John Shafer, LCSW
Narrative-minded LCSW offering practical support
Details
| Name | John Shafer |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LCSW |
| Based in | New York |
| Licensed in | New York |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 25 |
About John
John Shafer is a licensed clinical social worker with 25 years of practice in New York. He uses Narrative approaches alongside other therapies to help people make sense of their stories and find new ways forward. John focuses on common life strains such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, grief, and issues with sleep and self-esteem.
He trained with a master of social work from Syracuse University and has worked across rural, suburban, and city settings.
Background and approach
That range gave him experience supporting people from different backgrounds and life stages. He has worked with people facing addiction, trauma and abuse, bipolar challenges, and compassion fatigue. John blends practical strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with client-centered listening.
Sessions aim to connect what matters to a person with small, workable steps they can try between meetings. Mindfulness and skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy also inform his work when emotion regulation or distress tolerance becomes important. He has led individual sessions, group work, and couples work during his career, and he frames therapy as a collaborative effort.
The goal is to help people build clearer choices, better communication, and healthier routines that fit their daily life. John offers sessions in English and provides several online formats. His practice emphasizes straightforward conversation, practical tools, and helping people rebuild a sense of control after difficult experiences.
What this therapist works with
His listing names Stress, Anxiety, Relationship issues, Family conflicts among the things John works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Depression
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Fertility issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Immigration issues
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in his listing among his approaches.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Listed by John among the ways he works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by John among the ways he works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by John among the ways he works.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by John among the ways he works.
- Existential Therapy: Listed by John among the ways he works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by John among the ways he works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by John among the ways he works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by John among the ways he works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by John among the ways he works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask John directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how he works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking John directly how he uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How narrative and evidence-based approaches work online
John often brings Narrative Therapy into online work, helping people tell and reframe personal stories so patterns feel less fixed and new possibilities can appear. Narrative methods can be useful for relationship concerns, identity questions, grief, and coping with life changes. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is another frequent approach he uses; it focuses on clarifying personal values and taking committed action even when hard thoughts or feelings show up, which helps with anxiety, depression, and stress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers clear, practical techniques to change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns, useful for sleep problems, anger, and mood challenges.Choosing an approach is a team effort. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what feels helpful. Together they try methods and adjust the plan based on real progress and daily life needs, so therapy stays relevant and doable.
Online work uses video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different rhythms. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation and interactive exercises. Phone sessions can be a good shorter check-in or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging work for quick questions, ongoing coaching, or when someone prefers writing their thoughts. These options make it easier to schedule care around work, family, and travel while keeping therapy practical and focused.
Common questions about this listing
What concerns does John address in therapy?
He helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, sleep problems, addictions, ADHD, career concerns, and related life changes.
What is his therapeutic style like?
John uses a Narrative focus alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. He combines listening with practical exercises and skill-building.
How much experience does he have?
He has 25 years of social work experience in rural, school-based, city, and suburban settings that shaped his clinical approach.
What credentials and location apply?
He is a licensed clinical social worker, NY LCSW, based in New York.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How are costs and payment handled?
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 him?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with John are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including John where he has space. Ask about fees, and whether he holds a licence or registration where you live.
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