Shanta Hayes
My approach to therapy is wHolistic and person-centered, which means I see you as a whole person—not simply a diagnosis, a difficult season, or the circumstances that brought you through my door. I believe your experiences matter, your story matters, and there is value in understanding not only where you are, but how you arrived here. I also believe strongly in meeting you where you are. Therapy is not about telling you who you should be. It is about creating a safe and supportive space where you can better understand yourself, recognize your strengths, process what you have experienced, and make intentional choices about where you want to go next.
First session
Hopefully, clients will feel as if therapy is not such an intimidating thing, and they will see that coming back could really be helpful. Creating a safe space is about having a conversation and addressing the concerns the client came in with, and ideally answering any questions and assuaging any fears.
Strengths
I firmly believe in balance...well, the effort to work toward it. In my practice, I both hold space and hold clients accountable by pushing back. I am empathetic and firm with boundaries. I encourage clients to be both mindful and gentle with themselves (they can occur simultaneously). By recognizing the humanity and not just the diagnosis, it is easier to build rapport and work on helping clients reach their goals.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who is willing to pause, reflect, and learn more about themselves. I work with children ages 5–18, young adults, middle-aged women, and individuals across the lifespan who are navigating life transitions, challenges, relationships, emotions, or simply seeking a deeper understanding of themselves. You simply need to be open to the process and willing to do the work. Together, we will create a safe, supportive space to explore your experiences, recognize your strengths, develop healthy tools, and move toward becoming the person you truly desire to be.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a tool to help clients see the connections between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Being able to put the puzzle pieces together in that way is a helpful start towards their goals.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Therapy is a great tool, in my opinion, to help clients to focus; it is great for emotion regulation and fits well with a lot of executive functioning skills as well.
Location
Virtual sessions