Shon Ridenour

I'm trained in EMDR, one of the most well-researched approaches for treating trauma, anxiety, anger, and grief. EMDR helps the brain process distressing memories so they stop carrying the same emotional charge in daily life. I've used it with clients working through abandonment, loss, chronic pain, and other painful experiences, and I've seen it create real shifts that talk therapy alone sometimes can't reach.

Addictive behaviors — whether substance use or other "acceptable" compulsions — are usually rooted in trauma or negative core beliefs, not just poor willpower. I combine evidence-based addiction treatment with trauma-informed care to address root causes, not just symptoms. My approach is informed by both clinical training and personal experience navigating substance misuse. Together, we'll build coping skills while getting to what's really driving the behavior, so change actually lasts.

Depression often isn't just chemical — it's frequently tied to core beliefs about our own worth, unmet needs for love and acceptance, and disappointments we haven't fully processed. I use ACT and trauma-informed approaches to help you build psychological flexibility and address what's underneath the low mood, not just manage symptoms on the surface. My hope is to help you move from merely coping toward a life that feels genuinely meaningful again.

Trauma doesn't just live in memory — it lives in the body and shapes how we see ourselves and the world. I'm trained in EMDR, one of the most effective approaches for processing traumatic experiences and reducing their grip on daily life. Many of my clients carry trauma from abandonment, loss, chronic pain, or difficult past experiences. Together, we'll work through what happened so it stops running the show, helping you move from surviving toward real healing and freedom.

ACT fits how I think about change: rather than fighting or suppressing difficult thoughts and feelings, we learn to relate to them differently while still moving toward what matters most. I use ACT to help clients build psychological flexibility, reduce the grip of anxiety and depression, and reconnect with their values — especially when someone feels stuck between old patterns and the life they actually want to be living.

I bring both clinical training and personal experience to addiction counseling. I've worked with clients as a therapist while also navigating my own history with substance misuse — which means I understand this work from both sides of the room. I use evidence-based addiction treatment combined with trauma-informed care, since addictive patterns are usually rooted in deeper pain or beliefs, not just the substance itself. My goal is lasting change, not just short-term symptom management.