Shelley-Anne Walker
Do you keep ending up in the same relationship patterns, even when you can see them coming? Maybe you over-give, shut down, avoid conflict, or lose yourself around certain people. These patterns usually started as protection. In therapy, we get curious about where they came from and what your body is still bracing against. With nearly 20 years of clinical experience across hospitals, community mental health, and inpatient psychiatry, I bring a steady, trauma-informed presence to our work. I see individual adults by telehealth throughout California.
My greatest strength is my ability to recognize and treat reproductive trauma — not just “fertility stress.” Infertility and IVF can be profoundly destabilizing.
In our work together, you can expect: • A space where your experience is taken seriously • Help understanding your attachment style and relationship patterns • Tools to calm your nervous system when old wounds get activated • Support setting boundaries without guilt • A kinder relationship with yourself You don't have to keep repeating the same story. If you're ready to understand yourself differently, I'd be glad to connect.
First session
Our first session is a chance to slow down and get to know what brings you here. We'll talk about what's happening now, the patterns you've noticed, and what you'd like to feel differently. I'll also ask a bit about your history, at a pace that feels comfortable. You don't need to have it all figured out. We'll leave with a sense of where to start and whether we're a good fit.
Strengths
My greatest strength is helping people see the patterns they can't see from the inside and staying steady with them while they change.
Ideal clients
My ideal clients are adults who are capable and high-functioning on the outside but keep getting stuck in the same painful relationship dynamics. They might be the one everyone leans on, the one who keeps the peace, or the one who pulls away when things get close. I work well with people who: • Notice the same patterns across relationships • Struggle with people-pleasing or setting boundaries • Carry trauma that shows up as anxiety, tension, or shutting down • Feel disconnected from their body or emotions • Are hard on themselves and want that to change They're ready to look beneath the surface and want practical tools alongside deeper work.
Treatment methods
Attachment-based
Many relationship patterns start with how we learned to connect early in life, such as who was there for us, what felt safe, and what we had to do to stay close. I help you understand your attachment style and how it shows up now, whether you're pulling away, holding on too tight, or losing yourself in others. Then we work toward relationships that feel more secure.
Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma isn't just a memory. It can live in your body as tension, shutting down, or being on high alert. I work at a pace that feels safe, paying attention to what happens in your body as well as your thoughts. The goal is to help your nervous system settle, so the past has less hold on your present and your relationships.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT to help you notice the thoughts and beliefs that keep you stuck in the same relationship patterns, like "I'm too much" or "I have to keep everyone happy." Together we test those beliefs and practice new responses, so change shows up in your actual relationships and not just in session.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Other specialties
Serves
Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 116595