- CBT techniques
- Mindfulness practice
- Solution-focused work
About Shawna
Shawna Pankonin is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Mississippi with 14 years of experience in mental health. She works with people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, trauma and abuse, and concerns around parenting, grief, self-esteem, career, and bipolar disorder. She also supports issues related to adoption and foster care, blended families, and caregiver stress.
Shawna has worked in many settings including homes, residential care, schools, youth courts along the Gulf Coast, outpatient clinics, and a Child Advocacy Center. That variety means she has seen a wide range of problems and practical ways to address them. She listens to where someone is coming from and treats them as the expert on their life.
Her sessions use person-centered ideas combined with practical techniques. She commonly draws from cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, narrative approaches, and solution-focused work. These methods are used to reduce anxiety, manage anger, improve communication, and address complex trauma.
Shawna describes her style as direct and creative. She prefers flexible sessions rather than fitting people into a fixed format. She makes room for practical goal-setting and step-by-step plans so clients can notice small changes and build confidence.
Shawna’s motivation for this work grew from years supporting children, adolescents, and families in state custody and from watching friends and family cope with mental illness. She understands how overwhelming it can be to reach out for help and how progress often begins with steady, consistent effort.
Therapeutic approaches and how online sessions work
Shawna uses client-centered ideas to start sessions by listening and learning where someone is coming from. This helps identify what matters most and what goals feel useful. Client-centered work focuses on the person’s perspective and builds collaboration between therapist and client.She also uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to track thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. CBT offers practical tools for reducing anxiety, changing unhelpful thought patterns, and practicing new responses in daily life. Mindfulness therapy is another common element; it teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and notice emotions without judgment.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Shawna will help figure out which methods fit the client’s needs, goals, and preferences. Decisions about techniques are collaborative and can shift as progress is made.
The original biography does not specify which online session formats are offered, so confirm current options before booking. Online care can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time from a day. It also means sessions can focus on practical skills and exercises that carry over into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
14+ years
Listed in
Mississippi
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting concerns, self-esteem, career issues, and bipolar-related concerns.
How would she approach shame or guilt related issues?
Her approach combines person-centered listening with practical techniques like cognitive behavioral strategies and narrative work to examine beliefs and patterns that keep guilt or shame active.
What is her background and experience?
She has 14 years in the field and has worked in homes, residential care, schools, youth courts, outpatient settings, and a Child Advocacy Center.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Mississippi.
Can I see a clinician in a language other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats does she offer?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with her?
Choose the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.