Grief counselors and therapists in Garland, TX

Shawn is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor in the state of Texas with a passion for providing a high quality of services to individuals struggling with mental health disorders. Shawn earned her Master’s of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wayland Baptist University in 2009 and has worked diligently in the mental health field since that time.

My story is a bit unique as to how I became a psychotherapist. I studied abroad in Costa Rica during college where I learned the Spanish language and where my love of adventure and exploration began. After moving to Los Angeles for several years, I decided to then move to New York City to pursue a career in music which is my first love. I was living in NYC and working for Sony Music on September 11, 2001 which changed my life dramatically. I decided to return to The University of Texas in Austin and obtained my Masters in Social Work in an effort to pursue a career in helping others which is my second love.

My therapeutic approach is grounded in the Relational Model as I believe that relationships, both with ourselves and others, are what allow us each to feel fulfilled, secure, and empowered. My hope is that we can work together as a team to unlock your inner strengths so that you can confidently manage life's stressors in the past, present, and future.

I love working with adolescents and I have a warm, non-judgmental, humorous, but direct approach that seems to fit well with teenagers. I have worked for many years in community mental health and as such have been successful with almost every diagnosis that exists, all age groups, and all genders. I look forward to working with you and your family.

Let's be real, sometimes life gets in the way of living! There are just time when life is not always the way we want or thought it would be.

People keep saying that you are so strong, but you don't want to be strong and you definitely don’t feel strong. You know you have people around you that love you and also you feel alone. You want to believe that you’ll find yourself again. If you’re losing hope that you can manage all the things in your life, counseling can help!

I work with adults, couples, and teens, helping people untangle challenges that often feel overwhelming, interconnected, or hard to name. I believe most struggles don’t exist in isolation—they affect our relationships, our emotions, and how we move through the world. My role is to truly get to know you, understand your story, and support you in creating meaningful, lasting change.

My background is both clinical and academic. I hold a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, along with graduate degrees in Philosophy and Sociology, and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Communications. I’m also a doctoral candidate in Educational Psychology. This combination allows me to look at your concerns through emotional, relational, and systemic lenses—not just symptom-focused ones.

I specialize in trauma work, relationship therapy, and working with preteens and teens—who are often misunderstood but incredibly important to support early. I’ve trained in EMDR, Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), CBT, Art Therapy, and Conflict & Dispute Resolution. Above all, I value creating a space where you feel safe, respected, and genuinely supported.