My approach is individualized and designed for you to achieve your goals in the shortest possible time, while building the foundation for lasting improvements.
Learn Who We Are
Shawn Masters
I believe in transparency; I will answer any questions you ask, and I give direct answers when possible. The most significant thing I’ve learned in my work is that when we understand our WHY, we get freed up to more clearly identify the steps we need to take and have the energy and courage to take them.
In 1999, I earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of San Francisco. I then moved to Ohio and began practicing in a Private Practice, where I also attended the University of Cincinnati completing the coursework for a Doctoral degree in Counselor Education. This advanced training specialized in the applied practice of counseling theory and the teaching and training of Counselors.
Five years ago, I moved here to Missouri to be close to my family. In addition to being license as a Professional Counselor, I am trained and credentialed by the Missouri Credentialing Board to provide the Clinical Supervision and Training for Independently Licensed Counselors like myself, as well as clinical training for Missouri Substance Use Disorder and Missouri Alcohol Associate Drug Counselors.
I have worked providing counseling services and then as the Clinical Supervisor for the largest Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment facility in Missouri. I oversaw the treatment of patients to guarantee accurate diagnosis appropriate treatment interventions, as well as provided training and development for the Licensed Counselors providing services. I’ve continued working in private practice. And, this past year I accepted a request to guide a Federally Qualified Health Center in expanding and developing their Mental Health Services; comprised of Mental Health Counseling, Psychiatric Medication Evaluation, and Services, and creating a Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program.
Us as Individuals
As individuals we are driven to seek out and be our best. At times, stress, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and trauma hinder us from getting what we want and need. Individual differences of family history, relationship ideals or interests, career, challenges and goals make us human.
Essential is feeling that your counselor doesn’t judge, but understands and conveys that no matter what your experience is human and enable YOU to gain comfort with your feelings and that is the start to effect change.
Relationships
Couples come together instinctively base on our experiences. Often the intimate connection gets strained as the importance of that someone increases with the investment of time and emotions, or with the demands of life. The more there is to lose, combined with mistakes, the greater the stress and that creates ineffective solutions and a feeling of hopelessness. The mistake couples often make is twofold. They wait to seek help, because they can’t imagine counseling can help. Because, that if after all they have tried and they haven’t fix things how can someone else?
Then there is being unaware that whatever is going wrong in a relationship will instinctively be recreated in any subsequent relationship. The issue will be recreated until it is repaired. It’s innate seeking of self-repair for childhood injuries. It may relationship may not look exactly the same, but there will be a thread of similarity in subsequent relationships and that you can trace to prior ones.
Shawn leaned through his own analysis and training how to identify these patterns, heal injuries and restore the relationship to even greater connectedness, trust and intimacy.
Children
Children and teens have basic needs but are not readily equipped to express them or even know what they are.
Parents try whatever they can think of, there isn’t a lack of effort, its just objectivity blinded by the parents’ love. This leads to misguided attempts of how to regain essential communication, clear guidance, and the mutual appreciation that gets reconnection and harmony into the home.
Shawn has helped children and families with simple to severe emotional and behavioral issues, trauma and those adjusting to changes in the family. There are proven methods to resolving childhood and teen issues. Shawn sits with you and your child, listens to your concerns and what you have tried, identifies your goals and then guides you from there.