Patrick Shanahan, LCSW

Missouri · 44 years in practice

Patrick Shanahan is a licensed clinical social worker with 44 years of practice.

License and registration

LCSW, Missouri: 000602 · expires September 2027
NPI: 1255999231 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 44
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.

About Patrick

Patrick Shanahan is a licensed clinical social worker with 44 years of practice. He focuses on helping people who are struggling with relationship problems, grief, anxiety, depression, addiction, and life changes. He works with individuals and couples who want clearer direction and tools to handle strong emotions.

He teaches a straightforward, values-oriented approach. Sessions usually look at what gets people stuck and what they care about most. Patrick draws on Emotionally-Focused Therapy to attend to feelings in relationship work and uses cognitive and acceptance-based methods to change unhelpful patterns.

Background and approach

Early in his career he founded and ran an outpatient clinic attached to a runaway and homeless youth shelter. For 18 years he offered case management, individual therapy, and family work both in a shelter and in community settings. He also trained and supervised staff and graduate students during that time.

Patrick has worked in managed care, providing phone therapy and crisis intervention, and in outpatient office settings. He collaborated with a university on research to refine treatment approaches and completed 29 hours toward a Ph.D. in family therapy, later receiving a fellowship offer from Washington University. His style blends client-centered listening with practical problem solving.

He aims to help people reconnect with their values, improve communication, and develop steps they can use between sessions.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Patrick lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Relationship issues
Grief
Anger management
Self esteem
Depression
Stress, Anxiety
Addictions
Family conflicts
Trauma and abuse
Intimacy-related issues
Parenting issues
Career difficulties
Coping with life changes
Coaching
Compassion fatigue
Adoption and foster care
Aging and geriatric issues
Blended family issues
Caregiver issues and stress
Codependency
Communication problems
Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
Divorce and separation
Domestic violence
Drug and alcohol addiction
Family of origin issues
Family problems
Fatherhood issues
First responder issues
Forgiveness
Guilt and shame
Hospice and end-of-life counseling
Infidelity
Isolation / loneliness
Jealousy
Life purpose
Men's issues
Midlife crisis
Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
Money and financial issues
Multicultural concerns
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Self-love
Workplace issues
Young adult issues

Approaches Patrick names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) focuses on identifying and reshaping the emotional patterns that drive relationship problems. Online sessions can help partners and individuals notice vulnerable feelings and build new ways of connecting. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches people to notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck, then commit to actions that match their values; it is useful for anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early bonds influence current relationships and helps people form more stable patterns through new, corrective emotional experiences.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and the issues they bring, then recommend steps to try together. It is normal to adjust methods over time so the work fits the client's needs and pace.

Online therapy offers several practical benefits. Video calls let people read facial cues and work on interactional patterns, while phone sessions can be easier when a quieter or lower-bandwidth option is needed. Live chat or text-based messaging supports brief check-ins, step-by-step coaching, and ongoing tracking between sessions. These flexible formats make it simpler to fit therapy into a busy life and to continue work even when travel or scheduling would otherwise be a barrier.

We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you. It does not change what you pay or the order of the listings.

Questions people ask

What concerns does this therapist address?

He helps people with relationship issues, grief, anger, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, trauma, parenting stress, and related life changes.

How would you describe his therapeutic style?

He blends Emotionally-Focused Therapy, acceptance and cognitive methods, and a client-centered stance to focus on feelings, values, and useful actions.

What is his professional background?

He has 44 years of experience, founded an outpatient clinic for runaway and homeless youth, supervised staff and students, and worked in managed care and outpatient settings.

What credentials and location are listed?

He holds a Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential (LCSW) and practices from Missouri.

In which languages can sessions be held?

Sessions are offered in English and he also accepts international clients.

What session formats are available?

He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging as ways to connect.

How does payment work and what does it cost?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin therapy with him?

Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on the therapist's availability.

Is this your profile?

Ask us to correct details or take the page down.