Professional Coaching
Dr. Shelley provides professional coaching. As a psychologist, Dr. Shelley has unique insights, skills, and perspectives that can only come from advanced training and experience. If you decide to work with Dr. Shelley as a professional coach, you will establish a mentor/mentee relationship that is different from psychotherapy. This professional relationship will focus on your development personally and professionally by offering a differing point of view, creative problem solving, observations about you as an individual, and curiosity/questions about perspectives or emotions that may be holding you back from achieving your highest level of growth. Professional coaching is focused on a process of growth and developing personal potential to meet life goals. In this relationship, Dr. Shelley may share her thoughts about your situation and/or give stories or metaphors that may help you approach your goal using an alternate angle. As your professional coach, you are not a patient of Dr. Shelley. Rather, you are a client or mentee and the relationship is more collaborative.
Dr. Shelley has worked with many professionals who use professional coaching as a way to work on themselves, their communication, relationships, and stress management skills, as well as a way to expand their Emotional IQ and cope with difficult relationships at work and home. Many other psychologists work with Dr. Shelley because she has the highest level of training in the field. In addition, she works with medical professionals, attorneys, C-suite professionals, and company owners. Whether you are looking to start a new venture, currently working, are retired, or looking to slow down professionally, Dr. Shelley is prepared to help you through using professional coaching.
Psychotherapy, on the other hand, typically assesses for mental health diagnoses and provides treatment for psychological issues. If you are experiencing mental health symptoms that are significantly impacting daily functioning or safety, then psychotherapy with a licensed mental health professional is indicated, rather than professional coaching. If you are experiencing psychological symptoms that are interfering with your daily functioning, Dr. Shelley encourages you to raise this with her during professional coaching. She will conduct a brief assessment and refer you to psychotherapy if she sees that it is indicated.
Dr. Shelley will maintain strict confidentiality with any information you share during our professional coaching sessions. However, as a mandated reporter, she is legally required to take action on any suspected instances of child or elder abuse or neglect, or in situations where you present an immediate risk to yourself or the safety of others.
