Shannon Gaskell, LMHC

Shannon Gaskell is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in Washington. She focuses on common and painful concerns like anxiety, depression, stress, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, grief, parenting strain, anger, compassion fatigue, life changes, and ADHD. Shannon aims for clear, practical help parents can use between sessions.

Shannon uses straightforward, skills-based approaches in sessions. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and trauma-focused methods to help people change unhelpful thoughts and cope with difficult memories. Sessions include goal-setting, practicing skills, and checking progress over time.

Her background includes a Master of Arts in Counseling from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Central Washington University. Shannon brings seven years of counseling experience and continued training in evidence-based methods for anxiety, depression, and trauma.

She also has experience integrating Christian faith into counseling when clients want that included. That option is offered only when a person asks for faith-informed sessions.

In sessions Shannon often looks at how early relationships shape current patterns. She uses tools from trauma-focused work and schema-informed ideas to help people notice repeating patterns and try new ways of responding. The work is collaborative and paced to each persons needs.

CBT and Trauma-Focused Care Online

Shannon uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT sessions often include learning new skills, trying small behavior changes, and tracking progress to reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms.

She also uses Trauma-Focused Therapy to help people who are coping with traumatic memories or reactions. This approach helps build safety, teaches coping strategies for distressing memories, and works at a pace chosen by the person receiving care.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Shannon will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and current challenges, and then suggest methods to try. She checks in and adjusts methods based on what is helpful.

Online sessions are available by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier when a camera feels like too much. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for brief check-ins, follow-up notes, or people who prefer typing. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy days and different routines.