Shelly Crossland

Licensed Professional Counselor- Associate

Supervised by Claudia Thompson, LMFT-S, LPC-S

Shelly is a sex and relationship therapist who leads with empathy, compassion, and authenticity. She specializes in helping individuals who are ready to break free from patterns that are holding them back around dating, relationships, and intimacy. Many of her clients are women who find themselves stuck in patterns of people-pleasing, perfectionism, and anxious attachment, and see these patterns negatively impacting their romantic relationships and sexual intimacy. They may also be experiencing low libido/low desire, feeling anxious or avoidant around initiating or engaging in sex, or feeling disconnected or dissatisfied when they do engage in intimacy. Many of her clients are also struggling with the romantic and emotional intimacy aspects of their relationship or dating life, and feel at a loss for what will help. Shelly guides her clients through a process of reconnecting with their deeper desires, needs, and boundaries, so they can connect on a deeper level with themselves, their body, and their partner.

Shelly is passionate about helping her clients learn to embrace who they truly are and what makes them unique. This includes working with Neurodivergent folks (ADHD and/or Autism) to help them embracing the uniqueness of their brains, and understand how to work with their brain instead of against it. She assists her clients in breaking the cycle of masking (pretending to be someone they are not, or putting on a type of performance for others). This also includes working with the LGBTQIA+ community, especially those who are ready to let go of limiting beliefs around who they are “allowed” to show up as in the world. She is affirming of all identities, and loves helping people work past any fears that may be holding them back from living their most authentic life.

Trauma is another important area in Shelly’s work. She is deeply aware of how trauma can impact ones life long after the event has occurred or after you have left the environment or relationship. She has experience helping clients who have a history of sexual assault, childhood trauma, traumatic experiences within dating/relationships/sex, and abusive or toxic relationships. Shelly believes strongly that healing is possible, and that the first step is finding a supportive person to open up to about what you’ve experienced, so you can learn to let go of shame.

Approach to Counseling

Shelly centers the power of vulnerability and authenticity in her work. Her priority is creating a safe, supportive container where clients feel comfortable to let go of shame and embrace their most authentic self. She helps her clients find deeper levels of self-trust, self-confidence, and connection with themselves and those around them. The ultimate goal of her work is to guide her clients in cultivating healthier and more satisfying relationships and intimacy.

Shelly’s approach is compassionate and trauma-informed, and she strives to offer something deeper than traditional “talk therapy”, through utilizing concepts from Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and mindfulness-based practices in her work. Her goal is to help you connect with your body and emotions first, instead of relying solely on intellectualizing and over-analyzing.

She believes that her own growth and learning are just as important as her client’s, and she is always reading, listening to podcasts, and doing additional trainings to ensure she is offering the best possible service to those she works with. For clients that find it helpful, she is always ready to offer a book or podcast recommendation, send a worksheet or journal prompt, or give “homework” for them to focus on in between sessions.

Education

Shelly is a Licensed Professional Counselor – Associate with a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University. She also completed a Sex and Relationship Coaching training program with the Somatica Institute.