Shannon Budelman (She/her)

I help people learn transformative skills of self-compassion, develop a deep sense of self-worth, explore how intersecting social identities have shaped them, identify core values, and show up authentically in their lives. I listen empathically, ask questions, offer feedback and new perspectives, and challenge you to reconsider old decisions. Together, we focus on your strengths and the adaptive ways you have coped with difficulty, as well as patterns of behavior that are no longer serving you well. We will connect the dots of your story, identify the roots of your current concerns, practice new skills in the here-and-now, increase your understanding of how your brain and nervous system work, and come to terms with painful past experiences. My professional background includes facilitating anti-bias trainings, counseling first-generation college students in NYC, and working with homeless & formerly incarcerated people in community mental health settings.

The thread that connects all of my work is a desire to help people show up authentically for all that life has to offer - the full range of human experience. I believe that no human life is without pain, and while pain does not have intrinsic value, it can be an opportunity to open up to greater self-understanding and a deeper connection with others. I believe that counseling is a sociopolitical act that can reinforce social inequality or disrupt it, that our liberation is tied up with one another, and systems of oppression harm everyone. I am passionate about maternal mental health and the shameful lack of support for new parents, and I'm passionate about working with white people to understand racial identity and develop capacity for anti-racist action. I am an adventurous traveler, a neuroscience geek, a baker of extravagant birthday cakes, a dance enthusiast, an animal-lover, a meditator, a recovering perfectionist, and an expert at burning grilled cheese sandwiches.