Mission Statement

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I am a Clinical Psychologist, NeuroPsychologist, and Holistic Healer. I hold a Ph.D. with additional Post-Doctoral Fellowships, and advance education and training in Western and Eastern scientific teachings. My mission is providing higher levels of quality and care——where your Totality of Health is optimized.  My mission is your overall totality of well-BEING. You are not only your emotions. You are not only your thoughts. I believe the best outcome and overall therapeutic experience is based on 5 very basic values.

ॐ COMPASSION: I Treat People—Not Disorders

If you are concerned that your therapist will label you as a psychiatric disorder or think that you are “crazy or insane” , then do not worry with me. I do not use the Western medical model psychiatric nomenclature and label you as a diagnosis.  Diagnosis refers to a pattern and constellation of signs+symptoms. A diagnosis does not refer to a person.  I view all psychological sensitivities as human, common with everyone in varying degrees, varying manifestations of symptoms and varying Forms of suffering, and presenting at different times during and part of life’s journey of challenges that we all experience.

 ॐ TRUST: I Provide Expertise and Knowledge You Can Trust

When you are shopping for a therapist, it is important to understand that therapists vary quite widely in their level of education, training, expertise and ethical code. When you hire a therapist who earned a PhD in Clinical Psychology and NeuroPsychology, then you are making sure that you are hiring a therapist with the Highest level of degree bestowed by academia and the highest degree in the market. Most therapists have only a 2-year graduate level education, That is, a Masters degree (i.e. LMHC, LCSW).

Whereas a Ph.D. is a doctor and has 5-years of graduate level education in addition to extensive clinical externships, clinical internships, and clinical fellowships and a considerably greater amount of clinical research. with patients (e.g. PhD dissertation), theoretical and therapeutic treatment modalities, personality/emotional assessment skills, and therapy skill sets. *I also want to emphasize here that I take your privacy and confidentiality very seriously. I want you to feel safe and that information that you share with me remains protected. I do not display patient testimonials, thank you letters or thank you cards. I follow Ethics of the American Psychological Association (APA), National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), HIPAA,  and Florida law.

See the blog post: What are the Differences Between a Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Social Worker, Mental Health Counselor?

ॐ DEPTH: I Help You Achieve Meaningful and Significant Change and Core Healing of the Cause

I help you gain meaningful insight into YOU. It is unfortunate, but true that many therapists provide only brief and superficial solutions. Most therapists are only treating the symptoms and do not pursue treating the Causes (the etiology). It will save you money, time, and effort, if you choose the right therapist from the start. I am considered senior level and expert. I have more than 20-years experience in psychological assessment (personality/emotional), neuropsychological assessment (brain-behavior-neuroscience), and 20-years experience in treatment of the Causes using a dynamic, individual Being-Centric, and integrated holistic healing approach. I treat the Root Causes and use the symptoms as the pointers to the Cause. I help individuals become consciously aware of the deepest level of their emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual difficulties. I do not prescribe pharmaceutical medication (Rx) for symptoms nor band-aids for emotional wounds. I help you heal from the Inside-Out and the Outside-In.

ॐ CONVENIENCE: I Make Therapy Super Convenient for Your Schedule

Do you want to have to take time off from work to see a therapist ? or explain to your boss or coworkers why you are not at work? No reason to go through that hassle. **I offer convenient and flexible therapy appointments day, evening and also on weekends.  **I also offer Online interactive video conferencing through secure encrypted platform. Online therapy allows you to receive therapy services from where ever you are in the World.   Sometimes you need to meet where you are and that is cool. You wont find flexibility for scheduling appointments as this easy in most therapist offices.

Avoid the annoyance of completely paperwork in the therapy office, thus using up valuable therapy time, just print out and complete intro-paper-work client forms when you feel like it from the convenience of your own home.  When you have finished the pre-appointment forms, then I will send you an encrypted email to email them back to me prior to your 1st appointment.

 ॐ VALUE: I Work for You Beyond the Face-to-Face Session Time

I spend a great deal of time contemplating during my meditation practice on your challenges. I also do my “homework” for you in conceptualization, treatment plans, and progress notes. This extra invested time goes well beyond the session fee and session time we spend together. Great therapists invest this extra time in preparation pre-session and post-session to gain additional insights into your issues. This high level of commitment really makes a difference between the average therapist and the great therapist. It is in your best interest to hire a doctor who has the wisdom, experience, education, training, and compassionate care (compassion = empathy + action) and dedication to you becoming your best you. If you decide to schedule an appointment with me, your well-Being will become my main concern.

 Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Dr. Shawna M. Freshwater