Shawna Pankonin, LPC

Shawna Pankonin is a licensed professional counselor who helps people manage stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, depression, and issues related to self-esteem and parenting. She brings 14 years of experience in different settings across Mississippi, and she aims to make therapy practical and down-to-earth for busy people.

Shawna begins by listening to each person's story and meeting them where they are. She uses a person-centered, holistic approach and tailors sessions to individual needs. That means she draws on different techniques depending on what will help most, rather than sticking to one rigid method.

Her practice includes cognitive behavioral strategies, mindfulness, narrative work, and solution-focused techniques to help people identify unhelpful patterns and try new approaches. She also leans on trauma-focused ideas when past harm affects daily life. Sessions focus on clear goals, small steps, and building skills that can be used between meetings.

Shawna’s background includes work in homes, residential care, schools, youth courts, outpatient services, and a Child Advocacy Center. That variety informs how she supports people facing family conflict, complex trauma, adoption and foster care concerns, grief, and caregiver stress.

She describes her style as warm and supportive but direct when needed. Shawna encourages collaboration: clients set goals and she walks alongside them while they do the hard work. She stresses realistic change over quick fixes and helps people regain a sense of control and confidence.

How therapy approaches translate to online work

Client-Centered Therapy centers the person’s experience and priorities. In practice this means the therapist listens closely and follows what matters most to the client, helping them set goals and make decisions that fit their life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on spotting patterns of thinking and behavior that keep problems going and trying practical new strategies to change them. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems.

Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. Shawna will help explore which methods feel most helpful based on the issues, goals, and personal preferences of each client. Plans are adjusted over time if something isn’t working, so clients are involved in shaping the work.

The biography does not specify which session formats are offered, so confirm available options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins at convenient moments, and giving more scheduling flexibility. It also supports continuing care when attending in-person meetings would be difficult. Licensed professionals can use these approaches effectively through video or phone when those formats are offered, and the focus remains on practical skills, goal setting, and applying new strategies between sessions.