- 25 years experience
- LCSW in New York
- Values based tools
About John
John Shafer is an LCSW with 25 years of clinical experience. He blends practical therapy models to help people facing stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, and codependency. John practices in New York and offers direct, down-to-earth care for people who need steady, experienced support.
He earned his Master of Social Work from Syracuse University in 1998 and has worked in rural community mental health, school-based programs, and urban and suburban settings. Those varied roles gave him a broad view of common life challenges and different ways people cope. He has worked with people across a wide age span and with diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
John draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and client-centered ideas in his work. He tends to focus on practical tools people can use between sessions, like values-based actions, thought tracking, and emotion regulation skills. He also uses mindfulness and narrative ideas to help people make sense of difficult experiences.
His background includes experience with trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy issues, sleeping problems, parenting stress, ADHD, and compassion fatigue. Additional focus areas include abandonment, attachment issues, chronic illness, caregiver stress, and communication problems. These topics are woven into goal-focused sessions that aim to match each person’s needs.
People who reach out can expect a collaborative style. John aims to listen first, then work together to choose approaches and tasks that fit the person’s day-to-day life. He frames therapy as teamwork toward clear, achievable goals.
Approaches that translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small actions that matter. It helps people who feel stuck or who want to live more in line with what matters to them. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful patterns. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills and can help people manage strong emotions and improve how they handle conflicts.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will listen to your goals and preferences, then suggest options to try. That choice is made together and can be adjusted as progress is tracked over time.
Confirm current session options before booking since formats are not specified in this biography. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, allowing shorter check-ins, scheduling around work or caregiving, and avoiding travel time. It can also let people practice skills between sessions in the settings where they live and work. Licensed professionals tailor the methods above to the medium you use and to the specific problems you bring to therapy.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Credentials
New York
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does John address?
He works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, intimacy and relationship concerns, codependency, sleeping problems, ADHD, and a wide range of life changes. Additional focuses include attachment issues, caregiver stress, chronic illness, and communication problems.
What is his general therapy style?
He uses a collaborative, client-centered approach that emphasizes practical tools. Sessions often include values work, thought tracking, and skills practice drawn from ACT, CBT, and DBT ideas.
How much clinical experience does he have?
He has 25 years of professional experience since earning a Master of Social Work from Syracuse University in 1998 and has worked in rural, school-based, urban, and suburban settings.
What are his credentials and where is he located?
He holds the LCSW credential and practices in New York.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients meet with him?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions scheduled and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to start working together?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.