Hi, I’m Shawn Pedani, a licensed therapist with nearly 20 years of experience helping teens and adults navigate challenges like anxiety, OCD, panic attacks, and ADHD. Many of my clients feel stuck in cycles of overthinking, striving for perfection, or imagining worst-case scenarios. These struggles can feel overwhelming, but with a focused approach, real progress is possible. If you’re unsure whether your challenges stem from anxiety, ADHD, or both, I offer thorough assessments to help clarify what’s going on. For clients exploring medication as part of their care, I can connect you with online prescribers to streamline the process. In addition to anxiety and ADHD, I work with people facing issues like low self-confidence, people-pleasing, grief, and depression. If you’re feeling trapped by self-doubt, trying to meet impossible expectations, or struggling to move forward after a loss, I can help. Together, we’ll uncover the root of these patterns and build practical strategies to help you set boundaries, grow your confidence, and live in alignment with your values. Whether you’re navigating school, work, or relationships, I’m here to help you break free from what’s holding you back. Let’s work together to create a meaningful path forward.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In your first session with me, you can expect a welcoming, nonjudgmental space where you feel safe to share what’s been weighing on your mind. We’ll start by getting to know each other—talking about your concerns, goals, and what you hope to get out of therapy. I’ll also explain how therapy works, including confidentiality and what you can expect from our time together. During the session, we’ll explore what’s been going on in your life, including any challenges you’re facing, your personal history, and how these experiences have shaped where you are now. If anxiety, ADHD, or other mental health concerns are part of what’s bringing you to therapy, I might use tools to better understand how these show up for you. This helps us create a clear picture of what’s going on and where we’ll focus. I’ll introduce you to the way I work, particularly using approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). These methods are designed to help you understand your thoughts and emotions without letting them take over, while also taking steps toward what truly matters to you. We may even try some simple mindfulness or experiential exercises to help you get a feel for the process. By the end of the session, we’ll have started to identify your goals and develop a plan for how we’ll work together to achieve them. Most importantly, you’ll leave with a better understanding of what to expect and feeling supported as you begin your journey toward meaningful change. Therapy can feel like a big step, but you don’t have to do it alone. I’m here to help guide you toward clarity, confidence, and growth.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
One of my greatest strengths as a therapist is helping clients uncover the root causes of their anxiety and developing a personalized plan to create real, lasting change. Anxiety can feel like a tangle of overwhelming thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. However, beneath the surface, there’s often a clear story—one that explains why it developed and what keeps it going. Together, we work to uncover that story so you can break free from the patterns that hold you back. Many people come to therapy feeling stuck and unsure why they’re struggling. Anxiety can show up as constant overthinking, intrusive thoughts, tension, or a sense of losing control. These symptoms often come from deeper, interconnected patterns shaped by your experiences, beliefs, and relationships. My strength lies in guiding you to identify and understand these underlying triggers. We’ll explore how factors like perfectionism, fear of failure, people-pleasing, or past relationship dynamics might be fueling your anxiety. By connecting the dots between these patterns and your current struggles, you’ll gain clarity and self-awareness. This understanding helps us address the root of the problem—not just the symptoms. I also focus on creating a space where you feel seen, heard, and supported. I use evidence-based techniques like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you learn how to navigate difficult thoughts and feelings while taking meaningful steps toward what matters most to you. My goal is to empower you to feel more confident, balanced, and in control of your life. If you’re ready to move beyond just managing anxiety and start making meaningful progress, I’m here to help you take that next step.
