Shontell Harris
I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with more than 17 years of experience working with children (ages 5–18), adults, couples, and families. I earned my Master of Arts in Guidance Counseling from Argosy University in 2008. I became a certified school counselor that same year, holding a professional certification through the Department of Education (Certification#1101243). After several successful years in school counseling, I decided to expand my scope of practice and transition into therapy full-time. In October 2023, I became a Registered Mental Health Intern and subsequently completed a Post-Baccalaureate Certification in Marriage and Family Therapy from National University in June 2024.
Rather than imposing a single model, I let the client’s goals and presenting concerns guide the therapeutic direction, ensuring that treatment is collaborative, personalized, and empowering.
Outside of my work, I enjoy spending time with my family, listening to audiobooks, going for walks in the park, watching Netflix, and baking.
First session
The first session is really about getting to know you and understanding what brings you in. We’ll go through a biopsychosocial assessment, which simply means I’ll ask questions about different areas of your life — your background, your emotional and physical health, your relationships, your environment, and anything else that helps me understand the full picture of your experience. There are no right or wrong answers. This is just a conversation, and you can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. As we talk, I’ll be listening closely — not just to the details, but to how things have been affecting you. My goal is to understand what you’re going through with compassion and without judgment. Once we’ve gathered that information, we’ll start shaping a treatment plan together. That includes identifying your goals, what you hope to work on, and what you’d like to see change. I use several therapeutic approaches — like cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, solution‐focused strategies, and others — and we’ll decide together which ones fit your needs best.
Strengths
Rather than imposing a single model, I let the client’s goals and presenting concerns guide the therapeutic direction, ensuring that treatment is collaborative, personalized, and empowering.
Ideal clients
My passion lies in helping individuals, couples, adolescents, teens, and families navigate challenges such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, grief, behavioral concerns, identity issues, and major life transitions. My therapeutic style is collaborative and integrative, focusing on the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behavior. I help clients build awareness, develop coping strategies, and incorporate mindfulness techniques to foster lasting growth and change.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I work from a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) foundation, helping clients understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
I integrate mindfulness practices to support clients in slowing down, grounding themselves, and becoming more aware of their internal experiences, creating space for insight and emotional regulation.
Supportive
My style is deeply relational. Through talk therapy, active listening, empathy, and compassion, I create a safe environment where clients feel understood. This allows me to get to the heart of their concerns and tailor my interventions to their needs.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I draw from multiple evidence‐based modalities, one being Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), to help with emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I use Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) to help identify strengths and build on what’s already working.
Location
Virtual sessions
In-person sessions122 E Main St, Lakeland, FL 33801