Individual Telehealth Counseling To Residents in IL and FL
About
Shannon Franco, MA, LCPC
Shannon Franco is an IL state Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, (LCPC): IL License #180.011222
Shannon is a Certified Internal Family Systems Therapist and Level 3 Trained
Are you feeling so much emotion inside and don't know how to even begin? Is everything starting to feel like it’s all caving in and too much, but you keep reacting and caught up in the same dysfunctional or toxic patterns and relationships over and over? You don't have to be in this repeating pattern. You CAN get control back and start changing your life. I'll help you identify these parts inside and slowly build relationships and connections with them so more healing and harmony can naturally occur inside.
My goal for you is to learn how to work with your own parts that are needing your attention and healing so that you can form strong bonds inside and that your day to day functioning is more harmonious. So no matter where you go, you will feel more confident in yourself and ability to handle what might come up. We will work on past traumatic wounds/experiences and help them to heal so they aren't pulling you in emotional directions or having reactions you don’t want to display and so that you aren't emotionally blind-sighted. You will gain more self-control, esteem, and ability to manage your emotions by having healthier relationships between you and your parts (anxiety, depression, anger, critic, tender/wounded, etc.)
I believe that you can change and grow through your struggle no matter what it is by doing this inner work of connection and healing. I believe this from personally overcoming life shattering situations myself using IFS, and also by working with clients helping form these inner relationships. Studies show by the age of 7, children have their beliefs about self-love, love in general, trust, safety, worthiness, being enough, acceptance, if they are good or bad, etc. and they carry it out in their lives and into adulthood. As adults, we then see how certain beliefs are destroying us interpersonally, or in our careers or relationships. Our adult journey can be enhanced greatly by getting to know our parts inside and building connection with them that results in healing and change.
IFS and parts work has allowed me to make more progress over the last year than a decade of talk therapy. While this is the most challenging therapy I have done, it has also been the most beneficial. I have learned that protectors can be very strong and cannot be bypassed. I must meet them, acknowledge them, and hear how they are keeping me safe without desperately wanting to change them. Meeting and releasing the exiles has helped me change how I view who I am at my core. Without IFS, I would continue to try and force positive affirmations and cover up the hurt of the past. I definitely feel how I view who I am and how I manage the messiness of life has changed for the better with my work with Shannon and IFS.
I have been working with Shannon for several years and I am so appreciative of the clarity that our work has brought to many facets of my life especially in my personal relationships and my relationship with mySelf. The Internal Family Systems approach has illuminated my inner world to a degree I never would have recognized before. With Shannon’s help I have vastly improved my symptoms and mentality around social anxiety and am in the process of doing the same with my experience of depression. Shannon has been a compassionate, supportive, and trustworthy guide in my journey towards self-acceptance and inner peace.
Doing IFS has been life changing for me. It has helped me find the root causes for many issues that had me stuck in the same mental place for most of my life, deal with them appropriately and overall become a better version of myself.
"After counseling with Shannon for 2 weeks depression, relationship, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related, and self-esteem. Shannon is amazing! She's really helped me with some issues that I've been struggling with for a long time. I'm already seeing progress after only a couple of weeks!"
"Shannon is very caring, patient and understanding. She always listens and helps me answer my questions. She has taught me a lot about myself and how to start to change these habits in a short period of time. She is truly a gem!"
"I love my counselor and how easy it is to do my counseling. If I had to actually go to an office once a week, I just wouldn’t do it. I am so blessed to have such an amazing counselor in my life to get me through the really rough times. I might not be here right now if it wasn’t for her help."
"If I'd ever need to come back to counseling again I'll look for Shannon. She's been kind but firm, empathetic and had a very deep understanding on what was going on in my mind. When I felt nobody would told me were I was at at this point of my life, she eventually did, so that was crucial. Just trust her!"