Today we’d like to introduce you to Keira Barr

Hi Keira, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?

I didn’t realize at first why dermatology called to me after med school. But looking back, I see it was all about healing my own wounds. Growing up, I had two birthmarks on my face that made me feel exposed and deeply vulnerable. I was bullied for them and I felt immense shame. I wanted to hide away, which is impossible when your ‘flaw’ is right there for the world to see.
As a dermatologist, I spent years treating skin conditions with what I now see were just band-aid solutions and quick fixes that would never lead to long-term resolution. And then I went through my own battle with skin cancer. That was when it really hit me—skin isn’t just this thing that covers us; it’s a storyteller. It is directly tied to our nervous system and reflects what’s going on inside, physically, emotionally, mentally.
Every skin condition—acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, alopecia, rashes, and more—they all get worse with stress, trauma, and emotional upheaval. We know this. The medical establishment acknowledges this. So, why aren’t we talking about it more? Why aren’t we focusing on real, tangible solutions that address this connection?
I started blending dermatology with somatic practices and psychological insights. It’s become this unique approach I now call somatic psycho-dermatology. My goal is to help people understand that their skin stories are worth listening to and that real healing happens when we get to the root causes, not just the surface symptoms.
I’m here to be the guide I wish I had—a safe place where people can feel seen, where we understand that every rash, every blemish, every flare-up is a message, a clue to what’s happening beneath the surface. I want to help my clients bridge the gap from knowing that stress affects their skin to actually finding real, tangible solutions that transform their skin and their lives.
Because ultimately, it’s not just about having clear skin. It’s about feeling at home in your skin, feeling seen, and feeling whole.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

Smooth is not how I would describe this road. There have been bumps, wrong turns and ditches, but each detour has offered valuable lessons, despite how painful they’ve been in the moment, to lead me to where I am now. I often joke that I live on a island in the Pacific Northwest, and with the work I am bringing forward to support the psychosocial wellbeing of individuals struggling with visible skin issues through a trauma and resilience informed lens, I often feel like I am on an island. Doing the inner work to metabolize unprocessed emotions that can trigger or result from skin issues is not as alluring or easy as exploring the latest beauty trend. There is a lot of education required to help healthcare professionals understand how much their patients may be struggling as well as educating individuals about how much control they actually do have along their health journey.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Center for Mind Skin Medicine?

I help women struggling with visible, distressing, and stubborn skin conditions who have already been down the rabbit hole of both conventional and ‘natural’ remedies—creams, diets, supplements, all of it.

They know that stress is making their skin worse, and the shame they feel about their skin only adds fuel to the fire, but they’re stuck and feeling confused, lost, and frustrated about what they actually can do about the stress and looking for real, actionable solutions.

That’s where I come in.

While some experts discuss the impact of skin health on mental health, and some dermatologists touch on these areas, their main focus is still elsewhere—usually on products or treatments.

My entire practice is dedicated to this unique intersection. I’m not about band-aid solutions like prescriptions or products because I know these don’t bring lasting healing. I’m here to guide people from “I know stress is affecting my skin” to “here’s what you can actually do about it” at the root level through a personalized step by step process.

I work with clients 1:1 as well as in intimate group containers. There is something so special and incredibly powerful about being in a group setting with other individuals going through a similar journey because they really “get you “, which means you no longer have to be afraid to share how your condition has affected all the facets of your life. You get to show up and be truly seen and accepted for who you are. One the participants in our current cohort shared that participating in the first session of the program, “felt like healing” because it was the first time she knew she wasn’t alone in her experience.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?

Finally feeling aligned with the work I get to do makes me so happy. It was scary to walk away from practicing medicine in the traditional way I was trained, but I couldn’t keep shoving myself into a box in which I no longer fit. Now I get to help people become their own medicine which is the best way of practicing that I could imagine.

Aside from work, spending time with my family, getting out on the trails and my morning ritual of making a rich dark pour over coffee me really happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://drkeirabarr.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkeirabarr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drkeirabarr
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-skinny-dipping-rx/id1635601527

Image Credits

photo credit: Tania Kristy