Salina Shelton

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPC-AT/S) and Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC), specializing in the intersection of chronic health, trauma, and life transitions. My work is rooted in the belief that chronic illness and pain affect the body, reshape identity, relationships, financial security, and self-worth. Healing, then, has to address all of it. I work with adult men and women using an integrated, Biopsychosocial approach that honors the complexity of living with a chronic condition. Trauma and grief are often woven into the pain story, and I hold space for that reality with both clinical depth and genuine compassion. My clients receive treatment and understanding, and their families receive education and support to help them show up more effectively too. My practice draws on three powerful modalities: Internal Family Systems (IFS) recognizes that we are made up of many "parts" , and that some of those parts get stuck in painful memories, often because there was never a safe place to process what happened. Over time, these stuck parts can drive behaviors that keep us isolated or overwhelmed. IFS creates a path for those parts to heal, making room for the steadier, wiser self that has been there all along. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based approach that helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they lose their grip on the present. It is particularly effective when the body is carrying what words alone can't release. Art Therapy opens a different kind of door. For many people , especially those living with chronic pain or illness, finding words for an inner experience that feels unspeakable can be exhausting. Color, shape, and image offer another language entirely. Through art therapy, clients often access insight, emotion, and self-expression in ways that talk therapy alone cannot reach. Benefits include increased self-awareness, improved emotional regulation, enhanced self-esteem, reduced anxiety, and improved self confidence To learn more about the profession of art therapy, visit the American Art Therapy Association. To connect with local art therapists in the San Antonio area, visit the Art Therapy San Antonio Facebook page.