Shanekka Brown-Johnson, LMFT
Therapist helping people reshape their life stories
Details
| Name | Shanekka Brown-Johnson |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LMFT |
| Based in | California |
| Licensed in | California, Alaska |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 14 |
About Shanekka
Shanekka Brown-Johnson is a licensed marriage and family therapist who helps people manage anxiety, depression, stress, and difficult life changes. She focuses on practical steps that ease day-to-day struggle. Her style is straightforward and person-centered, and she draws on several therapeutic approaches to match each person's needs.
She brings 14 years of clinical work across settings such as residential mental health, substance abuse treatment, schools, domestic violence and family shelters, and outpatient services.
Background and approach
That background informs how she supports people dealing with trauma, co-occurring concerns, and recovery maintenance. She also pays attention to cultural context and the ways identity affects coping. In sessions she uses narrative techniques to help people tell and revise the stories that shape their choices.
She combines that with cognitive behavioral tools to change unhelpful thinking and with acceptance-based practices to build willingness for difficult emotions. Dialectical skills and motivational interviewing strategies are added when people need distress tolerance or motivation for change. She works with common and complex concerns such as panic, mood disorders, caregiver stress, family of origin issues, isolation, and questions around life purpose.
She also addresses adoption and abandonment themes, communication struggles, control issues, guilt, and forgiveness. Her aim is to help people find clearer direction and practical coping skills. Shanekka holds an LMFT license in Alaska and California and practices from California.
Sessions are offered in English and structured to fit individual goals and schedules.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem among the things Shanekka works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Listed by Shanekka among the ways she works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Shanekka among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Shanekka among the ways she works.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by Shanekka among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Shanekka among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Shanekka among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Shanekka 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 she 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 Shanekka directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How Narrative Work and Evidence-Based Tools Fit Online
Shanekka often uses Narrative Therapy to help people examine the stories they tell about themselves and their relationships. That work focuses on identifying dominant storylines and trying out new ways of describing experiences to open up different choices.She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to reduce struggle with painful feelings by clarifying values and building willingness to act in line with those values. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to spot and shift thinking patterns that keep distress going, offering concrete skills for anxiety and mood concerns.
Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. The therapist and client decide together which methods suit the person's goals, preferences, and current challenges. Shanekka adapts session plans over time to fit what is working and what needs more focus.
Online formats available include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation, phone calls can be a good low-bandwidth option, and messaging supports shorter check-ins or ongoing reflections between sessions. These options aim to increase accessibility and make consistent progress more practical for many people.
Common questions about this listing
What concerns does she commonly help with?
She supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, and major life changes. Additional focus areas include panic, mood disorders, caregiver stress, family of origin issues, and feelings of isolation.
What is her therapy style like?
The approach is person-centered and collaborative. Sessions blend narrative work with cognitive and acceptance-based strategies to change unhelpful thoughts and re-author life stories.
How long has she been practicing clinically?
She has 14 years of clinical experience working in residential settings, schools, shelters, and outpatient care. That range informs her practical approach to complex situations.
What are her professional credentials and where is she based?
She is an LMFT, licensed in Alaska (AK LMFT) and California (CA LMFT). Her practice is based in California.
Which languages are services offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. This lets people choose options that fit their routines and comfort with technology.
How are fees and getting started handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist matching and uses a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Shanekka 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 Shanekka where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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