Shannon is a double-board certified Counselor and Integrative Mental Health Practitioner who is Trauma-Informed and Trauma-Trained in multiple Trauma processing modalities. She is NOT a traditional counselor – she is trained in the latest evidence-based, somatic, spiritual, ancestral, energetic, and integrative Trauma and mental health modalities so that she may teach you how to embody your Authentic Self. Shannon is Certified as an Integrative Mental Health Professional, Nationally Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, an ADA Disability Expert, Somatic Experiencing® Advanced Level Practitioner-in-Training (Intermediate Level), MAPS approved Psychedelic Preparation and Integration Provider, Polyvagal Theory trained, Internal Family Systems (IFS) trained, EMDR trained (she does not use EMDR in her practice though), Safe and Sound Protocol Practitioner, member of the American Center for Spiritually Transformative Experiences, and a Trauma-Informed Usui Holy Fire Reiki Master & Master Teacher as well as a Karuna Ki Reiki Master and Master Teacher. Additionally, she is currently training as a Shamanic Apprentice in the Munay Ki and Celtic Shamanism lineages.
Although Shannon is a Counselor, she works only as a coach, mentor, professor, trainer, educator, and a consultant. You are encouraged to continue to work with any licensed Therapist, Doctor, Psychiatrist, traditional or non-traditional healthcare providers or healers when working with Shannon. She is delighted to be an additional and collaborative Support Sherpa on your healing journey.
Shannon operates from an integrative lens. She is a Trauma-Informed, Trauma-Trained, a disability and ADA (accommodation) expert, chronic illness expert, environmental illness expert, neurodivergent affirming and an neurodivergent accommodation expert, culturally-competent. She has trained in every type of Trauma and is an expert at Complex Trauma, Childhood Trauma, Developmental Trauma, Medical Trauma, Disability Trauma, Neurodivergence Trauma, Workplace Trauma, School/Educational Trauma, Trauma of being Neurodivergent/Disabled/Chronic Illness, Trauma of being “Othered”, Refugee Trauma, Immigrant Trauma, Relationship Trauma, Secondary Trauma, Vicarious Trauma, Physical Trauma, Interpersonal Trauma, Bullying, Grief Trauma, Abuse Trauma, Sexual Trauma, Chronic Stress, Poverty, Child Sexual Abuse, Physical Abuse, Racial Trauma, Psychedelic Trauma, Non-Ordinary States Trauma, Religious Trauma, Spiritual Abuse, Inescapable Attack, War Trauma, Terror, Genocide, Emotional Trauma, Systems Trauma, and many other types of Trauma. She embraces the social model of disability, Healing-Centered, Strengths Based, Harm Reduction Model, LGBTQIA2+affirming, Polyamory and Consensual Non-Monogamy Inclusive, and uses a blend of solutions focused brief therapeutic interventions that bridges ancient ancestral healing to the latest in evidence-based neuroscience. She has had a consulting agency and virtual coaching practice since 2012. In 2019 Shannon established a local in-person private coaching and consulting practice in Clive, Iowa.
All of Shannon’s services are holistic and root-cause focused on Whole Self Healing. Inner Healers looking to balance their Mind, Body, Spirit, and Energy generally are a fit to work with Shannon. As are those who already approach holistic health practices, integrative and functional medicine, and those willing to make lifestyle changes. Integrative Medicine and Somatic Trauma and Chronic Stress methods are work that takes dedication, curiosity, practice, and time.
What is Integrative Mental Health?
- Integration of conventional medicine methods with: Complementary, Alternative, & Functional Medicine Modalities
- If used together with traditional healthcare medicine, it’s “Complementary”
- If used in place of conventional medicine, it’s “Alternative”
- Enhances the treatment by learning from other disciplines
- Accelerates the therapeutic results with integration of how the mind and body work together
- Culturally inclusive and honors individual and family belief systems
- Biochemical individuality: addresses each person’s unique root-causes
- Ideal for addressing multi-faceted chronic psycho/somatic conditions (both your physical and mental health)
- Integrative Mental Health fills in the gaps where you likely got stuck
What Does Trauma-Informed Integrative Mental Health Include?
