ARDEN SHANKLIN LPC-MHSP
RELIEF COUNSELING
Individuals, Couples, & Families
In Person & Telehealth
Therapy doesn't have to feel clinical or disconnected from who you actually are. My goal is to create a space where you can show up as yourself, understand the patterns that have shaped you, and develop a different relationship with the thoughts, emotions, and experiences that have kept you feeling stuck.
Prefer email? arden@reliefcounseling.net →
A little about me
I believe some of the most meaningful work in therapy happens when you feel safe enough to be fully yourself—not when you feel like you're saying the “right” thing in a therapist's office.
My approach is relational, curious, and collaborative. I want to understand not only what you're struggling with, but how your experiences, relationships, nervous system, and the ways you've learned to cope all fit together.
Therapy with me isn't about trying to turn you into a different person. It's about helping you better understand yourself, make sense of the patterns that aren't serving you anymore, and create more room for the life and relationships you want.
I may be a good fit for you if you’re navigating…
Trauma & cPTSD ADHD Anxiety Attachment Identity & Self-Understanding
You may find our work especially helpful if you:
• Understand why you do certain things but still can't seem to change the pattern
• Feel overwhelmed by your emotions—or disconnected from them altogether
• Have spent a lot of your life masking, overthinking, people-pleasing, or trying to get things “right”
• Notice that past relationships or experiences continue to affect how you feel and connect with others
• Want to understand your ADHD or neurodivergence beyond simply learning productivity strategies
• Are looking for therapy that goes deeper than managing symptoms
MY APPROACH
Therapy that makes room for the whole picture.
I don't believe there is one therapeutic approach that works for every person. Our work is shaped by what you need, how you process experiences, and what feels meaningful to you.
My approach is grounded in attachment-based, trauma-informed, and client-centered work and may incorporate ACT, DBT, Brainspotting, play-based approaches, or other experiential strategies. Sometimes therapy means slowing down and understanding where a pattern came from. Sometimes it means learning a concrete skill. And sometimes it means creating enough safety to experience something differently rather than continuing to analyze it.
You can expect me to be engaged and genuine in the room with you. I'll ask questions, notice patterns, offer another perspective when it may be helpful, and leave room for humor and humanity along the way.
PRACTICAL DETAILS
-
Adults, adolescents, children, couples & families
-
In-person & telehealth
-
Relief Counseling
-
Common Ground Wellness Collective • Chattanooga, TN
My own experience in private practice showed me that independence and community don't have to be opposites.
I created Common Ground to offer professionals the autonomy to build practices that reflect who they are while still having opportunities for connection, collaboration, and a sense of professional community.
That same idea carries into the client experience here: different clinicians, different specialties, and different ways of approaching the work—all sharing a commitment to creating thoughtful, welcoming spaces for the people we serve.