About Shantell Carraway, MA, LMFT (she/her)
Immediate availability for couples, marriage, and relationship therapy in NC
Accepting New Clients?: Yes, Shantell is currently accepting new clients for couples therapy in North Carolina and relationship therapy in North Carolina.
Days/Times Available: Mondays and Tuesdays from 9am-1pm, then 5pm-8pm; Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9am-1pm, then 3-6pm.
Telehealth/in-person: Telehealth only for clients who reside in North Carolina and are physically located in North Carolina at the time of services.
Specialty areas: couples/relationships, family/marital, attachment-based, anxiety, life transitions, relationship communication issues, boundary setting.
Email: shantell@beboldpsychnc.com to schedule your free consult or request an appointment here
When you and your partner are not getting along, things may feel overwhelming, scary, or even hopeless. You go through your day-to-day feeling less like a unit and more like roommates. You may even avoid talking about issues altogether because you care so much about keeping the relationship that not saying anything feels safer than expressing your fears and needs. Or perhaps you feel tired and misunderstood as a partner who initiates a lot around planning tasks, time together, or even having the difficult discussions. Regardless of which position you’re in as a partner, you both agree on one reality: you wonder if your relationship could ever get back to a good place. You wonder if you could ever feel the spark of friendship that was the foundation of your relationship. You wonder if you can ever feel connected again. You wonder if you can ever feel emotionally relaxed and care-free in each other’s presence.
No one should feel like they are alone in a partnership. I aim to use couples therapy as a means of helping partners feel like a team again, helping them stand together against whatever issues come their way.
I see therapy as a collaborative effort between myself and the clients I serve. I assume nothing and remain curious about each client’s unique experiences and needs. It is important for me to work alongside clients as we move towards their desired goals. Ultimately, I want to help clients explore their needs in a safe, supportive environment that honors where they are in their unique journey.
Credentials:
Shantell obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and received her Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy at Northcentral University. She primarily offers couples therapy in North Carolina. Shantell is well-versed in two of the primary modalities for relationship therapy. She has completed the Level I Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy and is in the process of completing the Level II Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and uses Gottman Method Couples Therapy in their work. Shantell also has training in Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) which she incorporates as well, in a blended, client-centered approach to couples therapy. Shantell can pull from and share tangible skills derived from Gottman Method Couples Therapy, while also pulling from psychodynamic elements and attachment-focused lenses. Further, Shantell is a Certified SYMBIS Facilitator (i.e., for premarital therapy).
A little more about who I love to work with:
I work with adults 18+, primarily for couples therapy and relationship therapy. As a couples therapist in North Carolina, I especially love working with couples who are open to the journey of therapy, even if they have never experienced it from an individual or relational process. I work well with clients that have changed roles, family structures, and who need support establishing positive boundaries with themselves or others. It is important for all of my clients to feel safe, supported, respected, and validated in their experiences.
My “big three” therapeutic focus areas include:
- Anxiety
- Sometimes, life gets so overwhelming that we get stuck in the mental cycles of worry, doubt or frustration. While it may impact different aspects of life, anxiety doesn’t have to define our identities or take up the biggest space in the room. Through person-centered, humanistic, and CBT approaches, I help clients feel more confident and empowered to navigate what’s known and unknown.
- Relationship communication issues
- Through this focus, I approach conflict management from psychoeducation and tools backed by scientific research. Partners learn how to align against the issue instead of each other through communication skills, activities, and tangible resources. My hope is to normalize conflict by helping partners hear each other’s wants and needs in a way that helps them draw closer to each other.
- Life transitions
- Personally, one philosophy that I choose to embrace is “the only constant in life is change.” As a couples therapist in North Carolina, change is a focus that comes into the therapeutic space constantly, from new relationships, family structure changes, and career adjustments. There is a natural impact on the family system throughout all of the stages of life, so I enjoy meeting clients where they are in that journey, helping them channel the natural strengths they have, and providing additional tools for meeting life where life meets them.
Get to know Shantell:
Shantell Carraway, MA, LMFT, was born and raised in North Carolina. When she is not working, Shantell enjoys reading books, playing videogames with her husband, getting outside in nature, and cooking new recipes.