- Whole Body Holistic Approach
- Whole Integrative Self Assessment: Mind, Body, Spirit, and Energy
- Nutritional Support and Culinary Medicine
- Hormones and Laboratory Analysis education
- Pharmacogenomics, Genetics, and Genomics education
- Self-Care Strategies
- Emphasizes the Healing Relationship with yourSelf
- Balancing Biological Rhythms
- Nature, Human and Animal Relationships
- Supplements and Herbal Medicine education
- Hydrotherapy and Detoxification
- Movement as Medicine
- Sound and Music as Medicine
- Somatic Trauma Practices
- Breathwork and Radical Mindfulness
- Purpose and Meaning or Spirituality
- Your Trauma-Informed Integrative Medicine Protocol and Sessions are Tailored Uniquely to Your Bioindividuality!
In Shannon’s private coaching practice, it is totally okay to be on medications and also desire holistic and natural approaches. BOTH/AND are sometimes what allows the most healing to occur. This is what Integrative Medicine is all about. And while Shannon cannot manage your prescription medications (your original prescriber legally has to do that)- she can layer on additional Somatic Trauma practices AND natural Integrative holistic solutions to honor your Whole Self for Whole Self Medicine.
Shannon’s Trauma-Informed approaches are very somatic & body-based in order to map and tend to a dysregulated nervous system as the result of stress and Trauma. You will find a blend of evidence-based Trauma healing approaches such as: Polyvagal Theory, Somatic Experiencing (SE), Safe and Sound Protocol, Vagus Nerve Retraining, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Shamanic and Energetic practices. Therefore, her Trauma methods do not require you to tell her the specifics of your Trauma history.
Integrative Mental Health, Nervous System, & Somatic Coaching is Not Appropriate For:
- those in an acute crisis
- those in an emergency
- those in a spiritual emergency
- those who are actively being abused or traumatized
- those who are actively abusing and harming others
- those looking for Shannon to provide mental health therapy
- those looking for Shannon to manage their medical care
- those looking for Shannon to assess medication safety
- those looking for Shannon to provide psychedelic-assisted therapy or act as a psychedelic sitter or guide
- those who require intensive therapeutic and behavioral support
- those who are currently experiencing psychosis or have experienced a psychosis episode in the past year
- those who have been in an inpatient treatment facility, hospitalized due to a mental health crisis, or who have worked with a local crisis team in the past year
- those who would not like to practice somatic body-based practices to resolve their stress and Trauma
- those who do not want to make lifestyle changes to address their root-causes
- those who require more support than coaching can provide
Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
The Safe and Sound Protocol is neuroscience-based sound therapy platform that was created by Dr. Steven Porges, the inventor of Polyvagal Theory. The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) can help you have better nervous system regulation and begins to unlock your ability to think, feel, and connect better – all through listening to music while Shannon teaches you ways to regulate your nervous system and practice somatic embodiment practices. You can learn more about the Safe and Sound Protocol here.
Shannon does not manage prescription pharmaceutical medications, provide primary care, provide mental health therapy, or accept healthcare insurance. She encourages you to have these supports in place. Many clients are able to utilize Flexible Spending Accounts or Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and be reimbursed by their healthcare insurance when utilizing Shannon’s services. She is happy to provide you with a Superbill for your coaching session t to give to your healthcare insurance for your HSA.
If you are in a crisis or emergency, please text “Home” to the Free Crisis Text Line at “741741.” You may also dial “988” in the U.S. For mental health emergencies, it is also best to get local support from your local Mobile Crisis Team that staffs mental health professionals (instead of police officers) by dialing “911” and asking to be dispatched to the “Mobile Crisis Team.”
Shannon works with individuals, teens, couples, families, groups, and organizations. If you are on the fence–just start with one session! Also, if you do not know which service to start with, Shannon will be able to suggest where to start.
