Shammeer Dawson

Compassionate CBT-informed social worker

LCSW California

Experience: 7 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Attachment-Based Therapy
Languages: English

About Shammeer

Shammeer Dawson is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in California who centers Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) within a collaborative, client-focused practice.

Background and approach

With seven years of clinical experience, she blends CBT with attachment-informed and client-centered approaches to help people identify unhelpful thinking patterns, process difficult emotions, and build practical coping strategies for everyday life. She also incorporates mindfulness and motivational interviewing to support sustained change and engagement.

Her work addresses a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief and depression, and life transitions. Additional focus areas include ADHD, bipolar disorder, relationship and family issues, parenting challenges, compassion fatigue, and various adjustment and identity-related struggles.

Shammeer aims to create a respectful space where clients can explore feelings and make concrete steps toward goals at a pace that fits their needs. Based in California, she offers multiple session formats to suit different schedules and preferences.

Prospective clients are invited to begin by completing a short matching questionnaire and scheduling according to availability, using a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

Bringing CBT and Attachment Work to Online Sessions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and shifting patterns of thought and behavior that contribute to distress; it is practical and skill-oriented, often helping with anxiety, depression, and stress by teaching tools for problem solving and emotion regulation. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early and current relationship patterns influence feelings and behavior, offering a route to understanding relationship difficulties, trust issues, and attachment-related distress. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy, active listening, and creating a respectful environment where clients guide the pace and focus of change.

Choosing the right therapeutic approach is part of the collaborative process. The therapist will work together with each client to assess needs, goals, and personal preferences and then tailor a mix of techniques that best supports progress. Clients are invited to share feedback so the plan can be adjusted over time to remain aligned with their priorities.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules and access care from different locations within California. These formats allow for continued therapeutic work while accommodating varied communication styles and time constraints, helping clients maintain consistency and momentum in their work.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does this therapist commonly address?

She works with a broad set of issues including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, coping with life changes, relationship and family concerns, parenting, self esteem, career issues, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and compassion fatigue.

What therapeutic style can I expect in sessions?

Sessions integrate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with attachment-based and client-centered strategies, often adding mindfulness and motivational interviewing techniques to help clients build coping skills and address patterns in thinking and relating.

How much clinical experience does the therapist have?

The therapist has seven years of professional experience working with diverse mental health and adjustment concerns.

Where is the therapist licensed and what credentials do they hold?

She holds the credential LCSW and is licensed in California with licence number CA LCSW 129004.

In which languages can I receive services?

Services are offered in English only and international clients are not currently accepted.

What session formats are available?

Clients can choose video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on what fits their needs and schedule.

How is pricing handled for therapy?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription that may be canceled at any time.

What are the steps to begin working together?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a brief matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Grief Depression Coping with life changes

Also works with

LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCompassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHearing impairedHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTrichotillomaniaVisually impairedWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapySystemic Therapy

Experience

7+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English