Being a parent is one of my favorite things to be. It’s also the most challenging. My children teach me something new everyday…and many days what I learn is how much I don’t know and how much support I need to do my best job as their mom. When you’re juggling life’s other roles and responsibilities, making parenting decisions that you hope are the very best for your family given all the options, opinions, and pressures that exist for parents, and managing the mental load of your daily tasks on top of it all, there’s not much time left for you. I would love to create a judgment-free space to help you organize around your family’s strengths, challenges, and goals so that you can be the kind of parent that you’re most hoping to be for your child(ren).

*I offer therapy sessions in-home within the Charlottesville & Crozet area one month prior to a baby’s due date and one month after the delivery of a new baby as requested.

It has been a privilege for me to witness the resilience and healing of children and teens in the Charlottesville community over the last 14 years. I am constantly in awe of what our young people are faced with growing up in a world overflowing with information at their fingertips. Navigating a world that includes so much accessible content and judgment is tricky for young people who are doing their best to make decisions about themselves and what they most want for their futures. I am so happy to be able to create a safe and focused space full of compassion to help these amazing young people establish an identity that feels exciting and true for themselves. I love being able to walk alongside teens who need some extra support during this uniquely challenging season of life- many who have shown me time and time again that kids and teens are so much stronger and braver than they often get credit for. It is also a privilege for me to witness the profound insights that our youngest children offer when given the chance to work through and organize all of the feelings that they are working so hard to make sense of.

To be a dedicated and successful athlete you need to have a certain mentality. You are driven and you work really hard. You’re also a human with emotions and worries and all the other regular human stuff. I’m sure about all these things because I was a 7 time high school state champion in track and cross country and ran for JMU where I set the school record in the 10k and competed in 5 NCAA championships. I also know what it’s like to be sidelined with an injury and to miss the mark (many times). You can’t muscle your way through your feelings and disappointments in the same way that you can in the weight room or on the track. I am here to help you be as strong mentally as you are physically. Shannon is a co-founder of the Endūre collaboration addressing the mental wellness of athletes in the Central Virginia area.

If you’ve found your way to this page because you’ve experienced a trauma, you are so brave to ask for help and I am here for you. What is considered “traumatic” can be unique for each person, and I’m here to meet you wherever you are in your process- whether you’ve worked with a therapist in the past and your experiences are impacting you in a different way now, or whether you’re at a point in your life when you feel ready to begin exploring your experiences for the first time. My work with trauma survivors has been a primary focus area for me since 2008, and I know how much courage it takes to keep going in a world that gets harder to navigate everyday. My goal is to help you move forward in a healthy way as you make meaning out of your life’s experiences.

I offer two avenues of support for mental health professionals: therapy, and clinical supervision for Master’s-level counseling residents pursuing their licensure. You give so much of yourself to create space for others, and I’m here to create that space for you. I know that the position you’re in as a therapist to walk alongside others through tough times is an honor, and I also know it’s not easy. Given my expertise in trauma, as well as 10+ years of experience as a clinical supervisor, I’m well-equipped to carry your stories alongside you - no matter what they are. In all of my work with clinicians, I use a strengths-based approach to create a safe space to learn and grow in both their clinical work and also in the process of being healthy human helpers. If you’re a clinician looking for support, let’s connect to see if my experience and personality align with your goals.