Connect
To Top

Meet Trailblazer Shanna Larson-Paola

Avatar photo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanna Larson-Paola.

Shanna, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My journey started on the “other side of the couch.” As a 13-year-old troublemaking teen in my newly blended family, I was, as we therapists call it, “the identified patient.” We went through a pretty significant amount of family therapy and we all soon figured out I was acting out as a symptom of my family system and that I wasn’t the sole cause of the family dysfunction. Fast forward a number of years when I was deciding what I wanted my major to be in college, being a therapist just seemed to fit.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I would not describe my journey as smooth but at the same time was not as difficult as I thought it would be. It took me a while to work through my own issues growing up in a divorced then blended family. I found myself triggered by various family dynamics or older dominant male clients, as an intern then as a new therapist. There is a reason why new therapists need 3000 hours of supervision before getting licensed. I am grateful for that for myself, and for the clients I have been privileged to work with. My advice to people pursuing a counseling career would be to work through as many issues as you can before you start doling advice out to others. I had an eating disorder for 10 years of my life. I do not think unless I had been in real recovery and had worked through the true origins (with my therapist) of my eating disorder and body image issues I could, with good integrity, help others. So grateful for my past therapists, mentors, supervisor Marcus, and my own personal history who have molded me into the person and therapist I am today.

I started at a group private practice and got to watch and learn from some of the top therapists in the country. My advice also is to get a good supervisor you trust and can be honest and vulnerable with. You are there to learn, so soak it all in, take risks outside of your comfort zone, and trust yourself.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Creating Balance and  Marriagesense – what should we know?
I worked at a group private practice called Psychological Counseling Services for the first 16 years of my career. Started as an Intern and continued until I branched out on my own just over two years ago. I am now in a solo practice called Creating Balance. I work with eating disorders/body image issues, OCD, ADHD, anxiety, depression, adolescent issues, codependency, grief/loss/end-of-life issues, various addictions, self-esteem, sexual abuse, trauma/PTSD/deprivation, parenting issues, family conflict, and life transitions. I do individual, couples, and family therapy.

One thing that I do that is unique is another male colleague and I do a two-day workshop with couples. Which means spending 16 hours in two days working solely with one couple to help them get at the root of their unhappiness. I call it a Balance Jumpstart. I designed these Jumpstarts for couples who are not making progress in their weekly couples therapy and need more, or couples on the verge of divorce and trying their last-ditch effort to see if they can save their relationship, or couples who need to get back their connection they have lost but once had. We peel back all the layers of their lives (which includes their past/family of origin issues) and help them take an honest look at themselves and their relationship and help rebuild and repair the vulnerability and intimacy that got lost. I have learned so much about myself in all of the Jumpstarts I have co-lead.

I also co-developed a blog called Marriagesense (marriagesense.org) and my future projects are to develop an APP and finish a book I started many years ago. What I wouldn’t do for a few more hours in the day!

So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
I think so much in life is about what you create. I think women are empowering each other so much more than in the past. Surrounding yourself with others that help build you up is so important. Talking constantly about challenges just brings people down, banding together for the greater good is always my philosophy. I think each woman (and person) needs to find where their passion and talents are and combine them to create something amazing.

Pricing:

  • 50 min individual therapy session=$165
  • 50 min couples or family therapy session=$165
  • Balance Jumpstart, 16 hours of couples therapy with female/male therapist=$5280

Contact Info:


Image Credit:
Amanda Marie Photography

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

Related Items

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in