07/25/2024
I am now a recognized therapist with The Secular Project
https://www.seculartherapy.org/
Are you interested in Recovering from Religion (FREE) support group meetings?
Lemme know - it will be on Sunday mornings ! (ONLINE!))
Below is my profile
Shannon is a former licensed educator and current mind body fitness coach who emphasizes meaningful living for recovering from toxic belief systems and narratives. Though he does work with clients in a traditional setting, he is also likely to be found working with clients doing interactive activities, such as gaming! Shannon also empowers client’s understanding through integrating psychoeducation with geek culture references that are relevant to the client.
Distance Counseling
Yes
Specialties
Adolescents, Adults, Depression, Existential issues, General anxiety, Grief and loss counseling, Self-improvement, Stress management
Professional Qualifications
Interest in joining the Secular Therapy Project
To support clients from various religious traditions and experiences to find confidence in defining for themselves healthy vs unhealthy spirituality. I was raised un-churched and experienced meditation through martial arts yet then became churched, a preacher's kid and on track to ordination -- disillusionment and fear of losing the support of family was devastating for me. Helping others navigate that treacherous time is important to me.
The website(s) for your practice or your "Psychology Today" profile
https://www.credencecounseling-colorado.com/
Years Experience
1
Your higher education degrees and the schools they were obtained from
MS, CMHC, Walden University; B.A., History, Colorado Mesa University; B.A., World Religions, Wheaton College. Grad school (MA incomplete), Religion and Culture, Arizona State University.
Current Religion
none
Former Religion
Unitarian, Episcopalian, Assembly of God, Southern Baptist
Licenses
Elizabeth Aubert, LPC.0013745, Examination, Licensed Professional Counselor, Active COLORADO
Your Personal Philosophy of Therapy
We can greatly affect our day to day quality of life by affecting our habits of thought and behavior. Humans particularly excel when they integrate somatic (mind-body) fitness practices into regular routines. Therapists offer many different roles in assisting folks to identify and overcome barriers and challenges to enjoying life To promote belief in and the pursuit of harmonious and meaningful and healthy individual and communal living is one of my core tenets as a therapist
What Therapy Looks Like in Your Office
As I joked with a client the other day, unlike the opulence of stained glass windows or the sensory deprivation of other offices, mine reflects the infamous advocation of reformationist Zwingli for church to be merely “four bare walls and a sermon” However, there is a couch, a love seat and comfy chair along with lots of pillows and several watercolor paintings. I will either sit at my desk or at one of the couches. Also and much to Zwingli’s chagrin (and other public school educators!), I encourage expression and movement during session (and still consider it alert and engaged). There are fidget manipulatives (eg, squeeze toy, Rubik’s cube), drawing/coloring tools and paper, 1-2 tabletop games. There are 3 different places to sit with lots of pillows. Other manipulatives available for session integration: a neurofeedback headband (MUSE), balance disc, resistance bands. I tend to draw from the following EBP approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Motivational Interviewing (MI) Psychoeducation Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Theoretical Orientation or Approach
A primary influence is Victor Frankl’s existential angst paradigm - our frustration over ‘why’ affects our ability to endure ‘how’ Somatic (mind-body) techniques are essential to addressing our patterns of beliefs and behaviors and creating routines that connect us to ourselves and our surroundings. Imaginative play therapy assists with overcoming barriers and resistance to changes of narrative and behaviors. Integrating cultural references is still fundamental; eg, a person rejecting a religious identity is also rejecting a cultural identity. Accordingly, to address change of religious identity is to offer reassurance during change of cultural identity (and safety and connection).
Your Secular Background
How You Became Secular
At 5yo, I was non-churched and non-spiritual until I was introduced to meditation during karate class. The meditation, though, was Zen Buddist and, mostly, ‘secular’ (empty your thoughts, stare at (the Korean flag) red circle, and keep doing so untold told to stop) At 8yo, I became ‘churched’ and a preacher’s kid within two months (attending an evangelical church / Southern Baptist). At 15yo, I was a ‘junior’ minister and street preacher influenced by my time with Pentecostals in the Eastern Kentucky region. I attended Wheaton College (Chicago) and after learning more of *actual* historical theology experienced massive disillusionment I finished my undergraduate degree at Wheaton, yet changed from theology major to comparative world religions while also abandoning my pursuit of ordination as a pastor with Assembly of God For years, I leaned into nihilism and overall apathy and angry depression. When I returned to school for a teaching degree, I reflected more on how culture and rituals and symbols and heroes and narratives affect our everyday life. I realized how ‘religion’ is always part of our life (aka, Clifford Geertz’s summary of religion as Ritual, Symbol and Myth).
Involvement In The Secular Community
Published writer on secular mindfulness including ‘spiritual’ satire ( , ) Trained Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher through UCSD Medical School Also certified mindfulness teacher through Mindful School, a secular positive psychology program I currently teach somatic practices, both therapeutically and ‘recreationally’ through ‘Mind Body Fitness with Mr G’ – these classes and approach integrate yoga, Qi Gong and Tai chi that will talk of positive psychology rather than mystical language
How Do You Identify
atheist
Do you use any spiritual or supernatural beliefs/concepts in your therapy
Yes
I encourage how we can reframe or reword or even rework fundamental concepts, like forgiveness, into a new paradigm. Instead of abandoning entirely all spiritual talking. However, sometimes, nihilism is an answer!
