About Me
Hi, I'm Dr. Brittany Shannon, a licensed psychologist specializing in trauma therapy for men.
Men aren't exactly encouraged to go to therapy. From a pretty young age, many are taught to handle things themselves, keep their emotions in check, and figure out how to move on when something rough happens. Asking for help can feel like admitting you can't handle it. And for a lot of men, the idea of sitting across from a therapist and talking about their feelings isn't particularly appealing.
I don't think men are any less interested in figuring themselves out or understanding why they do the things they do. I think therapy has often been presented in ways that resonate more with women, and in the process, it hasn't always felt like a welcoming space for men. That's a big part of why I've chosen to specialize in working with men.
I've spent nearly a decade working with Veterans in the VA healthcare system, where I received extensive training in treating PTSD and complex trauma. That experience shaped how I approach therapy. I know that men who have spent years pushing through difficult experiences can absolutely do the trauma work. Sometimes, they just need a different approach than what they've been taught to expect from therapy.
My goal isn't to change who you are or turn you into someone who talks about your feelings all day. It's to help you understand why certain experiences are still hanging with you and challenge some of the things you've come to believe about yourself because of them. From there, we'll work on what you can do differently so that, instead of relying on therapy to figure things out, you can actually rely on yourself.
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My Training & Experience
I earned my PhD in Counseling Psychology from West Virginia University and completed extensive clinical training within the VA healthcare system, where I worked with Veterans experiencing PTSD and complex trauma.
I completed my postdoctoral fellowship at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center in a PTSD program led by Dr. Kate Chard, one of the leading figures in the development and advancement of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Being part of a program with that level of expertise gave me the opportunity to learn from highly experienced clinicians and hone my skills in treating PTSD through extensive, supervised clinical work.
I specialize in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET). CPT and PE are first-line treatments for PTSD, meaning they're among the treatments most strongly recommended by leading professional organizations because of the research supporting their effectiveness.
What That Means For You
These are active treatments. We're not just working toward a better understanding of why you're struggling. We're doing something with that understanding. Depending on the treatment, you'll learn how to examine beliefs that developed after trauma, approach things you've been avoiding, or make sense of experiences that have been difficult to put into perspective. The goal is for you to leave therapy with more than insight. You'll have ways to work through problems yourself, without needing me there to help you figure everything out.
Having training in multiple treatments means I'm not trying to fit everyone into the same box. What works well for one person might not be the best fit for another. We'll talk about what's been going on, what you want to be different, and which treatment makes the most sense for getting you there. Throughout our work together, we'll talk about what we're doing, why we're doing it, and how it's designed to help. I want you to understand the process, not just go through the motions.
I Believe…
Men deserve access to trauma therapy that actually helps. Being taught to handle everything yourself doesn't mean you should have to. Your experiences deserve to be taken seriously, and asking for help doesn't make you any less capable of handling difficult things.
Understanding why you do something doesn't mean you're stuck doing it. Trauma can help explain why you react the way you do, but it doesn't mean those reactions are beyond your control. We can make sense of where they came from while also looking at what you want to do differently.
You don't have to become a different person to benefit from therapy. You don't have to cry, share every detail of what happened, or suddenly become comfortable talking about your feelings. There's room to approach trauma therapy in a way that feels natural to you while still challenging yourself and making meaningful changes.
A Little More About Me
I'm an Italian oldest daughter who is incredibly Type A. If that tells you anything about my personality, you're probably already getting a pretty good picture of me.
I grew up in small-town Ohio, spent four years in West Virginia, and eventually landed in Lexington, Kentucky, where I live with my family. I've always been someone who works hard, likes figuring things out, and gets a lot of satisfaction out of seeing something come together. Over the years, I've developed a pretty solid DIY skillset renovating my house. I genuinely enjoy learning how to do something I've never done before, figuring out what works (and what doesn't), and being able to step back afterward and say, "I did that."
I'm direct, have a pretty good sense of humor, and tend to approach problems with the attitude that there's probably something we can do about this. I like a good plan, I love a project, and there's something incredibly satisfying about taking an idea and making it happen.
Think We Might Be a Good Fit?
You've gotten a pretty good sense of who I am, how I work, and what I believe about trauma therapy. Now I'd like to hear a little about you.
I offer a free 20-minute consultation call where we can talk about what's been going on, what you're hoping to change, and whether working together makes sense.