Shirley D. Sheldon, MSW, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Pronouns: she/her

West County Location

Shirely Sheldon, MSW, LCSW

My Specialties

  • Depression & Anxiety

  • Women's Issues Across the Life Span

  • College-Aged Youth/Young Adults

  • Self-Esteem

  • Family of Origin Concerns

  • Inner Child Healing

  • Relationship Concerns

  • Grief & Loss

  • Spiritual Crisis, Exploration, & Growth

  • Aging & End-of-Life Concerns

  • Divorce & Single Parenting

  • Holistic Self-Care

  • Meditation

My Approach to Therapy

I believe in the inherent worth, dignity, and inner beauty of every human soul. As we journey through this experience of life, we often encounter twists, turns and unforeseen forks in the road. Sometimes the pain and difficulties of these experiences disconnect us temporarily from our true nature. We may find ourselves lost in depression, anxiety, or a multitude of other challenges.

My role is to accompany you during these times -- to offer compassion, understanding and an affirmation of your strengths. I believe in you! Together we will build an authentic and trusting relationship, one that assists you in working through problems and reaching your goals.

I am eclectic in my approach and find deep meaning and value in the practice of social work. I utilize a variety of modalities and interventions to encourage growth and self-actualization. I am greatly influenced by both Humanistic and Transpersonal frameworks and have training in Systems theory as well. I am trauma-informed and continue to build my knowledge base in this area. I encourage self-care and find holistic practices like meditation, guided imagery, journaling, energy work, high-frequency music, and aromatherapy to be helpful additions to the therapeutic process. I welcome the opportunity to support you in living your very best life.

Education

1987: Master of Social Work, Family Therapy Specialization
George Warren Brown School of Social Work Washington University in St. Louis, MO

1985: B.S. Social Work & Psychology
Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, MO

Training & Certifications

2025: Grieving the Unseen: Coping with Non-Death Losses

2024: The Body Can Change the Score: Exploring Somatic Interventions for Trauma

2024: Understanding Trauma: Based on the Book “The Body Keeps the Score”

2024: Clinical Applications of Internal Family Systems Therapy; Step by Step Procedures for Healing Traumatic Wounds, Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Addiction, and More

2024: Cultural Competence: Alleviating Unconscious Bias

2001: Karuna Reiki Master-Teacher
William Lee Rand’s International Center for Reiki Training

1999: Usui Reiki Master-Teacher
William Lee Rand’s International Center for Reiki Training