About Leah
Leah Shanks is a licensed professional counselor with 15 years of experience in Tennessee. She holds the LPC-MHSP credential and focuses on helping people move through stress, anxiety, trauma, and eating and body-image concerns. Leah believes people bring strengths and knowledge about their own lives, and she supports them as they take steps toward change.
Her style is warm and direct. Sessions focus on what is happening now in a person’s life and on practical ways to feel steadier.
Background and approach
Leah combines talk-based work with body-focused tools to help clients notice how feelings show up in the body and learn ways to calm or shift those reactions. She uses straightforward strategies from cognitive behavioral therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and try small experiments that can change mood and behavior. Somatic approaches help people reconnect to sensations and movement when emotions feel stuck.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing may be offered for people coping with distressing memories. Leah also incorporates mindfulness practices to build present-moment awareness and reduce reactivity. Her approach aims to balance skill-building with empathy, so clients leave sessions with something they can use right away.
The therapist explains options and tailors methods to each person’s needs. Leah works with a wide range of concerns including grief, parenting strain, anger, compassion fatigue, ADHD, panic, and mood disorders. She shares clear guidance about next steps and supports people as they try different ways to feel better.
How Leah blends approaches online
Leah commonly blends Somatic Therapy with Client-Centered and cognitive behavioral approaches. Somatic Therapy helps people notice bodily sensations tied to emotions and learn gentle ways to release tension or shift physical responses. Client-Centered work emphasizes listening and following what matters most to the person, making room for each individuals pace and priorities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing practical changes that can alter mood and behavior.Finding the right mix is a collaborative process. Leah talks with each person about their goals and comfort level, and together they try methods that fit the problem and the person. She adjusts techniques over time based on what feels most helpful and tolerable.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit sessions into busy days and to check in between meetings. For many people, remote sessions mean quicker access to regular support and the chance to practice skills in everyday settings.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does Leah help with?
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What is her professional background?
What credentials and location are listed?
Which languages are supported and can international clients join?
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How does payment work and what does therapy cost?
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Eating disorders
Also works with
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Body image
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Eating and food-related issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Impulsivity
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Social anxiety and phobia
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 15 years
- Licensed
- Tennessee
- Languages
- English