Shannon earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan and has been a fully licensed clinical social worker since 2009. She has over 8 years of clinical experience working with children, youth, adults, and families in southeastern Michigan. She believes strongly in the mission and Code of Ethics of social work to “enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable [and] oppressed….”
She has worked with clients from diverse backgrounds in regards to socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression. She has strong experience and a particular passion for working with LGBTQ youth and adults. Shannon is an advocate for the LGBTQ, ethically/consensually non-monogamous, and kink communities and believes that much of what we label as “dysfunction” is often a result of our culture’s devaluing of individual differences.
Shannon uses a strengths-based, collaborative, eclectic approach based on each client’s individual needs that includes cognitive behavioral, feminist, and humanistic perspectives. She has experience working with mood and anxiety disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety, OCD, and trauma, as well as grief and loss, adjusting to life changes, and relationship issues. She also has extensive experience with parenting support and guidance. Shannon believes in integrating the following in her therapeutic work with clients: developing awareness and understanding of each person’s experiences; strengthening communication and coping skills; and connecting people with community supports to help sustain therapeutic gains.