Meet Shelby!
Trauma Therapist in ATX
Hi I’m Shelby !
I’ve always been interested in understanding what’s beneath the surface—why people think, feel, and relate the way they do.
So often, people are told to ‘just manage’ their emotions or push through difficult experiences, but that never really gets to the root of what’s going on. I was drawn to therapy because it offers something different: a space to slow down, look deeper, and actually understand yourself in a meaningful way.
That process of understanding—and the change that comes from it—is what makes this work so important to me.
A Therapist Who Gets It!
I used to think being “good” was the goal. Easygoing. Low-maintenance. The girl who never made things awkward by saying “actually… this doesn’t feel right.” Gold star behavior, chronic self-abandonment — same thing, apparently.
I got really good at convincing everyone (including myself) that I was fine. Functional. Chill. Meanwhile, there was this quieter version of me sitting in the background like, “Hey… are we seriously doing this forever?”
Turns out, that voice was onto something. My intuition was begging to be tapped into. My body wouldn’t let me ignore it anymore.
The shift happened when I stopped treating my instincts like they were overreactions and started treating them like information. I realized my body wasn’t betraying me, my needs weren’t dramatic, and disappointing other people wasn’t actually going to end the world. This was revolutionary!
Now, I help my clients do the same. Together, we unpack the confusion, the people-pleasing, the “wait… do I even like this or am I just good at tolerating it?” energy. Not so you can become a whole new person — but so you can finally stop abandoning the one you already are.
Maybe you spent years being subtly — or not so subtly — handed the message that who you are is “a lot,” “wrong,” or a little too inconvenient for the people around you. Maybe it came from a church, your family, your community, perhaps society at large… or all four working overtime like an unpaid PR team of shame.
And maybe, despite everything, some tiny part of you is still sitting there like, “Okay, but… what if they were right?”
They’re weren’t!
My Therapeutic Values
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Radical Self Trust
Helping people reconnect with their own instincts, emotions, and inner knowing instead of outsourcing their truth to everyone else.
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Authenticity Over Performance
Creating space to stop performing “fine,” “good,” or “acceptable” and start living in alignment with who you actually are.
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Compassion Without Coddling
Offering warmth and empathy while still encouraging accountability, growth, and honest reflection.
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Liberation From Shame
Challenging the beliefs, systems, and narratives that taught people they were too much, not enough, or fundamentally wrong.
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Embodied Healing
Treating the body as an ally, not an obstacle — honoring physical, emotional, and nervous system experiences as meaningful information.
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Curiosity Over Judgment
Replacing self-criticism with exploration: “What’s happening here?” instead of “What’s wrong with me?”
A More Casual Intro……
Before I became a therapist, I was a sex worker — so trust me, I know a thing or two about performance, vulnerability, and reading people before they’ve said a word.
I’m also the eldest daughter, so naturally I came preloaded with hyper-independence, existential responsibility, and the nervous system of a smoke alarm.
I’m a mother to the world’s most gorgeous cat, Miss Carrie Bradpaw, who contributes absolutely nothing to society besides vibes and emotional support.
Outside the therapy room, you can usually find me playing saxophone, dancing the disco, supporting local drag, playing mermaids in any body of water, screaming at hockey games, enjoying cozy video games, disappearing into books, or pretending I’m moving abroad every time I travel.
People have been trusting me with their stories for as long as I can remember. I’ve always been the one people gravitate toward — the listener, the keeper of secrets, the “okay but don’t tell anyone I told you this” kind of safe space.
I used to think that was just a personality trait.
Turns out, it was prophecy.
I’ve always been the therapist friend, so I decided to make it official and get that licensure!
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