Monika Shontz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and experienced healthcare professional. Monika earned her Master's Degree in social work from UNC-Charlotte. Monika has extensive experience working with adults 18+, college students, populations experiencing anxiety, depression, grief/end-of-life care, trauma, stress-related disorders, and individuals with inpatient history.Monika's therapeutic approach can feel pretty informal because she believes creating a safe and authentic space is a necessary part of being vulnerable with a therapist. She appreciates that humor, anger, messy, mixed-up emotions, and everything in between are a natural part of therapy. She finds that gentle but direct communication can often help clients examine and challenge their own thoughts and behaviors that may no longer serve them or their relationships.
She will offer strategies, tools, and coping skills to assist in reducing symptoms. She uses multiple therapeutic modalities, including (but not limited to): Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused CBT, Trauma Informed Modalities, Internal Family Systems, Somatic Healing, Mindfulness, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, and distress tolerance skill-building.Monika is currently focused on treating adult clients who are looking for therapeutic support in the following areas: Trauma, or individuals who have struggled to navigate distressing or disturbing experiences that affect their overall well-being; Men's health issues, including (but not limited to) emotional safety, emotional processing, communication, stress management, interpersonal relationships, and life adjustments; Family-of-origin challenges and interpersonal relationship issues; Grief and loss including (but not limited to) miscarriages, still births, infertility, loss of a parent, loss of a spouse, loss of job, loss of a friend, loss of a loved one by murder or suicide, pet loss, family estrangement loss, separation, and trauma-related losses; and Individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, life adjustments, or chronic stress.
