- Years in practice
- 14
- Credentials
- LPC
- Licensed in
- Mississippi
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
About Shawna
Shawna Pankonin is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Mississippi who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, grief, trauma and relationship problems. She brings 14 years of experience in multiple settings and responds to practical concerns like communication problems, caregiver stress, and blended family issues. Her approach is straightforward and focused on real change.
Shawna draws on a person-centered stance that treats each person as an expert on their own life.
Background and approach
She uses tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness to help people notice patterns and try new behaviors. Sessions are shaped to each person's goals rather than fitting everyone into the same plan. Her background includes work in homes, residential care, schools, youth court systems across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, outpatient clinics, and a Child Advocacy Center.
That variety gave her experience with many clinical issues and with people in different life stages and settings. In session she is described as warm and supportive while also encouraging active work toward goals. She helps people build parenting skills, reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression, and manage complex trauma or abuse.
She also addresses specific concerns such as adoption and foster care, fertility issues, fatherhood issues, and divorce or separation. Shawna emphasizes collaboration and practical steps. She helps clients set clear goals, try small changes, and track progress over time.
Her style favors creativity over rigid formats so therapy can follow what each person needs.
What Shawna works with
Everything Shawna lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Shawna helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Depression
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Adoption and foster care
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Fertility issues
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Visually impaired
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Shawna lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused 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.
How her approaches fit into online therapy
Client-centered therapy focuses on understanding your perspective and working at your pace. It helps when someone wants to be heard and to shape goals around their values and daily life. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at the connections between thoughts, feelings and actions and teaches practical skills for managing anxiety, depression and stress. Mindfulness therapy builds attention to the present moment and can reduce reactivity and overwhelm.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative effort. She will discuss options with each person, try methods that match the issue and adjust the plan over time. The first few sessions usually focus on listening, setting goals, and deciding which techniques to use together.
Online formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life. Video calls allow for face-to-face conversation when a fuller interaction is helpful. Phone sessions can be simpler when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for brief check-ins, practicing skills between sessions, or when a shorter contact fits a hectic day. These options give flexibility in how and when people connect with a licensed therapist.
Questions people ask about Shawna
What kinds of problems does this therapist help with?
She supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, grief, trauma and relationship problems, plus related concerns like adoption and foster care, blended family issues, and caregiver stress.
How would you describe the therapy style and approach?
The style is warm and practical. Sessions are person-centered and tailored to goals, using techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, narrative and solution-focused approaches when helpful.
What is her clinical background and experience?
She has 14 years of experience working in homes, residential care, schools, youth court systems, outpatient settings, and a Child Advocacy Center across the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds an MS and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Mississippi.
Which languages and international options are available?
Sessions are offered in English, and she accepts international clients.
What session formats does she use?
Therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How are costs and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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