Shana Williams-Leary , LCSW

Shana Williams-Leary is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who has spent over 23 years working in both inpatient crisis settings and outpatient counseling. She has provided care to individuals, couples, and families from ages 4 to 85 across Florida, Utah, Maine, Arizona, and several other countries. Her practice begins by meeting each person where they are and then tailoring interventions to fit their specific needs and circumstances.

Her clinical emphasis includes PTSD and abuse, addressing both primary and secondary traumas. She is a Certified TIST (Trauma-informed Stabilization & Treatment) therapist and has advanced training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), including the Flash Technique. She has frequently worked with people living with chronic serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dissociative issues, and depression, as well as those facing major life transitions, expatriation, high sensitivity, and developmental delays.

She has supported individuals in middle-stage dementia and assisted their caregivers and parents with parenting challenges. While she has experience across the lifespan, her highest comfort level for individual sessions is with adults aged 18 and over. Her clinical style is eclectic and warm, grounded in acceptance, positive regard, and trust-building, while remaining able to be focused and solution-oriented when needed.

Shana employs motivational interviewing to clarify what clients truly want and what they are ambivalent about, then moves to strengths-based and skill-building work using cognitive-behavioral and humanistic techniques within a family systems and developmental framework. She views therapy as a courageous, transformative process and approaches her work as a trusted and compassionate partnership in each person’s journey.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Shana Williams-Leary integrates several evidence-informed approaches to support healing and change. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationships shape current patterns and can help with relationship struggles, abandonment concerns, and difficulties forming secure connections. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and building practical skills to manage symptoms like anxiety, depression, and stress through structured strategies. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an approach in which Shana has advanced training including the Flash Technique, addresses traumatic memories and their emotional impact, which can be particularly helpful for PTSD and abuse-related trauma.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey. Shana works collaboratively with clients - discussing goals, preferences, and responses to different methods - and adjusts the plan over time to find the best fit for each person’s needs and pace.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to engage with licensed professionals. Video calls and phone sessions allow for real-time conversation, while live chat and text-based messaging can fit into busy schedules or support ongoing check-ins between sessions. These options make it easier to access consistent care across time zones and life changes, helping clients maintain continuity and adapt therapy to their daily lives.