Mrs. Shanae Graf Licensed Professional Counselor Associate

Mrs. Shanae Graf, Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, 93675 is practicing under the supervision of Crystal Brashear (Texas, LPC-S, 75709) at Verbum Counseling.

Please, note: A clinician listed as being “clinically supervised” is completing clinical hours toward their licensure. They have one or more fully licensed clinical supervisors that often have special training. They consult with their supervisor(s) on all of their cases.

I decided to become a therapist after experiencing the life-changing effects of therapy for myself and several of my close family members. I saw how impactful having a safe space to share my deepest thoughts and feelings was. I also discovered how influential having an empathetic, non-judgemental person in my life could be. Having this dedicated person and space allowed me the opportunity to dive in and do the hard work of changing my life for the better and work towards my goals. As a result, I wanted others to experience that for themselves.

My goal is to honor each client's unique needs and preferences when determining what tools and methods to utilize. That being said, I enjoy using various expressive arts techniques, such as sand tray, to help clients access both the thinking and feeling parts of their brains in session. I also find experiential exercises that focus on what is happening in the "here and now" of the session to be effective and meaningful in helping clients work towards their goals. More than anything, though, what's most important is that clients know they always have autonomy, and I will never push someone to do something they aren't comfortable with in a session.

Being genuine and authentic with my clients. I don't pretend to have my life altogether, and I certainly don't expect my clients to either. I bring my down-to-earth sensibility and sense of humor into our therapeutic relationship with the desire that you’ll feel safe, supported, and encouraged so we can work together through life’s questions and challenges.

As a former teacher turned counselor, I strive to bring my empathy, patience, and understanding of human development into all my therapy sessions. I enjoy working with children ages seven and up, teens, as well as adults experiencing trauma, chronic illness/pain, infertility, caregiver fatigue/burnout, relationship concerns including mental/physical abuse, life transitions, anxiety, depression, and issues related to personal identity and growth.