Shawn Bandy (He/Him)
MA, LPC-Associate
There are seasons in life that ask more of us than we expected—times when connection feels just out of reach, when familiar roles no longer fit, or when the shape of our inner life shifts and we’re not sure how to follow it. Sometimes a relationship changes. Sometimes grief catches up. Sometimes we simply grow tired of holding it all alone.
I work with individuals and couples in those in-between places—where questions start to surface and old patterns no longer serve, but the next step isn’t yet clear. Whether the concern is mood, disconnection, loss, or something harder to name, I approach the work slowly and relationally. I pay attention to what’s spoken and what isn’t, to the emotional undercurrents, and to the ways the past continues to echo in the present.
In my experience, real change rarely comes through force or analysis alone. It begins in the safety of relationship, where emotions are welcomed rather than managed, where the stories we’ve carried for years can be seen with new eyes, and where the patterns that once protected us are met with curiosity instead of judgment. Often, we begin by understanding how those patterns first formed—how we learned to connect, to protect, to make sense of pain—and from there, something new becomes possible. Change unfolds gently and relationally in this way, shaped by presence, trust, and the steady work of returning to what matters most.
I am supervised by Jennifer Buffalo, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S.
Specializations
- Couples Counseling
- Depression and Mood Disorders
- Divorce and Separation Counseling
- Grief and Loss Counseling
- Group Therapy
- Life Transitions and Adjustments
- Marriage Counseling
- Stress Management
Populations of Interest
- Adolescents
- Adults
- Aging Adults/Senior
- Couples/relationship
- Pre-marital
- Individuals with Mood Disorders (e.g., Depression, Bipolar Disorder)
- Individuals with Relationship Issues
Fees
$130 per 50-minute individual sessions
$140 per 50-minute couples sessions
$180 per 80-minutes, couples
Sliding scale available
Delivery Method of Services and Languages Spoken
In-Person and Telehealth
English
Favorite Quote, Movie, Book, or TV Show
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” – Rumi
“You are the sky. Everything else—it’s just the weather.” – Pema Chödrön
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” – Albert Camus
A Word from your Therapist
If we work together, we’ll move at a pace that honors your experience. I won’t try to rush your story or reduce it to a problem to be solved. My hope is to offer a space where trust can grow, where complexity is welcome, and where something meaningful—however small or slow—can begin to take root.
Personal Identities
I speak openly about my journey and experiences with emotional wellness because I’ve sat with the messiness of mood, identity, and self-worth. I understand, from the inside, how internal landscapes can shift like uncharted weather. I’m a spiritually rooted, queer-affirming therapist, guided by a belief that vulnerability is courageous and that every voice deserves to be heard and held.
Educational and Work Background
I earned my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Seminary of the Southwest, a program rooted in cultural responsiveness and spiritual integration. My clinical training took place at Capital Area Counseling, where I worked with individuals, couples, and groups navigating grief, relationship strain, mood challenges, and significant life transitions.
Before becoming a therapist, I spent nearly twenty years in software development and financial analysis. Alongside that work, I also spent several years as a stay-at-home parent. Reading aloud at bedtime, patiently working through meltdowns, bearing witness to wonder and frustration and everything in between—those days gave me a deeper sense of what it means to be present with another person across changing moods and unmet needs.
That time—both out in the world and at home—taught me how to pay attention to patterns, to peer past the surface, and to move at the pace of the relationship as it unfolds. Becoming a counselor felt like a continuation of that work, just with a different kind of focus.
Hobbies or Personal Interests
Outside of sessions, I write a little, build things that wobble just slightly, and read more than I probably need to. I’m most at ease in quiet spaces, especially the ones filled with stories or vintage circuit boards.
Why Did you Become a Therapist?
There have been seasons in my own life marked by disorientation—times when grief, spiritual dryness, or deep questions about identity quietly restructured the ground beneath me. What helped me through wasn’t advice or solutions. It was the presence of others who didn’t flinch, who listened with care, and who helped me make room for the parts of my story I had set aside.
Over time, I began to notice how many people carry their lives inwardly—how much goes unsaid. I came to believe that healing often begins not in answers, but in accompaniment.
My commitment to this work is rooted in gratitude for those who walked alongside me. Now my work lies in helping others reclaim their own.
Make An Appointment
Fill out our form today for a free 30-minute face-to-face consultation from any of our therapists!
Call us at 512-657-7744 for more information.