Shanna approaches counseling from the perspective that mental health issues are relational and systemic. She works with clients to identify how social and cultural forces can contribute to feelings of shame, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, and supports clients in finding alternate pathways to the resilience, brilliance, and pleasure that is everyone’s birthright. Shanna began her undergraduate work in urban studies at the University of New Orleans at a time when the city was recovering from the ecological and social tragedies of Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Her previous career was in community health where she managed non-profit programs related to equitable food systems and transportation. After witnessing many of her colleagues and clients in the nonprofit sector struggling with mental and physical health issues, Shanna decided the most effective way she could support people in building a more equitable and joyful future was not to focus on changing systems, but instead find ways for people to access the resources and resilience that already exists within themselves and their communities. Shanna then received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the City University of New York and completed her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Marist College.
Shanna has experience with teens and young adults coping with sexual trauma, LGBTQIA+ identity development, disordered eating, anxiety, and depression. She uses primarily narrative therapy and mindfulness approaches with clients, including animal assisted interventions. Shanna is a queer farmer, a first-generation college student, and her interests include travel, reading, cooking, and terrible puns.
