Shannon Madden, LPC

Shannon Madden is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 26 years of experience in Arizona. She uses clear, practical methods to help people cope with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and major life changes. Shannon communicates in plain language and aims to make sessions feel straightforward and useful.

She learned counseling after earning a Master of Counseling from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Arts in Organizational Management. Shannon also holds a Bachelor of Science from Northern Arizona University and has completed continuing education to maintain her LPC credential.

Early in her career she worked as a crisis counselor for the Phoenix Fire Department and in hospital emergency rooms. That front-line experience shaped her skill at short-term crisis work and suicide prevention. Later roles included PTSD-focused counseling for first responders and a leadership role supporting soldiers through deployment cycles.

Her approach often begins with practical tools that help people notice the thoughts behind their emotions. She uses worksheets and simple exercises so clients can test and change unhelpful thinking patterns. Mindfulness and emotionally focused strategies are woven in to help with coping and relationships when needed.

Sessions are aimed at real-life changes such as improving sleep, managing anger, handling caregiver stress, and navigating divorce or career shifts. Shannon favors a direct, sometimes lighthearted style at first to ease tension and help people begin work quickly.

Evidence-informed approaches for online care

Shannon commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy in online sessions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and related behaviors, which can help with anxiety, depression, sleep, and coping with life changes. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a supportive, nonjudgmental space where the client’s own goals and pace guide the work.

She also brings elements of Emotionally-Focused Therapy when relationship feelings or attachment patterns are central. That approach helps people name and work through strong emotions to improve closeness and communication with important others. Together these approaches give practical tools and emotional understanding rather than a single fixed method.

Finding the right approach is collaborative. Shannon will talk with the client about goals, try methods that match those goals, and adjust the plan as needed. The process is meant to be flexible so methods change as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for face-to-face conversations, phone sessions work when bandwidth is limited, chat can fit a short check-in, and messaging lets clients share thoughts between sessions. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around work, caregiving, and travel.