Licensed to practice in 6 states and accepts 59 insurances. Specializes in Addiction, Bipolar Disorder, Depression and 8 more.
(they/them)
I believe therapy works best when it feels human, safe, and real. I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who enjoys walking alongside people as they sort through life’s challenges and begin to understand themselves more clearly. Many of the individuals I work with feel anxious, stuck, disconnected, or unsure of their direction. My role is to help you slow down, gain insight, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence. My work is grounded in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt therapy, and Bowen’s concept of differentiation. In simple terms, that means we explore your thoughts, emotions, and patterns with curiosity rather than judgment. We look at the different “parts” of you that may be in conflict and help you develop the ability to stay true to yourself while staying connected to others. Over time, this often leads to healthier boundaries, stronger relationships, and a deeper sense of balance. I value honest conversation and believe meaningful growth comes from awareness paired with action. Therapy with me is collaborative and compassionate, but also practical. I want you to leave sessions with insight you can actually apply in your daily life. On a personal note, I’m married and a proud father of four adult children. I enjoy traveling, spending time on the golf course, and continuing to grow both personally and professionally. I believe growth doesn’t stop at any stage of life, and I try to live that belief myself. If you’re ready to understand yourself more fully and create lasting change, I’d be honored to support you in that process.
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, and it’s normal to feel a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. In our first session, we’ll simply begin by getting to know each other. I’ll invite you to share what’s been weighing on you, what led you to reach out, and what you hope might be different in your life. I’ll ask some thoughtful questions about your background, relationships, and current challenges—not as an interrogation, but as a way to understand your story more fully. You can share at your own pace. There’s no pressure to have everything figured out or explained perfectly. Together, we’ll start identifying themes and patterns that may be shaping your experience. We’ll also talk about your goals and what progress would look like for you. My aim is to make sure you leave that first session feeling heard, understood, and clear about next steps. Most importantly, I focus on creating a space that feels safe, respectful, and free of judgment from the very beginning. Therapy is a collaborative process, and our relationship matters. If we decide to continue working together, we’ll build from that foundation of trust and clarity. You don’t have to have it all sorted out before coming in. We’ll start wherever you are.
One of my greatest strengths as a therapist is my ability to help people slow down and truly understand what’s happening beneath the surface. Many clients come in feeling overwhelmed, anxious, stuck in patterns, or disconnected from themselves. I help create clarity in the middle of that noise. I bring a calm, grounded presence into the room. Clients often tell me they feel safe being honest — even about the things they’ve never said out loud. I believe real change begins when people feel understood rather than judged. My work is informed by Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt therapy, and Bowen’s concept of differentiation. That means I help clients recognize the different “parts” of themselves that may be in conflict, explore emotions in the present moment, and develop the ability to stay true to who they are while remaining connected to others. Differentiation is a core theme in my work — helping clients build stronger boundaries, reduce emotional reactivity, and respond rather than react in relationships. Another strength is blending insight with practicality. Therapy with me isn’t just about understanding why something developed; it’s about learning how to shift it. Clients leave sessions with both deeper awareness and tools they can apply in real life. I’m also comfortable discussing difficult topics — trauma, addiction, relational pain, shame, identity — while maintaining hope. I believe growth is possible at any stage of life. I try to model that belief through my own continued learning and reflection. Ultimately, my strength is helping people feel more solid within themselves — more grounded, more clear, and more capable of navigating life with intention rather than fear.
My ideal client is someone who is ready to be honest — with me, and more importantly, with themselves. You might be navigating recovery, healing from a difficult childhood, struggling with anxiety, or simply feeling stuck in patterns you can't seem to break. You don't need to have it figured out, and you don't need to be "good at therapy." What matters is a willingness to show up, get curious, and do real work. If you're tired of surface-level fixes and ready to understand yourself at a deeper level — and maybe even discover some compassion for yourself along the way — we'll likely be a great fit.
Other specialties
I identify as
Cash - $150 per session
Aetna
Aetna - Allied Benefits
Aetna - ASR Health Benefits
Aetna - Luminare
Aetna - Medicare
Aetna - Moda
Aetna - WebTPA
Aetna – HealthEZ
All Savers
Amerihealth Administrators
Amerihealth NJ Medicare Advantage
Anthem
Arlo
AvMed
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Blue Cross Blue Shield - Medicare
Braven Health - Medicare
Capital Blue Cross
Capital Blue Cross - Medicare
CareFirst
Centivo
Cigna
Cigna - HealthEZ
EAP:Cigna
EAP:Evernorth
EAP:UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Evernorth
Geisinger - Commercial
Geisinger - Medicare
Geisinger – Dual (Geisinger Gold HMO D-SNP)
Golden Rule
GTEB
Harvard Pilgrim/UnitedHealthcare
Highmark
Highmark - Medicare
Horizon
Horizon - Medicare
Humana - Medicare
Humana Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)
Independence Administrators
Independence Blue Cross
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente - Medicaid
Kaiser Permanente - Medicare
Optum
OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions
Oscar
Oxford
Surest (formerly Bind)
Tufts Health/Cigna
United Medical Resources
UnitedHealthcare Complete Care (C-SNP)
UnitedHealthcare Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)
UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance
UnitedHealthcare Shared Services
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
UnitedHealthcare/Optum
UnitedHealthcare/Optum - Medicare
WellCare
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
IFS is one of the core lenses I bring to my work. The premise is simple but powerful: we all have different "parts" — the inner critic, the perfectionist, the part that numbs out or avoids — and every one of them, even the ones causing pain, is trying to protect us in some way. In our work together, we get curious about these parts rather than fighting them, understanding what they're protecting and helping them release the burdens they carry. I've found IFS especially transformative for clients in recovery and those healing from childhood wounds, where protective parts often developed early and worked overtime. The goal is to help you lead from your core Self — calm, curious, and compassionate — rather than being run by parts stuck in the past.
Strength-Based
A strength-based approach isn't just a technique for me — it's a core belief about people. I don't see my clients as broken or as a collection of symptoms; I see people who have already survived difficult things, often with more resilience and resourcefulness than they give themselves credit for. In our work, we identify the strengths you already have — many of which developed in the very struggles that brought you to therapy — and learn to use them intentionally. This is especially powerful in recovery and family-of-origin work, where people often carry deep shame and can't see their own capacity. The problems get attention, but so does what's working. Healing accelerates when you stop seeing yourself as damaged and start recognizing what's already whole.
Gestalt
Gestalt therapy is the foundation of how I work, and it's an approach I've studied deeply and continue to train in. At its heart, Gestalt is about awareness and contact — what's happening right here, right now, in your body, your emotions, and between us in the room. Rather than only talking about your life from a distance, we work with what shows up in the present moment, because that's where real change happens. I'm guided by what's called the paradoxical theory of change: growth doesn't come from forcing yourself to be different, but from fully becoming aware of and accepting who you actually are. From that grounded place, change happens naturally. Clients often find this approach refreshingly alive — therapy stops being an analysis of the past and becomes a direct experience of waking up to your own life.
6 ratings with written reviews
June 19, 2026
Time spent with Shaun today was excellent. He’s a great listener is able to empathize and share freely. I appreciate his experience intelligence and skill.
June 4, 2026
Got a referral from Kaiser Permanente, great session, very authentic, great point of view.😁
March 12, 2026
Dr. Butler was very comforting to speak to on a first time meeting, and we had a discussion that had a balance of both of us opening up. He was willing to listen to me while being able to find ways to relate back in the process. I didn't feel talked over or talked down to, but rather in conversation with someone who wanted to understand me more. That means a lot to me