Shirley Ikenze , LCSW

Shirley Ikenze is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who uses a client-centered approach to help people navigate stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, and life transitions. She draws on 26 years of experience to support people through parenting challenges, career shifts, and issues with self-esteem or anger.

Shirley listens first and helps clients name strengths they may not see. She works alongside people to set practical goals and try small steps that build confidence. Sessions focus on what matters now and what can change within reach.

Her work includes attention to trauma and abuse, grief and loss, and coping with major life changes. She also supports people facing family conflict, adoption and foster care concerns, caregiving burden, and end-of-life issues. Her background includes long experience in helping with depression, ADHD-related struggles, and sleep difficulties.

Shirley blends client-centered care with mindfulness and motivational interviewing to help people notice patterns and find motivation for change. She also uses narrative and solution-focused methods to reframe difficult stories and identify immediate strategies that help.

Sessions are offered in English and are provided online by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. Shirley practices in California as an LCSW and works with adults dealing with a wide range of emotional and practical concerns.

How Shirley’s Approaches Translate to Online Care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and supporting the client as the expert on their life. In online sessions this means the therapist follows what the client brings, helps them name strengths, and builds goals that feel doable. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention exercises and grounding skills to reduce overwhelm and improve sleep and focus; these practices can be coached over video or reinforced in short text check-ins. Motivational Interviewing helps people clarify what they want to change and find internal reasons to take steps forward; it works well for areas like career moves, parenting shifts, and managing stress.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Shirley will talk with the client about needs, goals, and preferences, then try methods that fit. Adjustments are made as progress and challenges become clear so the approach stays practical and relevant.

Online sessions offer flexibility for different life rhythms. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and real-time feedback. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can fit into a work break. Live chat and text-based messaging suit quick check-ins, brief coaching, or people who prefer writing. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around busy days and changing schedules.