Shawn Pedani

I help people who are feeling anxious and overwhelmed so they feel more control and have greater peace in their lives.

I’ve been a clinical social worker for over 20 years, working in mental health administration and various clinical settings, and I have had my own practice for the past several years. I consider therapy to be relational. I don’t see my clients as diagnoses or as something to be cured or fixed, but instead offer a relationship built on trust developed during our sessions. I do a lot of experiential, hands-on work with my clients.

I'm a firm believer that we cannot just talk our way out of our deep suffering. I use creative, experiential approaches to help my clients safely access, process, and heal the core wounds they're dealing with. Man of my clients have childhood "complex trauma" that impact their daily lives, their parenting, and their intimate relationships.

I believe I work best with clients who have attachment wounds, either from their developmental years or from prior relationships. I’m an ‘emotion-focused’ therapist, so if you’re coming in for therapy and are not sure about your emotions or what you’re feeling, you’re in the right place. I help my clients work through their natural defenses to get to the root of their core emotions and help process them. Out of that comes the steps of what to do with those emotions—which promotes true change in our lives. I offer alternative, "bottom-up" evidence-based approaches to healing that are designed to be less clinical, rigid, or shaming than traditional methods. For example, if you're struggling with OCD, we can look beyond standard ERP and treatment protocols to find a path that respects your pacing and boundaries.

I often use experiential work with many of my clients (if it's appropriate and warranted!)- such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Coherence Therapy and AEDP work, which are gentle and evidence-based ways to help you get to know the different parts of yourself—like the inner critic, the anxious part, or the parts carrying old pain.

I also believe that creative expression can be a powerful tool for healing. When it fits, I bring in creative activities to help clients tap into feelings and insights that might be hard to reach with words alone. Whether it’s through art, writing, or other outlets, these approaches can open up new ways of understanding and moving forward.

In our first session together, we'll get to know each other as I take time to fully understand why you're hear and start thinking about ways I can help. You’re welcome to share as much or as little as you’d like about what’s bringing you to therapy- whether it’s something specific that’s been bothering you, ongoing challenges, or just a sense that things could be better.

We’ll spend some time getting to know each other and talking about what you hope to get out of therapy. I’ll ask a few questions to understand your background and what’s been going on for you, but there’s no rush or pressure to go deeper than you’re ready for.

If you’re interested in approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS), Coherence Therapy or AEDP, I’ll explain what that looks like and how it might help us explore your experiences in a safe and supportive way. We’ll go at a pace that feels right for you, and there’s no expectation to dive into anything before you’re ready. I'm also learning more experiential, modern therapy approaches which I weave in. But at the end of the day- they are just that: approaches. The important thing is having a genuine, caring relationship where you are feeling seen and heard.