Deshawn Childs
My name is DeShawn. I was born in Chicago, Illinois, as the youngest of 12 children. At the age of eight, following a house fire, I entered the foster care system and became disconnected from my 11 siblings. That experience changed the course of my life and left me carrying a profound sense of loss, disconnection, and the need to understand what it means to feel whole again. Much of my life has been a journey of healing, rebuilding, and learning how to navigate the lasting impact of trauma while developing a healthy sense of self. These experiences have shaped the therapist I am today. My therapeutic approach is grounded in resilience, self-awareness, healing from trauma, and helping people recognize that their past experiences do not have to define their future. I believe therapy can provide a space where people can better understand themselves, develop healthier ways of relating to others, and begin creating a life that feels authentic and meaningful to them.
Strengths
I bring authenticity, empathy, patience, and a genuine willingness to meet people where they are. I believe that effective therapy begins with creating a space where clients feel heard, respected, and safe enough to be honest about the parts of their lives they may struggle to understand or talk about. One of the strengths I bring to my sessions is the ability to look beyond the immediate problem and help clients explore the patterns underneath it. I often help clients connect their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, relationships, and past experiences so they can better understand why they respond to situations the way they do. From there, we can begin identifying healthier and more effective ways of responding. My approach is also grounded in resilience. I do not see clients simply through the lens of their problems or diagnoses. I look for the strengths, survival skills, and possibilities that already exist within them.
Origin story
My decision to become a therapist grew out of my own lifelong journey of overcoming adversity, healing from trauma, and learning to develop a healthy sense of self. Having experienced significant loss and disruption at a young age, I came to understand how deeply our experiences can shape the way we see ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us. Over time, I became deeply interested in the process of healing and in what helps people move beyond simply surviving their circumstances. I wanted to understand why we sometimes repeat patterns that no longer serve us and, more importantly, how we can develop the awareness and skills necessary to create something different. What ultimately inspired me to become a therapist was the opportunity to walk alongside people during some of the most difficult periods of their lives and help them recognize their own strength and capacity for change.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I utilize CBT treatment methods by providing compassion, empathy, and education through modeling and facilitated discussion. I help clients explore the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and identify patterns that may be contributing to their current challenges. Through discussion, cognitive restructuring, problem-solving, and modeling healthier responses, I help clients develop practical coping strategies that they can apply to situations outside of therapy.
Trauma-Focused CBT
I utilize Trauma Focused CBT through a gradual, collaborative process. I work to stablish safety, trust, and a effective therapeutic alliance. I provide psychoeducation to help my client understand common trauma responses and explore the connection between traumatic experiences, thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviors. As my client develop stabilization and coping skills, including grounding, relaxation, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance strategies, I assist them in identifying and challenging trauma related beliefs and patterns of thinking.
Location
Virtual sessions