Shannon Flaherty Gibbons

Compassionate, experienced support for life’s transitions

LCSW California

Experience: 26 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Parenting
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages: English

About Shannon

Shannon Flaherty Gibbons is a California-licensed clinical social worker with 26 years of experience supporting people through stress, anxiety, relationship concerns, parenting challenges, and shifts in motivation and self-esteem.

Background and approach

She draws on a range of evidence-informed methods to help clients explore patterns of thought and behavior, build practical coping skills, and strengthen emotional awareness. Shannon aims to create an atmosphere where thoughts and feelings can be expressed without judgment and where clients can take steps toward clearer goals and greater resilience.

Her practice emphasizes collaboration and respect for each person’s pace, acknowledging that seeking change requires courage. In sessions she blends cognitive behavioral techniques with acceptance-based and attachment-focused ideas to address concerns such as chronic illness, caregiver stress, family conflict, eating and food-related issues, and difficulties with communication or feelings of emptiness.

Shannon uses her training and long experience to tailor interventions to each individual’s needs while encouraging practical, actionable strategies for everyday life.

Approaches that guide online sessions

Shannon integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in a way that connects thoughts, feelings, and everyday choices. CBT focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thought patterns and building practical skills to reduce anxiety and improve coping. ACT emphasizes values-based action and acceptance strategies to help people move forward even when difficult emotions are present, which can be useful for life transitions, chronic stress, and persistent worry.

Finding the right blend of approaches is part of the therapeutic process and Shannon treats this as a collaborative exploration. She listens to each person’s goals and preferences, explains different techniques, and adapts methods over time so clients can discover which strategies feel most helpful for their situation.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, allowing clients to access support from home or other convenient locations. These options make it easier to fit regular sessions into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life changes, and use shorter check-ins or longer conversations as needed to meet evolving needs.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Shannon commonly address?

She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and parenting challenges, self-esteem and coping with life changes, and also focuses on issues like abandonment, chronic illness, caregiver stress, and communication problems.

What is her therapeutic style and approach?

Her approach blends client-centered listening with evidence-informed strategies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients identify unhelpful patterns and develop practical coping skills.

How much experience does she bring to sessions?

Shannon has 26 years of professional experience working with a wide range of concerns, bringing long-term clinical practice to her therapeutic work.

What credentials and location are associated with this therapist?

She is a licensed clinical social worker in California, credential CA LCSW 20321, and practices from that state.

Can I work with her in a language other than English?

Sessions are conducted in English and she is not accepting international clients at this time.

Which session formats does she offer?

Shannon provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different communication preferences.

How are sessions priced and paid for?

Costs vary with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What steps are needed to begin working with her?

To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesParenting issuesSelf esteem Coping with life changes

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommunication problemsCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDissociationEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

26+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English