Donald Shawler, LCPC

Illinois · 20 years in practice

Donald Shawler is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) with two decades of experience helping adults manage depression, anxiety, and life changes.

License and registration

LCPC, Illinois: 180005917 · expires March 2027
NPI: 1336278191 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 20
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 Donald

Donald Shawler is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) with two decades of experience helping adults manage depression, anxiety, and life changes. He blends practical skills with steady support so people can make clearer choices and feel less stuck. His style is direct but warm, focused on what a person needs now.

Shawler uses a person-centered approach that centers the client's experience and priorities. That means sessions begin with where the person is and build from there, not with a fixed plan.

Background and approach

He also uses cognitive behavioral techniques to spot and reframe unhelpful thought patterns that feed anxiety and low mood. Existential ideas shape his work when clients face questions about purpose, meaning, or major transitions. These conversations aim to clarify values and help people find workable directions, not to prescribe answers.

Emotionally focused and mindfulness practices are added when helpful to strengthen emotional awareness and coping in the moment. He offers concrete tools for anger management, stress reduction, and coping with grief, addiction, or relationship strain. Shawler also supports people dealing with identity issues such as LGBT concerns, body image, or sexuality topics including BDSM and kink in a nonjudgmental way.

Clients can expect practical guidance paired with a steady, respectful presence. Shawler works with each person at their own pace, mixing conversation, exercises, and skill-building to suit their goals and daily life. He practices in Illinois and meets people online in English.

Focus areas and approaches

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

Stress, Anxiety
LGBT
Anger management
Self esteem
Depression
Addictions
Relationship issues
Family conflicts
Trauma and abuse
Grief
Intimacy-related issues
Career difficulties
Bipolar disorder
Coping with life changes
Coaching
Compassion fatigue
Aging and geriatric issues
BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
Blended family issues
Body image
Caregiver issues and stress
Codependency
Communication problems
Divorce and separation
Drug and alcohol addiction
Emptiness
Family problems
Forgiveness
Guilt and shame
HIV / AIDS
Impulsivity
Infidelity
Isolation / loneliness
Jealousy
Life purpose
Men's issues
Mood disorders
Multicultural concerns
Panic disorder and panic attacks
Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
Prejudice and discrimination
Self-love
Sexuality
Social anxiety and phobia
Workplace issues

Approaches Donald 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

Existential Therapy helps people consider meaning, choice, and values when life feels confusing or empty. Online conversations using this approach focus on clarifying what matters and exploring realistic next steps for change.

Client-Centered Therapy centers the person's perspective and goals. In remote sessions this looks like open listening, reflecting back what matters, and letting the client's priorities steer the work.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches concrete skills to spot and change thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. CBT fits well online because thought records, behavior plans, and brief exercises can be shared and practiced between sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist collaborates with each person to choose or combine methods based on individual needs, goals, and preferences, and adjusts the plan as progress is made.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different days and needs. Video lets for face-to-face conversation and shared worksheets, phone calls use less bandwidth for quick check-ins, live chat supports brief exchanges, and text messaging works well for ongoing coaching-style support. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or travel schedules while keeping the focus on practical change.

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Questions people ask

What kinds of concerns does he help with?

He works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, anger, relationship and family problems, grief, and a range of other issues including LGBT concerns and intimacy-related topics.

How would you describe his therapeutic style?

Sessions are person-centered and straightforward, mixing listening with practical techniques like cognitive behavioral work and emotion-focused tools to build skills and insight.

How much clinical experience does he have?

He has 20 years of experience working with adults on mood, behavior, and life transition issues.

Where is he licensed and located?

He is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, licensed in Illinois, and practices from that state.

Can sessions be conducted in languages other than English?

Sessions are offered in English.

Are online or remote session formats available?

Yes. He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different needs and schedules.

How are sessions paid for and what do costs look like?

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

What does the first step look like to begin therapy?

To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session based on the therapist's availability.

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