- Emotionally-Focused Therapy
- Attachment work
- Client-centered care
About Shirley
Shirley Butler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Montana with 23 years of experience in the mental health field. She has worked in community mental health and Tribal Behavioral Health, and she opened a private practice in 2013. Her background includes crisis work on rotation and in-office clinical care across diverse cultural settings.
Shirley trained at Salish Kootenai College with a Bachelor in Human Services Rehabilitation and earned a Master of Social Work from Walla Walla University in Missoula, Montana. She completed three thousand supervised clinical hours before taking her clinical license exam. That path shaped a practical, experience-based approach to clinical work.
In sessions she focuses on concerns such as stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, grief, and parenting strain. She also addresses relationship and communication problems, abandonment, codependency, commitment issues, anger, self-esteem, and women's issues. She lists Bipolar and post-traumatic stress among areas she works with.
Her clinical toolkit includes Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and EMDR. She describes building rapport first, then developing a collaborative treatment plan tailored to what the person wants to examine.
Shirley emphasizes the value of telling one’s own story as part of healing. She invites clients to identify the parts of their life they want to examine and works together to set goals and next steps. Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
How Shirley integrates EFT and related approaches online
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) focuses on identifying and naming hard-to-reach emotions and on changing patterns in close relationships. It can be useful for people who want to understand emotional responses and how those responses shape interactions.Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early bonds influence current feelings and behavior. It helps people notice attachment patterns and try new ways of relating to reduce repeated conflict or withdrawal.
Client-Centered Therapy centers the person's own experience and priorities. The therapist follows the client's lead, listens closely, and collaborates on goals and next steps.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Shirley will discuss these methods with each person and decide collaboratively which combination fits their needs and goals. That conversation helps set a plan that feels practical and focused.
The original biography does not specify session delivery formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, shorten travel time, and allow check-ins when schedules are tight. Some formats need less bandwidth or offer a shorter check-in when life is hectic; discuss preferences and practical needs when scheduling to find what works best.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
23+ years
Listed in
Montana
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What issues does she commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, grief, parenting concerns, relationship and communication problems, and related areas such as abandonment and codependency.
What therapeutic approaches does she use?
Her approaches include Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, CBT, DBT, and EMDR. She draws from these methods to match the work to the person.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 23 years of experience in mental health, including community mental health and Tribal Behavioral Health, and has maintained a private practice since 2013.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Montana LCSW. Her practice is based in Montana.
Can I work with her if I live outside the US?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
Which session formats does she offer?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.