Shanekka Brown-Johnson , LMFT

Shanekka Brown-Johnson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who helps people facing stress, anxiety, trauma, and low self-esteem. She focuses on practical support for depression and life changes, and she often addresses concerns tied to adoption, abandonment, caregiver strain, and identity in diverse cultural contexts.

She draws on 14 years of clinical experience across residential mental health, substance abuse treatment, schools, and shelters. That background means Shanekka is familiar with complex situations like co-occurring substance concerns, adjustment struggles, and trauma recovery. She speaks English and practices in California as an AK LMFT and CA LMFT.

In sessions she uses clear, goal-oriented methods such as cognitive behavioral strategies and acceptance-based ideas. Clients can expect straightforward tools to manage panic, reduce avoidance, and build everyday coping skills. Motivational interviewing techniques help people find momentum when change feels stalled.

Her work is person-centered and culturally aware, with attention to family of origin issues, communication problems, and multicultural concerns. Shanekka also addresses guilt, shame, and isolation while helping people clarify life purpose and next steps.

Beyond direct therapy she offers education and supports access to mental health resources. Her approach is collaborative - she helps people set practical goals and develop small experiments to test new ways of coping and relating.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Shanekka commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in her online work. ACT focuses on identifying personal values and taking small, meaningful actions even when uncomfortable feelings remain. It helps people move toward what matters despite anxiety or fear. CBT breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches concrete skills to reduce panic, challenge unhelpful thinking, and change behavior.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapy process. Shanekka works with each person to match methods to goals and preferences, and she adjusts tools if something isn’t helpful. The work is collaborative - clients and therapist decide together what to try and how to measure progress.

Online sessions are available as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to offer flexibility. Video is useful for full sessions and skills practice. Phone can be simpler when bandwidth is limited or for walk-and-talk style conversations. Live chat and text are good for short check-ins, homework support, and ongoing encouragement between appointments. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or school schedules.