About Shawn Pedani, LISW-S
Specializes in
Accepts cash
Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a bit different from CBT, but it’s still about helping you live a better, more meaningful life when you’re dealing with anxiety or depression. Think of it like learning to handle tough thoughts and feelings without letting them control your life. Here’s how it works: Accept Your Thoughts and Feelings: Instead of fighting or trying to get rid of uncomfortable feelings like sadness or worry, ACT teaches you to notice and accept them. It’s like saying, “Okay, this feeling is here, but it doesn’t have to stop me from doing what matters.” Separate Yourself From Your Thoughts: We all have negative thoughts like “I’m not good enough” or “I can’t do this.” In ACT, we learn that thoughts are just words or ideas, not facts. You’ll practice seeing your thoughts as something separate from you—kind of like watching clouds float by instead of getting stuck in a storm. Focus on What Matters: ACT helps you figure out what’s really important to you—your values, like being a good friend, having fun, or helping others. Even when life feels hard, you can take steps toward what matters most. Take Action, Even If It’s Hard: Anxiety and depression often make us avoid things, but ACT encourages you to take small, meaningful actions—even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s like saying, “This is tough, but I’ll do it anyway because it matters to me.” Be Present: ACT also teaches mindfulness, which means paying attention to what’s happening right now instead of worrying about the past or future. It helps you stay grounded and focused on what you can do in the moment. ACT is about making space for the tough stuff while still moving forward with your life. It’s not about “fixing” your thoughts or feelings but learning to live alongside them in a way that helps you feel more free and connected to what really matters to you.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is like training your brain to think and act in healthier ways. When you're dealing with anxiety or depression, it’s common to have negative thoughts, feelings, and habits that make things worse. CBT helps you figure out these patterns and change them so you can feel better. Here’s how it works: Understand Your Thoughts: We’ll talk about what’s going on in your mind. For example, if you’re anxious, you might often think, “What if something bad happens?” If you’re feeling down, it might be thoughts like, “I’m not good enough.” Together, we’ll figure out where those thoughts come from and why they feel so real. Challenge Negative Thoughts: Once we know those unhelpful thoughts, we’ll work on questioning them. Is that thought really true? Is there another way to look at it? This helps you start thinking in ways that are more realistic and kind to yourself. Practice New Actions: Sometimes, our behaviors can keep us stuck. For example, avoiding situations because of anxiety or staying in bed all day when feeling down. CBT helps you take small steps to face fears, build confidence, and do things that make you feel proud and happy. Learn Skills for the Future: CBT gives you tools to handle tough times. You’ll learn how to notice when those old patterns creep back and what to do to stop them before they take over. It’s a team effort. I’ll guide you, but you’ll be the one doing the work to make changes. Think of it like building mental muscles—you get stronger and more in control over time. It’s not about ignoring problems; it’s about facing them with tools that help you feel more calm, confident, and capable.
Attachment-based
An attachment-based approach is about understanding how your early experiences with important people in your life—like parents, caregivers, or other loved ones—affect the way you connect with others now. Whether you’re working on yourself or your relationship as a couple, this approach focuses on building stronger, healthier bonds. Here’s how it works: For Individuals: Understand Your Attachment Style: Everyone has a unique way of relating to others, based on past experiences. Maybe you feel anxious when people pull away, or you avoid getting too close because it feels risky. We’ll explore how your past shaped these patterns. Recognize Emotional Needs: Sometimes, people struggle to ask for what they need in relationships. This approach helps you identify and express those needs in a way that feels safe and honest. Heal Old Wounds: If you’ve been hurt or let down in the past, those experiences can leave emotional scars. Together, we’ll work on understanding and healing those wounds so they don’t keep affecting your current relationships. Build Self-Compassion: Feeling secure in relationships starts with feeling good about yourself. We’ll practice ways to build confidence and trust in your own worth. For Couples: Understand Your Patterns: Couples often get stuck in cycles where one person pulls away, and the other chases, or both shut down. We’ll figure out what’s happening in these moments and why. Share Vulnerabilities: This approach encourages both partners to open up about their deeper feelings and fears, like being afraid of rejection or not feeling valued. Sharing this helps you connect on a deeper level. Create a Safe Space: Relationships feel strongest when both people feel seen, heard, and supported. We’ll work on creating a safe and secure bond where you can rely on each other. Repair and Rebuild: If there’s been hurt, conflict, or distance in the relationship, we’ll focus on repairing those moments and building trust so you can move forward together. Whether for yourself or your relationship, this approach is about creating connections that feel secure, supportive, and loving. It’s like strengthening the foundation of a house—when the base is strong, everything built on it feels more stable and safe.