Shakiya Harrison, LCSW

Shakiya Harrison is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Virginia. She brings ten years of social work experience to sessions and focuses on practical ways to reduce stress and manage symptoms. Shakiya speaks plain language and helps people set small, achievable goals they can use day to day.

She draws on cognitive behavioral therapy to help clients notice and change unhelpful thoughts and routines. She also uses acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness tools to build tolerance for difficult feelings and support values-driven action. Motivational interviewing guides conversations when people want to change substance use or other habits.

Shakiya has worked with people facing depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma and substance use concerns. She also supports those coping with chronic illness, caregiving strain, grief, and relationship or communication problems. Her background includes helping people manage sleeping and eating disruptions, anger, and the stress of life transitions.

Sessions are conversational and goal-focused. Shakiya asks questions, listens closely, and offers concrete techniques to try between sessions. She aims to help people notice what works for them and build on small successes.

People can expect a respectful, nonjudgmental tone. She encourages clients to share what matters most and to set the pace for change. International clients may be seen, and sessions are offered in English.

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Shakiya often uses cognitive behavioral therapy, a hands-on approach that helps people spot unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors to reduce symptoms. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and many everyday struggles.

She also uses acceptance and commitment therapy, which focuses on noticing feelings without fighting them and taking small actions that match personal values. ACT can help people cope with chronic illness, grief, and major life changes when avoiding feelings gets in the way.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals and preferences, then try strategies together and adjust as progress is made.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video allows face-to-face work and skill demonstrations, phone can fit a short check-in or low bandwidth moments, live chat is helpful for brief exchanges, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to schedule sessions around work, caregiving, or medical needs and to keep momentum when life is busy.