Shirley Souder, LMFT, LCSW

Shirley Souder is a licensed marriage and family therapist and licensed clinical social worker based in Indiana. She blends practical, skills-based approaches with values that matter to each person. Shirley focuses on everyday thoughts and habits that shape how people cope and relate. She aims to help people apply insights to daily life so change feels useful and doable.

She draws on a long career that includes degrees in Christian counseling and psychology. Shirley uses elements of Reality Therapy ideas to help people notice what they are doing and decide when they want to change. She pairs that with Christian counseling principles when clients request faith-informed perspective and life-application of spiritual teachings.

In sessions she emphasizes straightforward skill building. That can include emotional forgiveness work, communication practice, and planning steps for interviews or other life transitions. She also offers guidance on nutrition, behavior patterns, and handling difficult people in everyday settings.

Shirley has worked with individuals facing grief, relationship strain, parenting challenges, addiction concerns, anxiety, depression, and compassion fatigue. Her long experience supports people through career shifts, caregiving stress, and adjusting to new life stages. She encourages practical, small changes that add up over time.

People seeking help can expect a direct approach that mixes talking, planning, and hands-on strategies. Shirley aims to make therapy feel like learning useful tools rather than just talking about problems.

How Shirley’s Approaches Can Work Online and in Everyday Life

Shirley uses client-centered therapy to create a respectful, listening-focused space where people steer the conversation and name their priorities. This approach helps with building self-awareness and deciding which everyday habits to change.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT provides practical exercises and small steps people can try between sessions to reduce anxiety, manage anger, and shift unhelpful patterns.

Finding the right approach is usually a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, try methods that fit their style, and adjust plans as progress is made. Clients help guide which techniques feel most useful for their situation.

If you are considering online work, confirm the session options before booking since formats are not listed here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time so appointments are more consistent. Talk with the therapist about what will fit into your routine and which approaches to focus on during sessions.