- Years in practice
- 44
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- Missouri
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Grief
- Focus
- Anger management
About Patrick
Patrick Shanahan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 44 years of experience who helps people handle parenting stress, relationship strain, grief, and addiction-related concerns. He speaks plainly and focuses on practical steps people can try between sessions. Patrick aims to help parents and individuals find clearer direction when life feels overwhelming.
He believes people are often self-correcting and can move toward healthier choices once they get unstuck. His view draws on long study of religion and culture to understand diverse values and family backgrounds.
Background and approach
That perspective guides how he frames problems and suggestions in sessions. Patrick’s early work included creating and running an outpatient clinic for a runaway and homeless youth shelter. For 18 years he provided case management, individual therapy, and family work in shelter and community settings.
He also trained and supervised staff and graduate students and partnered with a university on research to refine therapy methods. Later roles included offering professional Christian therapy in an outpatient group and spending 18 years with managed care providing phone therapy, benefits navigation, and crisis intervention.
He completed 29 hours toward a Ph.D. in family therapy and was offered a fellowship with Washington University’s doctoral program. In practice he uses a mix of practical approaches such as cognitive behavioral techniques, emotion-focused work, acceptance and commitment ideas, attachment-based perspectives, and client-centered conversation. Sessions tend to emphasize problem solving, communication skills, and steps parents can use at home.
What Patrick works with
Everything Patrick lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Patrick helps people with.
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Multicultural concerns
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Patrick lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Jungian Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches for parenting and relationship work online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small committed steps toward them. It helps when stress, avoidance, or worry get in the way of parenting goals or relationship priorities.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches concrete skills to change unhelpful patterns. This approach is useful for anxiety, depression, and recurring conflicts that affect family life.
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) centers on understanding and shifting emotional responses within close relationships. It can help partners improve connection and parents handle emotional triggers that affect interaction with loved ones.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Patrick will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and day-to-day realities. He adapts tools based on what a client needs, their pace, and what feels useful in real life.
Online therapy makes those methods more accessible through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be a good shorter check-in or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging offer flexibility for quick reflections or when logging progress between meetings. These options help people fit therapy around work, caregiving, and busy family schedules.
Questions people ask about Patrick
What concerns does Patrick commonly address?
He works with relationship problems, parenting strain, grief, depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma and many family issues.
What is his therapeutic style like?
Sessions are straightforward and practical, using conversation, problem solving, and skill-building to address daily life challenges.
What is his professional background?
Patrick has 44 years of experience including running an outpatient clinic for runaway and homeless youth, supervising staff, and working in managed care and outpatient settings.
What credentials and location are listed?
He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, MO LCSW, based in Missouri.
Are sessions available in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
In what formats can someone meet with him?
He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule based on therapist availability.
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