About Shirley
Shirley Souder is a licensed mental health clinician who blends practical, person-focused methods to help people manage everyday struggles. She holds both LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) and LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) credentials and brings 43 years of clinical experience in Indiana. Shirley listens for what matters most and helps people set realistic steps toward change.
Her work often centers on anxiety, stress, depression, grief, and relationship challenges.
Background and approach
She also supports people coping with trauma, addiction concerns, self-esteem struggles, and ADHD-related difficulties. Sessions emphasize clear goals and simple tools that can be used outside of the therapy hour. Shirley combines attachment-based ideas with client-centered listening and cognitive-behavioral techniques.
She uses motivational interviewing to help people sort their priorities and take small, manageable steps. Emotionally-focused methods are used when feelings and connection are central to the problem. Her background includes degrees in psychology and Christian counseling, and she draws on those influences when clients want faith-informed perspective included.
She works with individuals on practical life skills - for example job interview preparation, managing difficult people, nutrition suggestions, and building emotional forgiveness skills. Sessions are offered in English and are available to international clients. Formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging.
People begin by selecting Start Therapy, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling according to the therapist's availability.
How Shirley’s approaches translate to online care
Shirley uses attachment-based ideas to look at how relationships shape feelings and behavior. This approach focuses on patterns of connection and helps people change how they relate when stress or hurt comes up. It is useful for relationship concerns, attachment issues, and emotional reconnection.She also applies cognitive behavioral therapy, which looks at thoughts and actions that keep problems going. CBT helps people break larger problems into small, practical steps and learn skills to manage anxiety, mood, and coping with life changes. Motivational interviewing is used alongside these methods to clarify goals and to support movement toward change.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Shirley collaborates with each person to decide which combination of methods fits their goals and preferences. She checks progress and adjusts plans so the work stays relevant and doable.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be simpler when bandwidth or camera use is a concern. Live chat and text can provide shorter check-ins, written reflections, or support between longer sessions. These options offer flexibility to fit therapy into busy schedules and different daily routines.
Questions people ask
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What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Coaching
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 43 years
- Licensed
- Indiana
- Languages
- English
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