Let's Heal Psychotherapy & Mental Health Consultation

About Me

Shannon Black developed ‘LET'S HEAL’ - Psychotherapy and Mental Health Consultation to provide an alternative approach and space to attain ‘Radical Wellness’. Based in Ottawa, Let's Heal aims to center and validate voices of individuals, families & communities who feel hurt, unheard, invisible, unsafe, neglected, misunderstood and “othered”. Shannon holds a Master's degree in Social Work - Psychology and is registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). Shannon also has professional training and certifications in neuropsychology and trauma. Shannon identifies as a Black woman and a settler in Canada. These intersectional identities inform and guide her practice, and the theoretical lens and understanding that she utilizes to curate and facilitate wellness.

Shannon is invested in supporting the healing process of those who are hurting the most. To facilitate informed and responsive therapeutic care, she leads with curiosity, empathy, humility, and safety. Shannon's professional practice and interests are focused on mental/emotional health, trauma/intergenerational trauma, addiction, racism/discrimination, health equity, social justice, holistic healing, community development/activism, etc. The theoretical underpinnings that guide her lens are Anti-oppression, Intersectionality, Equity, Feminism, Queer theory & Holistic theory.

Passions

Shannon is a lover of everything fashion - when you look good, you feel good! She enjoys hanging with and travelling with her husband. Shannon also enjoys watching historical documentaries and crime dramas. She is an avid reader and she enjoys physical activities especially running and dancing.

Psychotherapy & Clinical Lens

Shannon has extensive psychotherapy experience supporting individuals and families who are dealing with presenting concerns related to anxiety, mood dysregulation, depression, chronic stressors, trauma, etc. She also possesses clinical competencies and aptitudes in supporting individuals faced with emotional issues related to personal and life stressors, discrimination, racism, gender/sexual orientations, violence/abuse, familial/religion/cultural dissonance, grief and loss, addiction, chronic illnesses, migration and negative sense of citizenship and sense of belonging.

Shannon prides her practice as being client centered, safety focus, inclusive, strength based and anti-oppressive. These frameworks are her personal and professional pillars which informs her ability to respect individuals as 'experts of their own lives'. This lens often empowers individuals to discover or reimagine new possibilities and reasons to heal and grow from struggles/concerns that they are encountering.

Shannon has professional training and experience utilizing clinical modalities such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance Compassion Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness, Somatic Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Schema Therapy & Motivational Interviewing, etc. She also draws from the family systems and attachment theory to inform her clinical practice. Additionally, Shannon has sound experience with mental health protocols such as conducting suicide risk assessments and safety, goal setting/adherence, treatment conceptualization and is familiar with the Stepped Care Model to treatment.

Consultation & Community Mobilization

Shannon is a certified Mental Health First Aid Trainer. She also actively facilitates discussions, workshops, and trainings in the community and in professional spaces, around mental and emotional health, health equity, racism, discrimination, diversity, inclusion, equity, safety, and justice, etc. She takes every opportunity to educate and spotlight the correlation between trauma, need disparities, injustices, inequities and the maladaptive social mobilization/capacity of marginalized individuals and communities.

Shannon’s commitment to support individuals and communities, especially those with identities and orientations that are not socially sanctioned, is evident in her advocacy and professional navigation. She was a key figure in envisioning and developing the first emotional support line, focusing on BIPOC individuals' unique emotional and wellness needs in Ottawa (BRISC-Black Racialized Individuals Support Channel). In addition, she was instrumental in securing, developing, and implementing the first provincially funded culturally adapted ‘SNAP Program’ in Ottawa, which is a clinical program for racialized families. Shannon was also fundamental in the development and implementation of the African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) portal on the City’s Counselling Connect portal. Her unwavering commitment is also evident in her volunteer work. She currently serves as a Director on the Canadian Mental Health Association (Ottawa branch) and the Ottawa Black Mental Health Coalition boards. Shannon is committed to continue getting into ‘good trouble’, once it allows her to foster safe spaces and facilitate healing!

Shannon accepted the 2022 United Way Community Builder of the Year Award from Mayor Jim Watson on behalf of OBMHC.

Specialties
Treatment Approach

Anxiety
Depression
Trauma
Life /work /school Stressors
Discrimination
Racism
Gender/Sexuality

Family Conflict
Loss/Grief
Peer/Intimate Relationships
Self Esteem Issues
Suicidality
Behavioural Issues
Codependency

Compassion Fatigue
Violence
Emotional Disturbance
Life Transitions
Parenting
Women's Issues
Imposter Syndrome

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Schema Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Trans-Cultural Therapy
Culturally/Racially Informed
Narrative
Emotionally Focused

Attachment-based
Humanistic
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Queer Theory
Motivational Interviewing
Person-Centered
Feminist
Psychodynamic

Reality Therapy
Relational
Solution Focused Brief (SFBT)
Strength-Based
Structural Family Therapy
Trauma Focused
Genograms
Motivational Interviewing
Rational Emotive Behaviour (REBT)

Modalities

Individuals

Couples

Family

When we navigate from a place of responding to community need,” she says, “red tape becomes secondary, and the clients’ needs become primary. This allows for deep, trusting relationships in individuals and those who support them.

Recognition of Merit

Shannon was spotlighted in CMHA Ottawa's Black Excellence in Mental Health series. This feature was in recognition of Shannon's years of experience in the mental health field. She was applauded for her ingenuity, advocacy and vision that has informed the development of many mental health initiatives within the City of Ottawa.

The full article is linked below.

Let's Heal

Psychotherapy & Mental Health Consultation