Hi, my name is Shannon Lahey. I’m a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from California Lutheran University, and a Master’s of Science degree in Counseling Psychology, emphasizing in Marriage and Family Therapy from California Lutheran University.
As a therapist, I’ve counseled individual adults, children, couples and families. I have experience counseling those with various socioeconomic statuses, cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, and LGBTQ+ identification. Much of my work has revolved around themes such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, identity exploration, grief and trauma.
During the therapeutic process, I help clients explore their perception of themself and the world around them through a Narrative Therapy lens. This can help clients achieve a deeper understanding of their presenting symptoms and how these symptoms are affecting their daily functioning, relationships, values, and sense of self. The therapeutic process is as much about the client exploring and understanding themself, as it is about the therapist understanding the client.
When appropriate, I like to bring in mindfulness elements such as deep breathing techniques, progressive relaxations, guided meditations, and guided imagery to help the client further connect to their thoughts, feelings, and emotions to their physical body. This helps to encourage congruency between the client’s physical body and their self-image.
I believe the therapeutic process is vulnerable and because of that, it should be handled with genuineness, gentleness, and respect. I strive to create a safe, comfortable environment for clients, without fear of judgment. I believe learning new coping skills, acknowledging a problem, or openly discussing emotions can be extremely daunting. This is why my approach as a therapist is to meet the client where they’re at and come alongside them during the therapy process. My goal is always to instill hope in my clients and give them enough coping skills to feel a sense of peace, relief from their symptoms, and confidence in themselves to approach and overcome any obstacles or challenges they may face in the future.