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SA Portrait of Shannon Almeida

Shannon Almeida

Compassionate CBT-informed couples and individual care

LMFT Illinois

Experience
7 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Family, Parenting
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Languages
English
Continue with Shannon

About Shannon

Shannon Almeida is an Illinois Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with seven years of clinical experience working with adults on anxiety, stress, depression, relationship concerns, and identity exploration.

Background and approach

She centers Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside acceptance-based and attachment-informed work to help clients identify unhelpful thoughts, practice new behaviors, and build coping skills that translate into everyday life. Her approach combines talk-based emotional processing with attention to bodily awareness and behavioral practice.

Sessions often blend practical tools such as worksheets and reflective prompts with exploration of family-of-origin patterns, communication habits, and the ways chronic illness or neurodivergence can shape daily functioning. Shannon emphasizes collaboration - tailoring techniques to each person rather than insisting on rigid homework expectations.

Shannon brings both formal training and personal perspective to her practice, naming lived experience with chronic pain and queer identity as influences on her therapeutic stance. She aims to hold an anti-oppressive lens while supporting clients to increase self-compassion, reduce avoidance, and align actions with personal values.

Practical approaches for online care and skill building



Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It often uses structured exercises and practice tasks to reduce anxiety, manage depressive patterns, and improve daily functioning. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasizes values-driven action and learning to make room for difficult feelings while pursuing meaningful goals; it supports coping with life transitions, identity questions, and chronic health challenges. Attachment-Based Therapy explores early relational patterns and how they influence current relationships and emotional regulation, which can be useful for resolving family-of-origin issues, communication problems, and intimacy concerns.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to assess needs, preferences, and goals, and will adapt techniques - whether cognitive, acceptance-based, or attachment-focused - so they fit the client’s situation and pace.

Online therapy offers flexibility by allowing work by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. These formats make it possible to practice skills between sessions, check in when coping needs arise, and maintain continuity of care even when schedules or mobility are limited. Licensed professionals can use these options to deliver structured CBT tools, acceptance-based exercises, and relational exploration in ways that match how a client prefers to engage.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Shannon commonly address in therapy?
She works with adults on stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family issues, parenting challenges, identity questions including LGBT concerns, trauma and abuse, and ADHD-related struggles, among other areas.
What therapeutic style can I expect in sessions?
Shannon describes a collaborative, grounded, and active style that combines talk-therapy, body awareness, and behaviorally oriented tools to translate insights into daily practice.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has seven years of clinical experience providing therapy to adults with a range of concerns including mood, anxiety, and relational patterns.
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the Illinois license number IL LMFT 166.001408 and practices in Illinois.
Does she offer services in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
Which session formats are available for online work?
Available formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences and needs.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved to begin therapy?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyFamily conflictsParenting issuesSelf esteemCoping with life changes

Also works with

LGBTRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseDepressionADHD

Additional focus areas

Attachment issuesBlended family issuesChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCommunication problemsEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsLife purposeMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapySystemic Therapy

Experience

7+ years

Licensed

Illinois

Languages

English