Shannon Dunnan

Hello, my name is Shannon Dunnan! I specialize at working with individuals struggling with substance use, addiction, anxiety, depression, trauma, life-transitions, relationships, attachment, and emotion regulation challenges.

My goal is to create a safe, supportive, and accountable space where you can grow, heal, and work toward meaningful change.

I have over 20 years of experience studying and working in the mental health field. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Christian Counseling from Nazarene Bible College and a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. I am licensed in Colorado as both a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Addiction Counselor.

My approach to therapy is very client-centered; that is, the pace the work is done and what is addressed is up to you. I also tend to be a little more directive than other therapists. This means that I combine therapy with teaching. My goal is to help you learn how to be your own therapist. I believe therapy is where individuals learn and develop the skills to manage their struggle and/or symptoms effectively on their own and/or with the support of friends and family around them.

To explain further, my approach to therapy integrates psychodynamic, emotion-focused, cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, experiential, and family systems perspectives, with a strong focus on attachment and trauma. Together, we can work to better understand patterns in thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, develop healthier responses, and create positive changes in areas such as relationships, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, substance use, and overall well-being.

The first session is all about starting to get to know one another. This is one of the most important sessions since this is where we set the tone for how our relationship will work moving forward together. I always seek to create an atmosphere where you feel safe and supported to discuss, process, and address the reasons that motivated you to reach out for support.

With that said, there are few things I am required and will need to do in our first session. First we will discuss how everything you discuss in therapy is confidential except for a few exceptions that we will discuss together. We will also discuss the risks and benefits of therapy. We will also talk a little about how I work as a therapist and you can ask questions.

To help me get to know and understand you better, we will work through an initial counseling intake together where I will be asking questions about you. This will help me better understand the reasons you are seeking help, what your goals are, the strengths you have that will help you reach your goals, and areas where you may need support to reach your goals. We will also work on creating a treatment plan. Your treatment plan is the roadmap we will use to make sure we are heading in the right direction and addressing the reasons you have engaged in counseling.