Shakira De Abreu
Hello and welcome! My name is Shakira De Abreu. I’m a warm, real, and compassionate therapist who believes you shouldn’t have to figure everything out alone. I listen without judgment, meet you where you are, and bring both empathy and honesty to the work. Together, we’ll make sense of what you’re experiencing and find a path forward.
First session
After our first session, I hope you leave feeling heard, understood, and a little more hopeful than when you walked in. Whether I’m working with an individual, couple, or family, I want therapy to feel like a safe space for honest conversations, deeper understanding, and meaningful change. I’ll meet you where you are while helping you discover where you want to go.
Strengths
My own life experiences of being a daughter, sister, aunt, friend, mother, wife and an individual has taught me that change is rarely simple or linear. I bring warmth, honesty, humor, and curiosity into my sessions. I’ll give you space to feel and process, while also gently challenging you when it may help you see a situation, pattern, or yourself differently. My goal is for you to feel both understood and empowered.
Ideal clients
I work best with people navigating life transitions, relationship and family challenges, parenting, identity, and feeling stuck or overwhelmed. I also work well with clients who are experiencing depression, grief and anxiety. My ideal clients are looking for a therapist who will truly listen while also helping them understand patterns, gain perspective, and move toward meaningful change. Therapy with me is collaborative, genuine, compassionate, and honest.
Origin story
I always knew I wanted to help people since childhood. I was always that friend/family member who listened to others tell me their deepest secrets and keeping them confidential. I also wanted to know why people did the things they did to explain their behaviors. I especially was interested in helping children because I enjoyed being around them even as a child myself. I started off working with children in my teens by babysitting and as a camp counselor. Early in my career I worked with children and teens, loved it and found that their parents needed a lot of support also. This led me to start working with adults and supporting their stressors as parents in parenting groups and individuals. I have worked with adults over the years whether they are parents or not and found supporting them rewarding as well.
Ongoing work together
My ongoing clients are people who want more than a quick fix. Over time, we build a trusting relationship where they can be honest, explore patterns, gain insight, and make meaningful changes. Some come for support during a difficult season; others stay because therapy becomes a space for continued growth, self-discovery, and healthier relationships. You don’t have to stay stuck in the patterns that brought you here.
Treatment methods
Person-centered (Rogerian)
My therapeutic approach is grounded in person-centered and humanistic principles. I believe that people have an inherent capacity for growth, healing, and change when they are provided with a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment. I strive to meet each client where they are, listen deeply to their experiences, and develop a genuine therapeutic relationship built on empathy, trust, and respect. I do not believe therapy is about telling clients what they should do. Instead, I help clients explore their emotions, relationships, experiences, and patterns so they can develop greater self-awareness and make choices that feel authentic to who they are and what they value. At the same time, I am comfortable gently challenging clients when I notice patterns or perspectives that may be keeping them stuck. Ultimately, I want clients to feel seen, heard, and understood while developing a stronger sense of self, greater confidence in their ability to navigate life, and hope for meaningful change.
Location
Virtual sessions