Shirley Butler, LCSW
Montana · 23 years in practice
Shirley Butler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 23 years in mental health.
License and registration
- LCSW, Montana
- BBH-LCSW-LIC-815 · expires December 2026
- NPI
- 1619151669 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 23
- 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 Shirley
Shirley Butler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 23 years in mental health. She runs a independent practice she opened in 2013 and has worked in community mental health and Tribal behavioral health settings. Shirley draws on long clinical experience to help people manage stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and traumatic experiences.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services Rehabilitation from Salish Kootenai College and a Master of Social Work from Walla Walla University.
Background and approach
After graduate school she completed three thousand supervised clinical hours before taking the clinical license exam, and she continues to bring that foundation into each session. Shirley focuses on building rapport and a strong working alliance first. She works with each person to create a tailored plan.
That plan grows from the client's priorities and goals and is adjusted as progress is made. Her approach blends emotionally-focused work with attachment-based and client-centered perspectives. She also uses practical skills from cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior approaches.
When appropriate, she integrates EMDR for people coping with post-traumatic stress or disturbing memories. Sessions are conversational and grounded. Shirley encourages people to tell their story and to identify parts of life they want to change.
She aims to help people find clearer ways to cope, communicate, and move forward.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Shirley lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Abandonment
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Forgiveness
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-love
- Women's issues
Approaches Shirley names
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
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 Shirley’s approaches translate to online therapy
Shirley uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy to help people identify and shift emotional patterns that cause pain in relationships and within themselves. EFT focuses on emotions and how they shape reactions, and it can help with grief, attachment wounds, and deep relational concerns.She also draws on attachment-based ideas to look at how early bonds influence current behavior and relationships. That perspective helps people understand patterns of closeness and distance and supports developing healthier connections. Client-centered therapy is another core element, which means sessions focus on the person’s priorities and pace rather than a fixed agenda.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Shirley will work with each client to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences, adjusting techniques as the work unfolds. Together they build a plan that balances emotional exploration and practical skills.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and needs. Video sessions allow face-to-face interaction, phone calls can be easier when bandwidth is limited, chat and messaging support brief check-ins or ongoing reflection between meetings. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to continue care across distances.
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Questions people ask
What concerns does Shirley commonly help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Other focuses include relationship and family concerns, parenting, anger, career issues, and bipolar disorder.
What is her general therapeutic style?
Her style is conversational and collaborative, centered on building trust first. She blends emotionally focused, attachment-based, and client-centered approaches with practical skill teaching when helpful.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 23 years of experience in the mental health field, including work in community mental health and Tribal behavioral health, plus a independent practice since 2013.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds the Montana Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential - LCSW - and practices from Montana.
Can I work with her if I live outside the U.S.?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients, allowing people in other countries to access her services when feasible.
In what formats are sessions offered?
She meets with clients via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How does payment for sessions work?
Costs vary by location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin working with her?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
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