Ryan Shannon

Hi, I’m Ryan! I grew up in Bellingham, WA, earned two degrees abroad (in Italy and Spain), and am a former psychometrist and marketer-turned-therapist! I chose this path because, no matter how dire the circumstance, I believe we’re all capable of change if we receive encouragement from someone we trust. Someone who’s on our side, who helps us be the best version of ourselves. I hope to be that someone for you. I strive to see the good in clients, even when it’s hard for them to see it in themselves. My goal is to help you live a more meaningful life, no matter how that looks for you. Here’s how therapy tends to work with me. I find that when we become aware of our conditioned behaviors, we develop introspection, which allows us to introduce new, positive behaviors. Therapy with me tends to be insight and action-oriented. To help you progress, I assign behavioral challenges (‘missions’) throughout the week. I see evidence that early childhood and the subconscious influence, but do not deterministically define our current behavior (I take an “Adlerian” or “Psychodynamic” approach). Through awareness, effective interventions, and effort, we can shape better, more positive behaviors as adults. I tend to work well with clients of all types, although the following groups seem most drawn to me: young adults; Gen Z and millennials; men experiencing loneliness, relationship issues, insecurity, and sexual identity issues; gay and bisexual men; women with children, single moms, single young adult women working on attachment issues; those working toward forming meaningful relationships and healthy dating. I use tools like EMDR to neutralize past negative events/traumas, and find this is one of the most effective tools for clients. I also integrate gold-standard evidence-based treatments for PTSD (and not only), like CPT and CBT. I’d be happy to explain that further and answer any questions you might have with a free consultation. It’s a great, risk-free way for you to feel my vibe. Looking forward! In my personal life, I enjoy spending time with my family, fiancé, and friends, being in nature, DIY projects, and working on renovation projects. I’m big on walking everywhere and walkable places, bike riding, growing food in the garden, and am engaged in Vipassana meditation (not as often as I’d like!).