Shannon Rapalo Medina, LICSW

Shannon Rapalo Medina is a licensed clinical social worker (LICSW) based in Minnesota who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma. She aims to make the first step toward change feel safer and more manageable. Sessions focus on practical skills and steady support so people can face hard moments with clearer tools.

Shannon uses several evidence-informed approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), to address patterns of thought and behavior that fuel distress. She also draws on Motivational Interviewing to help people find motivation and Solution-Focused Therapy to set short-term, realistic goals.

Her work often centers on grief, self-esteem, guilt and shame, and post-traumatic stress. She supports people working through isolation, questions about life purpose, or financial stress that affects mood. Conversations are direct but compassionate, aiming to make progress in ways that fit each person’s day-to-day life.

In sessions Shannon creates a nonjudgmental space for people to talk through their thoughts and feelings. She helps clients learn concrete coping strategies, practice new ways of responding, and track small changes over time. The focus is on real-world steps that reduce distress and build resilience.

With seven years of experience as a LICSW, she combines practical techniques with steady encouragement. People who prefer straightforward guidance and collaborative planning tend to do well in her approach.

How her approaches work online

Shannon commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which looks at the connections between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns. She also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills that reduce crisis moments.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and comfort level, adjusting course as progress is tracked and needs change. The plan is shared and reviewed so clients know why a technique is used and how it helps them move forward.

Online therapy with Shannon can take place by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and skills practice, phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat is useful for brief check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and keep momentum between meetings.