Shannon Madden , LPC

Shannon Madden, LPC, brings 26 years of experience working with individuals facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, trauma, and life transitions. She practices from a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy framework, helping clients identify the thoughts and beliefs that shape emotions and behaviors and using practical worksheets alongside explanations of neurobiology to support faster, sustainable change. Her style is grounded and approachable, often using gentle humor early in work together to ease tension and normalize responses to difficult circumstances.

Madden earned a Master of Counseling from the University of Phoenix in 2002 and a Master of Arts in Organizational Management in 2001, after completing a Bachelor of Science at Northern Arizona University. She pursued doctoral coursework in neuropsychology at Argosy University from 2010 to 2013 but did not complete the degree. To maintain her LPC credential - Licensed Professional Counselor - she completes 30 hours of continuing education every two years and has received advanced training in EMDR, post-traumatic stress, neuropsychology, depression, and anxiety.

Her clinical experience began as a crisis counselor with the Phoenix Fire Department while completing graduate school, followed by six years providing crisis services in hospital emergency departments. She later specialized in PTSD care for police, fire, and military personnel and served as Director of Psychological Health for the Arizona Army National Guard in 2013, focusing on deployment support, suicide prevention, PTSD, and military sexual trauma. After helping to open Quail Run Behavioral Health Hospital as Director of Intake and Assessment, she now works for Arizona's state crisis system in a telecommuting role. Madden draws on this background to support clients through trauma, family issues, career transitions, caregiving stress, chronic illness, and other complex life challenges. She is a third generation Arizonan who grew up in Flagstaff, now based near Phoenix, and outside of work she enjoys travel, crocheting, and time with her two dachshunds.

Online Approaches for Trauma, Stress, and Life Changes

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It often uses practical exercises and worksheets to build new skills for managing anxiety, depression, and everyday stressors. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a collaborative, empathetic relationship in which the therapist supports the client’s own goals and self-directed growth, helpful for grief, self-esteem, and life transitions. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) helps clients explore and reprocess emotional experiences to improve relationships and resolve attachment-related concerns, which can be valuable for family conflict, abandonment issues, and caregiving stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Shannon works collaboratively with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences, adapting techniques over time so treatment fits the client rather than forcing a single model. This collaborative planning helps identify which methods are most useful for the issues at hand.

Online therapy offers flexibility by allowing sessions by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit care into work, caregiving, or travel schedules. Remote sessions can reduce commute time and increase access to licensed professionals, supporting continuity of care across life changes and busy schedules.