Shawna Pankonin, LPC

Shawna Pankonin is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Mississippi who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship struggles. She offers straightforward support for parenting challenges, grief, self-esteem, career concerns, and mood conditions such as bipolar disorder. Shawna also works with issues tied to adoption and foster care, blended family dynamics, caregiver stress, and communication or commitment problems.

Her style is warm and practical. She listens first and treats each person as the expert on their life. Sessions focus on clear goals and small steps that build toward change. Shawna says lasting progress takes work, so she partners with people who are ready to try new approaches.

Shawna uses an eclectic mix of methods. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a regular tool in her work, alongside mindfulness, solution-focused approaches, narrative techniques, and client-centered care. She adapts methods to what each person needs rather than following one fixed plan.

Her background includes work in homes, residential programs, schools, youth courts, outpatient clinics, and a Child Advocacy Center across the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Those settings gave her experience with a wide range of clinical challenges and ages. She draws on 14 years in the mental health field to guide practical problem solving.

In sessions Shawna helps people identify unhelpful thoughts, practice new coping skills, and set manageable goals. She emphasizes being heard and validated while also encouraging active steps toward feeling more in control. If someone wants guidance, concrete tools, and a steady partner through change, she aims to provide that support.

How Shawna Uses Talk Therapy Online

Shawna commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, stress, and for building practical coping skills. She also draws on client-centered techniques that focus on listening, validation, and letting the person guide the session to what matters most to them.

Mindfulness is another tool she uses to help people stay grounded and respond differently to strong emotions. Mindfulness techniques can help with anxiety, trauma symptoms, and situations that feel overwhelming. Shawna combines these approaches based on the person's goals and preferences, and she will work with each person to find the best fit together in early sessions.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to give flexibility. Video calls are good for face-to-face conversation and practicing skills together. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or when a person prefers not to use video. Live chat and text messaging can provide quick check-ins, brief coaching, or support between longer sessions. These options make it easier to schedule therapy around work, caregiving, or travel while keeping the focus on real progress.