Part 1 of 4
- Person-centered approach
- Recovery-focused care
- Values-based strategies
About Brian
Dr. Brian Shaffer is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with 20 years of experience. He works in Pennsylvania and supports people facing addiction, trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, and related life challenges. He brings a practical, person-centered style to sessions and pays attention to each person’s beliefs and goals.
He uses a mix of approaches to help people move toward recovery and better daily functioning. Sessions focus on understanding how past events contribute to current struggles. He helps people process traumatic memories and painful losses so they can reduce symptoms and make different choices going forward.
Brian often draws on acceptance and commitment strategies to help clients notice what matters to them and act on those values. He also uses cognitive-behavioral tools to identify unhelpful thinking and build new coping skills. Attachment-based ideas are used when patterns in relationships are contributing to distress.
He includes a person’s spiritual beliefs in the plan when that is important to them. That can mean talking about meaning, hope, or moral concerns alongside practical coping. The work aims to be holistic and aimed at real-life changes.
People who choose his care typically want help with addiction recovery, trauma, relationship struggles, or navigating major life transitions. He accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English.
He uses a mix of approaches to help people move toward recovery and better daily functioning. Sessions focus on understanding how past events contribute to current struggles. He helps people process traumatic memories and painful losses so they can reduce symptoms and make different choices going forward.
Brian often draws on acceptance and commitment strategies to help clients notice what matters to them and act on those values. He also uses cognitive-behavioral tools to identify unhelpful thinking and build new coping skills. Attachment-based ideas are used when patterns in relationships are contributing to distress.
He includes a person’s spiritual beliefs in the plan when that is important to them. That can mean talking about meaning, hope, or moral concerns alongside practical coping. The work aims to be holistic and aimed at real-life changes.
People who choose his care typically want help with addiction recovery, trauma, relationship struggles, or navigating major life transitions. He accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English.
Part 2 of 4
Therapeutic approaches that guide online work
Dr. Shaffer commonly uses acceptance and commitment therapy to help people clarify what matters to them and take small steps toward those values despite difficult feelings. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and emotions without getting stuck in them and acting in line with personal values.He also applies cognitive behavioral therapy to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and teach concrete skills for changing behavior and mood. CBT is practical and goal-oriented, often useful for anxiety, depression, and managing impulses.
Attachment-based ideas are used when relationship patterns and early bonds influence current stress or intimacy troubles; this helps people recognize and change repeated interaction styles.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals and preferences, and together they will decide which methods fit best. That collaborative process may combine elements from different therapies as needs change.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current online options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life - they reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and can be scheduled around work or caregiving responsibilities. Licensed professionals adapt their methods to work well through virtual visits and help clients practice new skills between sessions.
Part 3 of 4
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Relationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Jungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy
Experience
20+ years
Credentials
Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania
Languages
English
Part 4 of 4
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does he help with?
He helps people dealing with addiction, trauma and abuse, grief, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy issues, stress, ADHD, bipolar concerns, and related problems.
What is his general therapeutic style?
He practices a person-centered approach that blends practical techniques from several therapies to match the needs of each person.
How much experience does he have?
He has 20 years of clinical experience working in mental health, addiction, trauma, grief, and spiritual care.
What credentials and location are listed?
He holds LCMHC and LCPC credentials and is based in Pennsylvania.
What languages and international options are available?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
Which session formats are offered?
The original biography does not specify session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.