If you’ve ever sat on a therapist’s couch (or in front of a Zoom screen) and felt like you had to spend the first three sessions just explaining the basics of your life, you know how exhausting that is.
Maybe you had to explain what “poly” actually means. Maybe you had to defend your gender identity or explain why your ADHD makes it impossible to use a standard planner. By the time you’ve finished educating your therapist, you’re too tired to actually do the work you came for.
I’m Tristan Byrnes (he/him), and I founded Byrnes Counseling Group because I believe you shouldn't have to be a teacher in your own therapy. You deserve a space where you are already understood.
The Person Behind the Practice
I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Florida, but before I was a therapist, I was a human navigating the world with my own set of identities and experiences. As a trans-identified man, I know what it’s like to navigate systems that weren't built for us. I know the weight of "the look" people give when you aren't quite what they expected.
When I started this practice, I wanted to create a home for the "misfits": the people who are often marginalized, misunderstood, or pathologized by traditional mental health systems. Whether you are navigating a transition, managing a neurospicy brain, or exploring alternative relationship structures, I wanted to build a place where your identity is celebrated, not just "tolerated."
Why Lived Experience Matters
There’s a specific kind of magic that happens when you walk into a room and realize your therapist gets it. Not just because they read a textbook, but because they’ve lived it.
At Byrnes Counseling Group, we lead with lived experience. This is a trans-led practice, and that lens informs everything we do. We understand the nuance that often goes unspoken:
- The quiet relief of finding the right words for your gender.
- The grief that can sometimes sit right next to your joy.
- The "ADHD tax" and the frustration of a brain that refuses to cooperate.
- The beauty and complexity of polyamorous and kink-involved lives.
When we say we are affirming, we don't just mean we have a rainbow sticker on the door. We mean we understand the internal conversations, the moments of doubt, and the radical act of self-trust it takes to live authentically.
More Than Just "Talking It Out"
While I love a good conversation, I also know that some things live deeper than words. That’s why I specialize in EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).
Trauma doesn't just sit in our memories; it sits in our nervous systems. EMDR is a powerful tool that helps process those "stuck" moments: whether they come from big-T traumas or the cumulative "micro-stressors" of living as a marginalized person. My approach is collaborative and paced. We won't rush into the hard stuff before you’re ready, and we certainly won't treat you like a problem to be "fixed."
Specializing in the "Spicy" and the "Alternative"
I’ve built my career around supporting the communities I belong to. My areas of focus include:
- Transgender & Gender-Expansive Care: From transition support and referral letters to navigating the complex emotions of identity integration, I’m here for the whole journey.
- Neurodivergent Adults: I love working with ADHD and AuDHD (Autism + ADHD) brains. We focus on working with your brain’s wiring rather than fighting against it.
- Alternative Relationships: Whether you’re polyamorous, in an open relationship, or involved in the kink/BDSM community, this is a judgment-free zone. I am kink and poly-informed, meaning you don't have to explain your dynamics to me: we can just get to work on your goals.
- Trauma Survivors: Using a trauma-informed lens to help you reclaim your sense of safety and agency.
A Space to Just Exist
The world is loud, and for many of us, it’s constantly asking us to perform, explain, or minimize ourselves. My goal for Byrnes Counseling Group is to provide a space to just exist.
You are allowed to be messy. You are allowed to not have the answers. You are allowed to change your mind.
I’m here to be a collaborator in your healing. I bring the clinical expertise and the lived perspective; you bring the expertise on you. Together, we figure out how to get you to a place of self-discovery, acceptance, and: dare I say it: joy.
Ready to Start?
If you’re looking for a therapist who won't make you do the heavy lifting of educating them, I’d love to connect. Whether you’re in Pinellas Park for an in-person session or anywhere in Florida or Pennsylvania for telehealth, we can find a way to work together.
You’ve been carrying a lot. You don’t have to do it alone anymore.
Meet our team or reach out today to see if we’re the right fit for you.