My name is Shaquana Thomas. I have 10+ years experience in counseling. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, anger, grief, or managing stress, I can guide you to a peace of mind by offering you advice, support, and a safe space to talk about the problems you are struggling with. I believe people are amazingly resilient and capable of overcoming huge obstacles. At times, we just need help coping and overcoming such obstacles, and I am here to help you.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In the first session, clients can expect a warm, supportive environment where they can share their concerns at their own pace. I’ll ask questions to better understand their background, current challenges, and goals for therapy. This session is about building a connection and creating a safe space for them to feel heard. Together, we'll begin exploring what brings them to therapy, and I'll offer insights into how we might work together to address their needs. Clients can expect to leave with a clearer understanding of the therapy process and next steps.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My greatest strengths as a provider are my ability to create a safe, non-judgmental space where clients feel heard and understood, and my focus on empathy and compassion. I’m skilled at breaking down complex emotional experiences into manageable steps, helping clients gain clarity and self-awareness. I also bring a balanced approach, combining practical tools like mindfulness and emotional regulation with deeper exploration of thoughts and feelings. My aim is to meet clients where they are and empower them to make meaningful, lasting changes in their lives.
About Shaquana Thomas
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I've utilized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with many clients to help them understand how their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected. In my experience, CBT is especially effective for addressing anxiety, depression, and stress because it provides practical tools to challenge unhelpful thought patterns and develop healthier coping strategies. For instance, I once worked with a client who struggled with social anxiety. Together, we identified the negative thoughts they had before social situations, like ‘Everyone will think I’m awkward.’ Through CBT techniques, we explored the evidence for and against that belief, and gradually, the client learned to challenge those assumptions. By incorporating relaxation techniques and behavioral experiments, they gained confidence and began to feel more at ease in social settings.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I’ve used Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) successfully with clients who struggle with intense emotions, self-harm, or difficulties in relationships. DBT is especially helpful for clients dealing with borderline personality disorder, but I’ve also found it beneficial for people managing anxiety, depression, or PTSD because it focuses on four key areas: mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. For instance, I worked with a client who often felt overwhelmed by anger and had difficulty managing conflicts in their personal relationships. Through DBT, we worked on identifying the triggers for these intense emotions, practicing mindfulness to stay grounded in the moment, and developing healthier ways to respond when they felt angry. Over time, the client was able to use these DBT skills to manage their emotional responses and build stronger, more effective communication patterns with others.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I have experience using Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), which is a brief, goal-directed approach that helps clients find practical solutions to their current challenges. One of the things I appreciate most about SFT is its focus on strengths and what’s working, rather than spending too much time analyzing problems. I’ve found that this approach can be especially effective for clients who are feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or discouraged because it empowers them to take action toward change right away. For example, I worked with a client who was feeling paralyzed by stress at work. Instead of diving into all the reasons why they felt stuck, we focused on times when they had been able to manage stress more effectively. Through our conversations, we identified specific strategies they had used before that could be applied to the current situation, such as breaking tasks into smaller steps and taking regular breaks. By concentrating on what had worked in the past, the client began to feel more hopeful and confident in their ability to manage the present stress.
Supportive
I have a great deal of experience using supportive therapy, which is a client-centered approach that focuses on providing emotional support and encouragement. This type of therapy is particularly helpful for clients who are going through difficult life situations, managing chronic conditions, or feeling emotionally overwhelmed. In supportive therapy, the goal is to create a trusting, empathetic environment where clients feel safe to express themselves without fear of judgment. For example, I worked with a client who had recently gone through a significant loss and was feeling overwhelmed by grief. Through supportive therapy, I provided a compassionate space where they could process their emotions at their own pace. We didn’t focus on ‘fixing’ the situation, but rather on helping the client feel heard, understood, and supported as they navigated their grief. Over time, this helped them feel more stable and resilient.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I have extensive experience using Person-Centered Therapy (PCT), which is a therapeutic approach developed by Carl Rogers. The heart of this approach is creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients feel truly heard and understood. I’ve found that by focusing on the relationship and meeting clients with empathy and unconditional positive regard, they feel empowered to explore their feelings and come to their own insights. The beauty of Person-Centered Therapy is that it trusts clients’ innate capacity for growth and healing when given the right environment. For example, I worked with a client who felt extremely stuck in life and uncertain about their identity. Rather than directing them toward a specific solution or path, I offered a space where they could talk openly, and I responded with empathy and reflective listening. Over time, the client felt more comfortable sharing their deeper fears and hopes, which allowed them to discover their own sense of direction and confidence. My role was to support and validate their experience without judgment.