- Collaborative treatment planning
- Trauma-informed care
- Practical coping skills
About Shirley
Shirley Butler is an LCSW with 23 years of experience in mental health. She has worked in community mental health, Tribal behavioral health, and has run a private practice since 2013. She emphasizes listening first and building a strong working relationship before moving into specific techniques.
Her path includes a Bachelor of Human Services Rehabilitation from Salish Kootenai College and a Master of Social Work from Walla Walla University. She completed the required supervised clinical hours prior to earning her Montana LCSW. Shirley has experience responding to crisis situations as an on-call clinician and seeing clients in office settings.
Shirley uses a collaborative style. She spends time learning a person’s story and what they want to change. Then she and the client shape a treatment plan together. She prefers clear, practical goals and straightforward skills that can be used between sessions.
Her approach draws from several methods, including attachment-based ideas, client-centered work, cognitive behavioral strategies, dialectical behavior tools, and emotionally focused techniques. She also has training in EMDR, which she has used for post-traumatic stress and other distressing experiences.
Shirley works with a range of concerns such as stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, self-esteem, grief, parenting strain, relationship and communication problems, codependency, and career or life changes. She encourages people to tell their stories as a step toward healing and to clarify the changes they want to make.
How key approaches guide online work
Attachment-based work focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns. In practice this means talking about important past connections and noticing how they affect trust and closeness today. It can help people who struggle with fear of abandonment, codependency, or relationship conflict.Client-centered therapy centers the person's own goals and experience. The therapist listens deeply, reflects what is said, and supports the person in finding their own answers. This approach is useful when someone wants a space to tell their story and set their own pace for change.
Finding the right approach is part of therapy. Shirley will collaborate with each person to pick methods that fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That choice can shift as work progresses and as new concerns or strengths appear.
The practical benefits of working online should be checked before booking since session formats were not specified in the biography. Ask about available formats when you schedule. Online options can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and let someone choose quieter surroundings or avoid travel time. Licensed professionals can adapt attachment-based, client-centered, and cognitive behavioral tools to work well for remote sessions.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
23+ years
Credentials
Montana
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of issues does Shirley help with?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting strain, relationship and communication problems, and codependency among other concerns.
How would you describe her approach in sessions?
Her style is collaborative and client-centered. She focuses on listening, building trust, and creating a treatment plan shaped with the person she is working with.
What experience does she bring to therapy?
She has 23 years in the mental health field, including roles in community mental health and Tribal behavioral health, plus running a private practice since 2013.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds a Master of Social Work and is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Montana.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before scheduling.
How does cost and payment work?
Cost varies by location and the therapist's availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then 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.