William Shonts, LPC-MHSP

William Shonts is a licensed counselor in Tennessee with 22 years of professional experience. He focuses on helping people who are stressed, anxious, or facing depression. He also supports those coping with major life changes and compassion fatigue. He approaches each person with respect, sensitivity, and compassion.

He uses straightforward, goal-focused conversations to identify what is most troubling. William draws on cognitive behavioral tools to help people change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. He also uses client-centered principles to keep the work grounded in the person's own values and goals.

Sessions are shaped around the individual's needs, not a one-size-fits-all plan. William will tailor the dialogue and the steps you take based on your situation. That can mean practical coping skills, communication strategies for family tension, or steadying techniques for strong emotions.

He has worked with a wide range of concerns including attachment and abandonment issues, adoption and foster care challenges, body image, caregiver stress, and trauma-related problems. He also addresses communication problems, codependency, dissociation, and adjustment after illness such as cancer.

William aims to make the process clear and manageable. He supports people who want to build skills, find balance, and move toward a more satisfying life. Taking the first step can feel hard, and he works to make each session a practical step forward.

Practical therapy approaches for online care

William frequently uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; this approach is useful for anxiety, depression, and managing stress. He also draws on client-centered therapy, which emphasizes listening, empathy, and shaping work around what the person says matters most. Dialectical behavior therapy tools may be included when someone needs concrete skills for emotional regulation and better interpersonal boundaries.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. William will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what has or hasn't helped before. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as progress and needs change.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different rhythms of life. Video is helpful for more in-depth work and face-to-face conversation. Phone sessions can be easier when video is not an option or bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging support shorter check-ins, skill practice between sessions, or ongoing touchpoints during a busy week.