- Warm and direct
- Person-centered care
- Adoption and foster care
About Shawna
Shawna Pankonin is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in Mississippi who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, grief, parenting challenges, and trauma. She has a focus on adoption and foster care concerns alongside blended family issues, caregiver stress, and other family-related difficulties. Her tone is warm and direct, and she aims to help people feel heard and understood.
Shawna brings 14 years of experience in a wide range of settings, including work in homes, residential care, schools, youth courts along the Gulf Coast, outpatient services, and a Child Advocacy Center. That variety means she has worked with many different situations and ages, and she draws on that background when meeting new clients. She emphasizes listening first and treating each person as the expert on their own life.
Her approach is person-centered and flexible. She blends practical tools with reflective conversation so clients can set clear goals and take small, doable steps. Cognitive-behavioral techniques and mindfulness skills are used to help change unhelpful thoughts and manage strong emotions. Narrative and solution-focused ideas help people reframe stories and find immediate ways to move forward.
Shawna describes her style as warm and supportive but willing to tackle hard problems directly. She prefers to tailor sessions rather than follow a fixed script, and she works collaboratively to build confidence and clearer options. Progress is presented as steady work rather than quick fixes.
People who choose her can expect focused, practical sessions that address daily life and long-standing patterns. She accepts clients from outside the U.S., and sessions follow a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. To begin, use the Start Therapy button and complete the short matching questionnaire.
Approaches you can try in online sessions
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and understanding each person's view of their life. It helps when someone needs space to be heard and to build their own solutions from their lived experience.Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, teaches practical steps for noticing and shifting thought patterns that feed anxiety or depression. It often includes small homework tasks and skill practice to change daily habits that cause distress.
Mindfulness therapy brings simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and increase calm. This approach can be useful for stress, emotional regulation, and coping with difficult memories.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will collaborate with the client to match methods to goals, needs, and preferences rather than using one fixed method. That makes it easier to adjust the plan as progress is made.
Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm current online options before booking. In general, online sessions can make it easier to fit appointments around work, school, or caregiving, reduce travel time, and allow more flexible scheduling. Some formats may be better for quick check-ins while others support deeper therapeutic work, and the therapist can help identify what will work best for each person.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
14+ years
Credentials
Mississippi
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family issues, grief, parenting struggles, self-esteem problems, career questions, and bipolar disorder. Adoption and foster care matters are listed as an additional focus area.
What is her therapeutic style like?
The style is person-centered, warm, and direct. Sessions combine practical skills with reflective conversation to set goals and take small steps forward.
How long has she worked in mental health?
She has 14 years of experience in various settings including homes, residential care, schools, youth courts, outpatient services, and a Child Advocacy Center.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She holds an MS and is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) practicing in Mississippi.
Which languages are offered and can international clients work together?
Sessions are offered in English, and she does accept international clients.
What session formats are available?
Session formats are not specified in the biography; please confirm current session options before booking so you know what formats are offered.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.