Shawn Beckowski

When your mood won't lift, your mind won't slow down, or something from the past keeps showing up in the present, pushing through gets exhausting. I'm Shawn, and I work with adults dealing with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and PTSD. I especially like working with people who want to understand what's going on and then actually do something about it. I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 13 years of experience and an MSW from Stony Brook University. I'm genuinely curious about your life, because what's happening for you matters more than any diagnosis. If you're new to therapy or not sure it's for you, that's okay. You don't need the right words to start.

My work is practical. We'll start with what's getting in your way right now and figure out what would make the biggest difference. I often use CBT to help you notice the thought patterns that feed depression and anxiety and test whether they actually hold up. For trauma, I use Cognitive Processing Therapy. It helps you work through beliefs that got stuck after something painful, like "it was my fault" or "nowhere is safe." I also use Seeking Safety, which helps you stay steady and in control while you heal. I'm open to whatever matters to you, including bigger questions about meaning and purpose. If something we try isn't helping, I want to know so we can change course.

You don't need to prepare anything or know exactly what to say. In our first session, I'll guide more of the conversation, so you're not left filling silence. I'll ask what's been going on, how it's affecting your day-to-day life, and what you'd like to be different. Share as much or as little as feels right. By the end, we'll pick a starting point, so you leave knowing what we're working toward. After that, sessions stay focused on the problems you came in to solve, with plenty of room for your take on what's working and what isn't.