William Shonts, LPC-MHSP

William Shonts is a Licensed Professional Counselor - Mental Health Service Provider (LPC-MHSP) with 22 years of clinical experience in Tennessee. He focuses on stress and anxiety along with depression and the challenges that come with life transitions. He aims to meet people where they are and treats each person with respect, sensitivity, and compassion.

He shapes conversation and planning around each person's needs instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach. That means practical steps and discussions that match current concerns, whether someone is dealing with work pressure, relationship strain, or changes after a major life event. Sessions emphasize supportive guidance and clear next steps.

William draws on a mix of approaches to help people build coping skills and manage difficult feelings. He uses client-centered work to create a steady, empathic space for talking. He also brings tools from cognitive behavioral therapy to sort through unhelpful thinking and from mindfulness practices to reduce reactivity.

People who are worn down by caregiving or compassion fatigue can find focus on self-care and boundaries. He can also address attachment issues, communication problems, and challenges related to adoption, foster care, or abandonment. The emphasis is on practical strategies and steady support.

Conversations begin with understanding what matters most to the person sitting in the room. From there he helps set realistic goals and build manageable skills to reduce distress and improve day-to-day functioning.

How his approaches translate to online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating an empathic, listening space where the person leads the conversation and goals. This approach helps people feel heard and understood, which supports clearer decision making and steady progress.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is about identifying patterns of thinking that increase stress and replacing them with practical experiments and new behaviors. It is often used to reduce anxiety and manage mood by practicing concrete skills between sessions.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) provides tools for managing intense emotions and improving emotion regulation through skills like distress tolerance and mindful awareness. These tools can be helpful when feelings feel overwhelming or when relationships are strained.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or has not worked in the past, and then suggest approaches that fit. This is a collaborative process that can change as needs evolve.

The biography does not specify which online session formats are used, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life - for example they can reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins during a workday, or be scheduled around caregiving duties. Licensed professionals can adapt these methods to remote sessions while focusing on skills practice, goal-setting, and steady support.