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BS Portrait of Dr. Brian Shaffer

Dr. Brian Shaffer

Compassionate clinician blending skills and insight

LCMHC, LCPC Pennsylvania

Experience
20 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, LGBT
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages
English
Continue with Brian

About Brian

Dr. Brian Shaffer brings two decades of clinical work to a practice grounded in cognitive behavioral ideas and a person-centered perspective.

Background and approach

He integrates practical skills with reflective exploration to address stress, anxiety, addiction, grief, depression, trauma, relationship and intimacy concerns, and other listed issues such as ADHD and compassion fatigue. His approach combines conversational support with structured strategies to help people identify unhelpful patterns and pursue meaningful change.

Licensed as an LCMHC in New Hampshire (NH LCMHC 3306) and an LCPC in Nevada (NV LCPC CP3204-R), he draws on several therapies including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and client-centered techniques to shape treatment to each person’s needs.

He also attends to spiritual beliefs when clients wish to include that dimension in care, and has a particular clinical background in addiction, trauma, bereavement, and recovery work. Dr.

Shaffer accepts clients in English and offers remote formats that can suit different schedules. He frames therapy as collaborative work focused on practical tools, emotional processing, and rebuilding a sense of agency and hope after difficult life events.

Integrating evidence-based approaches with online care

Dr. Shaffer commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients spot and shift unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; this approach emphasizes practical strategies and homework to reduce symptoms like anxiety or depressive thinking. He also employs Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which encourages clarifying personal values and developing psychological flexibility so clients can move toward meaningful goals despite difficult emotions. Attachment-Based Therapy is another element of his work, focusing on how early relational patterns affect current relationships and emotional responses.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process. He works collaboratively with each client to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adapting interventions over time as progress and priorities evolve.

Offering video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, his online practice prioritizes accessibility and scheduling flexibility. These remote formats make it possible to continue consistent work from different locations, to fit sessions into busy days, and to use brief check-ins or messaging when helpful between longer conversations.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does he commonly address?
He works with a broad range of issues including stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy-related concerns, eating and body image issues, ADHD, bipolar, and career or life changes.
What is his therapeutic style like?
His practice blends person-centered listening with structured interventions drawn from cognitive behavioral approaches and related therapies to combine practical skills training with emotional processing.
How much clinical experience does he have?
He has 20 years of experience working in mental health, addiction, trauma, grief, and spiritual care, supporting clients through recovery and life transitions.
What are his credentials and where is he based?
He holds licensure as an LCMHC and as an LCPC, documented as NH LCMHC 3306 and NV LCPC CP3204-R, and lists Pennsylvania as his location.
Does he work with people outside the United States?
Yes, he accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English for those who are eligible.
Which session formats are offered?
Sessions are available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and schedules.
How are fees and subscriptions handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are required to begin working together?
To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyAddictionsLGBTGriefDepression

Also works with

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Jungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

20+ years

Licensed

Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania

Languages

English