Shenandoah Cardwell MA, NCC, LCPC is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC in Illinois, and LPC in Wisconsin) and National Certified Counselor (NCC) with over 30 years experience providing psychotherapy, or counseling, services. Shenan earned both her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and her Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from Western Michigan University. She has also obtained the Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) credential.
Shenan offers traditional and general counseling services with a solution focused and cognitive behavioral approach that comes from a place of warmth, respect and understanding for where the client is at, and yet directness in support of movement and progress. She views herself as eclectic enough to be willing to pull in techniques from across various styles of therapy in order to meet the needs of the client. Shenan's trauma specialty influences her therapeutic approach across all of the clients she works with, including an emphasis on strength centered and problem solving techniques, healthy boundaries, personal responsibility, and healing to thriving.
Shenan's professional experience began in 1989 at a private child welfare and foster care agency. Shenan advanced her professional experience over the next decade via employment with area social service and mental health agencies, as well as group private practices. In 1999 she opened her own private practice, then after 17 years ventured into a small group practice partnership, until moving on to the next chapter in her career and re-establishing her private practice in 2019. Shenan is pleased to announce that in July of 2021 she joined NorthStar Counseling Group, where she sees all of her clinical/therapy clients.
Shenan began her career somewhat non-traditionally for a psychotherapist, as a child welfare caseworker/counselor working with children and families impacted by abuse and neglect, as well as alongside the law enforcement and legal communities, child protective services and the courts. Her resulting Trauma expertise expanded to offer ongoing specialized services in the areas of therapy and advocacy for Victims and Survivors of sexual abuse. To further understand the dynamics of sexual abuse she gained the skills to evaluate and provide treatment to juvenile and adult sex offenders. In recognition of the collateral damage of sexual abuse, and the need for education, support and prevention, she founded and continues to facilitate the Family Members of Sex Offenders Group.
Shenan's trauma work led to developing a protocol for facilitating the Reunification and Reintegration of estranged families, whether due to abuse or divorce or similar issues.
Shenan's practice areas also include the privilege of providing counseling services to Intellectually and Developmentally Delayed adults, and her personal and family association with members of the fire service, law enforcement and the military, has led her to offer, with a strong sense of honor, counseling services to First Responders and members of the Military.
Shenan is pleased to be able to share her clinical expertise with her peers and colleagues, an example of which is her serving as Clinical Consultant to an Early Head Start Birth to 3 program. In addition to providing Individual, Couples (including same sex) and Family general counseling services to Youth through Elders, Shenan frequently provides Trainings and Presentations on mental health and wellness topics to community and professional groups and welcomes inquiries about how she can customize such a program for your organization.
