forward. Now I get to help other people do the same. That is really the heart of our mission: providing accessible, compassionate, quality mental health services and meeting people where they are. I want every person we serve to know that they have support, they have options, and they do not have to navigate life alone.

We’ve been impressed with Anchor Counseling and Support Services, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Anchor Counseling and Support Services, I provide mental health counseling to adolescents and adults through both school based and virtual services. I currently have openings for individual therapy, and I provide virtual services to clients throughout Georgia ages 11 and older. I offer a flat rate as well as sliding scale options because one of my biggest goals is making mental health care accessible to anyone who wants support. I do not want finances, transportation, insurance, or where someone lives to be the reason they cannot get quality mental health care.

My work covers a pretty wide range, including anxiety, depression, trauma, self esteem, stress, relationships, life transitions, emotional regulation, family concerns, suicidal ideation, self harm, and helping people understand and work through what they are experiencing. I would say I specialize in meeting people where they are. I do not believe therapy should feel like a one size fits all experience.

My approach is person centered, strengths based, and practical. I use different therapeutic approaches depending on the client, including CBT, solution focused therapy, motivational interviewing, and psychoeducation. I am not the therapist who is going to sit across from you and spit out a bunch of clinical terms. Do not get me wrong, I know the terminology, I understand the theories, and I absolutely apply and process them in my work but my expertise is being able to take all of that clinical knowledge and meet people where they are. I want my clients to understand what we are working on and why it matters to them. Therapy should feel like a conversation with someone who understands you, not like you are sitting through a psychology lecture.

Especially with adolescents, I like to make therapy approachable. We might have a traditional conversation, play a game (UNO, Jenga, charades), use an activity, work through a worksheet, do something creative, or just sit and talk. Sometimes the most important thing is simply creating a space where they do not feel judged.

I think one of the things I am becoming known for is creating spaces where people feel comfortable being themselves. I am very intentional about making therapy feel human. You do not have to come into my office with everything figured out or know exactly what you want to talk about. You can come as you are, and we will figure it out together.

I am also really proud of the school based work we are doing. Through a state funded grant, Anchor provides mental health services to students who may otherwise have difficulty accessing consistent care because of insurance, transportation, financial barriers, or simply living in an area where mental health resources are limited. I currently serve about 40 students across alternative, middle, and high school settings, in one school district. Being able to walk into a school during the school day and provide that support directly to students is something I do not take for granted.

I am currently a team of one, but I intentionally use “we” when I talk about Anchor because I am building something with a much bigger vision than myself. I believe Anchor will continue to grow and eventually serve many more individuals and communities throughout Georgia. I do not just see this as my private practice. I see it as the foundation for an organization that can reach people in different communities and make quality mental health care more accessible.

Another important part of my journey right now is working toward becoming fully licensed. I am continuing to grow professionally and prepare for that next step, and all of my clinical work is supervised by my clinical supervisor (LCSW) who has been incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout this process. Having someone who challenges me, supports my growth, and believes in the work I am doing has been such an important part of my development as a clinician.

What sets me apart is probably the combination of my clinical experience and the range of people I have worked with throughout my career. I have worked with veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness, survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, people in inpatient psychiatric settings, older adults, families, children and adolescents, and individuals involved with child protective services. I have also managed a community mental health agency. Those experiences taught me how to look beyond a diagnosis or presenting problem and really consider what is happening in someone’s life as a whole.

But more than anything, I think what sets me apart is that I genuinely care about the work. I know what it feels like to have life not go according to plan, to have to regroup and figure out what comes next. That is part of why Anchor means so much to me. I want to be a steady place for people when life feels unsteady.

What I am most proud of is that something I never planned to create has become a space where people can receive support, feel seen, and know that they are not alone. I want mental health care to feel accessible, welcoming, and human. That is what Anchor is about for me. Creating a place where there is room for you.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
1. Sometimes the thing you did not plan for is exactly what you needed.

I never planned to become a business owner. I was comfortable in my job and thought I knew what my path looked like. Getting laid off forced me into a season of uncertainty, but it also opened the door to something I never would have pursued on my own. I have learned that just because something does not go according to plan does not mean it is going wrong.

2. You can be scared and still move forward.

There have been plenty of moments where I did not feel completely ready. Starting a business, balancing work and motherhood, dealing with financial uncertainty, and continuing to grow as a clinician have all pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I have learned that you do not always need to feel confident before you take the next step. Sometimes you just have to take the step and trust that you will figure things out along the way.

3. You do not have to have it all together to be a safe place for someone else.

This one is probably the most personal for me. As a therapist, I spend a lot of time helping people navigate their own difficult seasons, but I have had difficult seasons too. I have learned that being human does not make me less of a clinician. It actually helps me connect with people. I understand what it feels like to need support, to have to regroup, and to find your footing again. That is a big part of why I believe in Anchor so much. Sometimes we all need somewhere to feel grounded while we figure out what comes next.

Pricing:

• 15 Minute Consultation: Complimentary
• Initial Intake Assessment: $100
• Individual Therapy 50+ Minutes: $80
• Individual Therapy 30 Minutes: $40
• Family Therapy 60 Minutes: $100

Contact Info:

• Website: www,anchorcounseling-ss.com
• Instagram: @anchorcounselingss
• Facebook: Anchor Counseling and Support Services