Integrative Mental Health, Nervous System Retraining, Safe and Sound Protocol, and Somatic Trauma Coaching Pricing:
Individual 50-minute Session: $225
- What’s Included:
- Complete mind-body-spirit-energy holistic nervous system review
- One 50-minute in-person or virtual coaching session
- Discussion of next steps
- Recommended for: guidance on next steps for healing the mind, body, spirit, and or energy
10 Session Package: $1,850 (Self-Investment = $185/session) Savings of $400 (You may pay session by session.)
- What’s Included:
- Complete mind-body-spirit-energy holistic nervous system review
- Ten 50-minute in-person or virtual telehealth sessions
- Typically meet once every 2 weeks (depending on goals) to follow through with education and practices provided.
- Discussion of next steps
- Total Time Invested: 5 months or less than two seasons of life
- Recommended for: Those working on a medium-term goal and would benefit from some accountability, guidance, and education or facilitation of resources in two seasons of life. Note: Ten sessions is the absolute minimum time in which Trauma-Informed care can start to be provided. Research shows that it does take ten hours of being with a safe Trauma-Informed provider in order for Trauma and chronic stress to begin to resolve.
20 Session Package: $3,300 (Self-Investment = $165/session) Savings of $1,200 (You may pay session by session.)
- What’s Included:
- Complete mind-body-spirit-energy holistic nervous system review
- Twenty 50-minute in-person or virtual coaching sessions
- Typically meet once every 2 weeks (depending on goals) to follow through with education and practices provided.
- Discussion of next steps
- Total Time Invested: 5 months or less than two seasons of life
- Recommended for: Those working on resolving Chronic Stress and Trauma. Note: Ten sessions is the absolute minimum time in which Trauma-Informed care can start to be provided. Research shows that it does take ten hours of being with a safe Trauma-Informed provider in order for Trauma and chronic stress to begin to resolve. Twenty or more sessions allows for the nervous system to safely, slowly, and consistently retrain–which is the only way that nervous system’s reshape themselves (just like going to the gym session after session.)
You May Pay Session by Session on Packages: This payment option is available – just ask!
Double Sessions are available of two 50-minute sessions back to back for a total of 110 minutes (1 hour and 40 minute sessions).
Sliding Scale Fees Are Not Currently Available: Shannon is self-employed and has self-funded sliding scale fees out of her own pocket and has spent tens of thousands of personal dollars to assist in the support of marginalized clients. Shannon also always works pro bono on system change initiatives. Currently, due to changes in her life, she can no longer fund out of pocket sliding scale rates and is asking for donations to continue to offer sliding scale rates. As of right now, the donation balance available for sliding scale rates is negative and therefore there no donations available to offer sliding scale fees at this time. If you have the financial means, you are invited to sponsor the healing of someone by way of donation. In the Inner Healer newsletter that goes out, Shannon will share the number of people that your donations were able to serve. Donations may be made to her Venmo account: @theintegrativecounselor (the last 4 digits of the phone are: 6892.)
Coaching sessions are available both locally and virtually online. Virtual coaching sessions are available online on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Local Sessions are available in person in Shannon’s office in Clive, Iowa, on Tuesdays and Thursdays until September 20th, 2024. After September 20th, 2024 – all services will be offered online.
How to Apply to work with The Integrative Counselor:
Due to the demand for the root-cause Trauma-Informed services that Shannon offers and the nature of the modalities in which she practices, you must apply to work with Shannon to determine if it would be a fit to work together. You may apply by filling out the online application Here.
If you have been accepted to work with Shannon-then you are invited to schedule a coaching session.
Schedule a virtual coaching session Here.
Disclaimer: The information and coaching provided on this website and in our sessions are intended to educate, inform, and inspire you to reach your personal and professional goals. They are not intended to replace or substitute any professional, medical, legal, or financial advice. Although Shannon is a counselor, she practices under the definition of a coach. This means that Shannon does not diagnose or treat any physical or mental condition, and that her coaching services are not a substitute for professional counseling or therapy. While Shannon may make suggestions, you are solely responsible for your own decisions, actions, and results. Shannon do not guarantee any specific outcome or result from my coaching services. Your use of her website constitutes your acceptance of this disclaimer.