Shannon Kelly

ABOUT MY WORK Most people who find their way to therapy are not short on insight. They understand their patterns, they've done the reading, and they've probably tried to think their way through it more than once. And something still isn't shifting. That gap, between what you know and how you actually feel and respond, is usually where the most important work lives. I work with individuals and couples navigating transitions, relational stress, trauma, and the quieter kind of disconnection that is hard to name but impossible to ignore. My approach is collaborative, unhurried, and grounded in deep respect for the parts of you that have learned to adapt, protect, and persevere. HOW I WORK Most people come to therapy believing something needs to be fixed. That makes sense. But what I've found is that the parts of you that feel broken are usually the parts that worked hardest to protect you. This work isn't about fixing what's wrong. It's about understanding what has shaped you, and what has been running the show ever since. I draw from relational, depth-oriented, and body-aware approaches, including Emotionally Focused Therapy, the Gottman Method, Internal Family Systems, EMDR, and narrative therapy. These approaches help us work with both the thinking mind and the nervous system, because insight alone doesn't always translate into change. The body often needs to be part of the conversation too. FOR INDIVIDUALS If something keeps showing up in your relationships, your reactions, or the quiet moments when you're alone with your thoughts, individual therapy is a place to slow down and actually look at it. Not to judge it, but to understand it, and to find out what becomes possible when you do. This work is especially meaningful for people navigating significant life transitions, the effects of trauma or chronic emotional labor, questions about identity or direction, and the kind of low-grade misalignment that doesn't quite qualify as a crisis but doesn't go away on its own either. FOR COUPLES Most couples aren't fighting about what they think they're fighting about. Beneath the arguments, the distance, or the same conversation on repeat, there is usually something deeper asking to be heard. Couples therapy is a place to figure out what that is, together. I work with couples navigating serious ruptures and long-standing patterns, as well as couples who are largely doing well but moving through a significant transition, an empty nest, retirement, a career shift, and want to navigate it with intention rather than drift through it. For couples in that second category, the work is often focused and brief, typically three months or less. FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES I work with veterans navigating trauma, PTSD, reintegration, and the relational impact of military service. EMDR is often a meaningful part of this work and is well-researched for PTSD specifically. It does not require detailed retelling of difficult experiences, which many veterans find more manageable than traditional talk therapy for certain material. I also work with family members and partners navigating the effects of service on their relationship. BEFORE I WAS A THERAPIST I spent two decades in real estate, supporting clients through some of the most significant transitions of their lives. That work required emotional presence, strategic thinking, and the ability to hold steady when things got uncertain. I understand the pressure of performing at a high level while quietly managing relationships, family demands, and internal expectations. That experience continues to shape how I show up in this work. GETTING STARTED I offer a free fifteen-minute consultation for anyone considering working with me. It is a chance to ask questions, get a sense of how I work, and find out whether we are a good fit. There is no commitment involved.