- Years in practice
- 20
- Credentials
- LCMHC
- Licensed in
- North Carolina
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Addictions
- Focus
- Anger management
About Shirley
Shirley Southard is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) with 20 years of experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, parenting challenges, and life transitions. She aims to create a warm, nonjudgmental space where clients can talk and feel heard. Shirley uses practical tools and clear conversation to help people make small changes that add up over time.
Her background includes work across mental health, developmental disability services, and substance use care.
Background and approach
She has experience with assisted medication management and has worked with active military members and their families. That variety gives her a broad view of how life circumstances affect mood, behavior, and relationships. In sessions she draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and client-centered ways of working.
She blends skill teaching, talking through thought patterns, and helping people find motivation to try new behaviors. Her approach is straightforward and focused on what will help in daily life. Shirley has supported people through divorce, single parenting, addictions, and mood disorders.
She also lists aging and geriatric issues, trauma and post-traumatic stress, anger, impulse control, and communication problems among areas she addresses. Parents seeking help with child-related stress and parenting strain will find practical guidance and coping strategies. She practices from North Carolina and offers services in English.
Shirley emphasizes hope and forward movement, helping clients set realistic goals and track small successes over time.
What Shirley works with
Everything Shirley lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Shirley helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Anger management
- Depression
- ADHD
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Parenting issues
- Coping with life changes
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
Approaches Shirley lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Therapeutic approaches and online support
Shirley commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and patterns to reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression. CBT often involves practical exercises and homework to practice new ways of thinking and acting.She also uses Motivational Interviewing to help people find their own reasons to change. This approach is useful for addictions, behavior change, and when someone feels stuck or unsure about taking the next step.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Shirley will discuss goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t worked before, then suggest methods to try together. Adjustments are made over time so the work matches the client’s needs and pace.
Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls let people have a face-to-face conversation from elsewhere, while phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging are helpful for brief check-ins, ongoing support between sessions, or when someone prefers written communication. These formats make it easier to fit counseling into a busy life and to keep progress moving forward.
Questions people ask about Shirley
What kinds of concerns does Shirley address?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma, grief, parenting issues, ADHD, anger, and coping with life changes among other concerns.
How does she approach therapy?
Her style is warm and nonjudgmental, focused on listening, skill teaching, and practical steps. Sessions mix conversation with techniques to change thinking and behavior.
What is her professional background?
Shirley has about 20 years in human services, including work in mental health, developmental disability services, and substance use care, plus experience with assisted medication management.
Where is Shirley licensed and based?
She holds the LCMHC credential and practices in North Carolina.
Which languages are offered and can international clients join?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats are available?
She meets using video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How does cost and billing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions are provided through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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