- Years in practice
- 3
- Credentials
- LMFT
- Licensed in
- California, Idaho
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
About Marissa
Marissa Shennan is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) based in Idaho who helps people manage stress, anxiety, relationship strain, parenting challenges, trauma, and grief. She works with adults facing depression, addiction concerns, anger, intimacy issues, and low self-esteem. Marissa uses a collaborative style and focuses on practical steps people can use between sessions.
Marissa describes therapy as a joint process. She helps clients set clear goals and then picks approaches that fit those goals.
Background and approach
Sessions emphasize honest conversation, skill-building, and small, steady changes rather than quick fixes. Her work draws on attachment-based ideas to look at how past relationships affect present patterns. She also uses cognitive behavioral tools to spot and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
For trauma-related concerns she incorporates EMDR methods and emotionally-focused techniques to address painful memories and deepen emotional connection. Marissa has three years of experience as an LMFT and holds licensure in California and Idaho. She has provided therapy in online formats and aims to make virtual sessions practical and manageable for busy lives.
Her approach keeps things straightforward and grounded in everyday needs. Parents who are worn out by day-to-day pressure will find concrete strategies for coping and for improving family interactions. Marissa pays attention to communication problems, attachment wounds, and patterns like codependency or control issues, helping people build new ways of relating and feeling more capable.
What Marissa works with
Everything Marissa lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Marissa helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Domestic violence
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Somatization
- Women's issues
Approaches Marissa lists
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Therapeutic approaches and how they translate to online work
Marissa commonly uses attachment-based ideas to look at how past relationship patterns shape current reactions; this helps when a parent feels stuck in recurring conflicts or withdrawal. She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce anxiety and improve mood. For trauma-related concerns she integrates EMDR techniques aimed at processing distressing memories and reducing their intensity.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist and client discuss specific goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, then try techniques and adjust as progress is seen. Marissa supports clients in pacing the work so it fits family life and personal needs.
Online formats offer practical flexibility for busy parents. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or when a shorter check-in is needed, and live chat or text-based messaging can be useful for quick updates, brief coaching, or continuing work between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, child care, and daily routines.
Questions people ask about Marissa
What concerns does Marissa focus on?
She supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, addiction, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting strain, anger, and self-esteem problems.
How does she approach therapy?
Her style is collaborative and down-to-earth, combining client-centered conversation with practical skill-building and goal setting.
What experience does she bring?
She has three years of experience as a licensed marriage and family therapist and has worked with both everyday concerns and more complex trauma-related issues.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with licensure in California and Idaho and practices from Idaho.
What languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Which session formats are offered?
Sessions are available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging.
How is cost handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling according to therapist availability.
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