- ACT and CBT methods
- Attachment-based work
- Communication skills
About Shawn
Shawn Mcgivern is an MA, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Massachusetts with 27 years of clinical experience. She focuses on stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy-related issues, and family of origin concerns. She also supports people facing grief, eating and sleeping problems, anger, self-esteem, career questions, and major life changes.
Shawn uses clear, practical methods in sessions. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, and client-centered work. She helps people notice patterns that began in childhood and how those patterns play out now. Then she works with them to try different ways of responding.
Sessions often cover communication skills, boundary setting, and handling difficult emotions like shame or abandonment. Shawn helps people sort out relationship dynamics and make concrete plans for change. She also addresses caregiver stress, blended family issues, adoption and foster care concerns, and attachment difficulties.
Shawn treats issues that affect daily life, such as procrastination, perfectionism, body image, and feelings of being stuck at work. She combines skills practice with reflective conversation so clients can test things between sessions. That means action steps and short-term experiments alongside talking.
People meet her when they want step-by-step strategies and clearer decisions. She asks practical questions, suggests exercises drawn from her clinical approaches, and follows up on how those steps worked. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How therapy approaches translate to online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and values and taking action that matches what matters. It can help with anxiety, avoidance, and getting unstuck. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts and behaviors interact and uses exercises to change unhelpful patterns. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress management. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationships shape expectations and reactions in current relationships and can help with intimacy, abandonment concerns, and communication problems.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Shawn will discuss options and try methods that fit a person’s goals and preferences. She works collaboratively to adjust techniques over time so sessions stay practical and relevant.
Session formats are not listed in the original biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, shorten check-ins when needed, and allow for video or phone meetings depending on what the therapist offers. The emphasis is on finding ways to practice skills between sessions and making therapy fit everyday life rather than reshaping daily routines entirely.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
27+ years
Listed in
Massachusetts
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy-related issues, and family of origin concerns. Additional areas include grief, eating and sleeping problems, anger, and self-esteem.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
She uses a collaborative, practical style that combines talk with real-world exercises. Techniques come from approaches like ACT, CBT, DBT, attachment work, and client-centered therapy.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 27 years of experience working with adults on a wide range of emotional and relational concerns.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is licensed as an LMHC in Massachusetts and practices there.
What languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What is the first step to begin?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.