Shannon Francis

The fundamentals of my practice consist of creating a safe place where I am privileged to listen to my clients’ narratives. I believe each of my clients have their own strengths.  I take pride in empowering clients to identify and grow their strengths to guide them through the challenges of life.

During my client encounters I utilize strength-based and person centered approaches. Along with a combination of more traditional modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, etc., I have extensive experience in crisis assessment and counseling in an emergency room setting. Through this role, I have discovered a passion for providing trauma survivors a safe place to choose to share their narrative. I am an advocate for trauma informed care, and apply these modalities to my practice. Through my position as a social work intern in an outpatient internal medicine clinic, I counseled patients adjusting to chronic illness, empowered survivors of domestic violence, and participated in the behavioral health primary care integration with a local community mental health agency.

I have experience working with adults as well as children and adolescents. I particularly enjoy incorporating play therapy techniques in my work with children. I have observed this to be effective with client engagement, as well as “opening up the back window” to what is behind the client’s presenting problem. I have extensive history working clients facing a variety of mental health challenges including but not limited to depression, anxiety, PTSD, crisis, acute stress, and adjustment difficulties.

I achieved both a Bachelors and Masters Degree of Social Work from The University of Akron. I am a Licensed Independent Social Worker. I am a Cleveland Native and enjoy spending time with my two cats and hiking around local parks with my husband and corgi.

I look forward to our collaborative effort in your healing journey!