Patrick Shanahan, LCSW

Missouri · 44 years in practice

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

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 experience. He helps people facing relationship problems, grief, anxiety, depression, addiction, and stress. He also supports those dealing with parenting concerns, career transitions, compassion fatigue, and complex family issues.

He approaches therapy from a belief that people are generally self-correcting and can move toward healthier choices when stuck. Patrick pays attention to each person’s values and life story.

Background and approach

He draws on ideas from Existential therapy to help clients find meaning and direction in difficult times. Patrick’s early work was running an outpatient clinic tied to a runaway and homeless youth shelter. For 18 years he provided case management, individual therapy, and family-focused interventions both in the shelter and in the community.

That work shaped his practical, problem-solving style. He later supervised staff and graduate students and collaborated with a university on research to improve therapy methods. He completed 29 hours toward a Ph.D. in family therapy and was offered a fellowship with Washington University’s doctoral program.

He has also provided professional Christian therapy and spent 18 years working with managed care, offering phone therapy and crisis intervention. In sessions Patrick uses practical tools such as cognitive behavioral techniques, acceptance and commitment strategies, attachment-focused work, short-term family interventions, and communication skills practice. He aims to create clear steps to reduce stress, improve relationships, and address addictive or trauma-related patterns.

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

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Existential therapy helps people consider meaning, choice, and values when life feels uncertain; it’s often useful for grief, life transitions, and questions about direction. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small, committed steps toward them while learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings. Attachment-based work looks at how early relationships shape current patterns and helps people build healthier connection and communication habits.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will collaborate with each person to identify which methods fit their goals and preferences. Sessions can blend approaches so work stays practical and aligned with what matters most to the client.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is good for in-depth conversations and reading body language. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or someone wants a simpler check-in. Live chat and text messaging let people share brief updates, ask questions between sessions, or have shorter touchpoints when schedules are tight. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or complex schedules while keeping the focus on clear steps and personal values.

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Questions people ask

What concerns does Patrick focus on?

He helps people with relationships, grief, anger, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, trauma, and family problems.

What is his therapeutic style like?

The approach combines practical tools and reflective work. Sessions often include problem solving, communication practice, and values-based reflection.

How many years of experience does he have?

Patrick has 44 years of clinical experience working in shelters, outpatient clinics, managed care, and community settings.

What credential does he hold and where is he based?

He is a LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker - practicing in Missouri.

Which languages are available for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English, and international clients can be seen.

What session formats are offered?

He works with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs.

How are fees handled?

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

How do I begin working with him?

Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule based on the therapist’s availability.

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