PuttingFamilyFirst

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ES Portrait of Ellen Shafer-Lind
Online therapist

Ellen Shafer-Lind

Compassionate family-focused clinical care

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Credentials
LIMHP
Experience
36 years
Licensed in
Nebraska
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Ellen

Ellen Shafer-Lind is a licensed independent mental health practitioner (LIMHP) in Nebraska who focuses on family and parenting concerns alongside many individual issues. She helps people work through stress, anxiety, grief, relationship and intimacy problems, addictions, depression, and major life changes. Her style aims to be straightforward and compassionate so parents and partners can find clearer ways forward.

She combines practical techniques with listening and reflection. Ellen often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which looks at how thoughts and actions affect feelings.

Background and approach

She also draws on client-centered and psychodynamic ideas when they fit the person’s situation. Solution-focused steps are used when people want direct, short-term goals. Her approach is collaborative.

She talks with clients about goals, tries methods that match their needs, and adjusts the plan as therapy proceeds. Sessions emphasize problem solving, skill building, and understanding patterns that affect family life and relationships.

Ellen has worked in counseling for over three decades and has experience with grief work, veterans issues through time at the Veterans Health Administration, and with a variety of family situations including blended families and caregiving stress. She trained with a Master of Social Work from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and maintains her LIMHP credential.

In practice she offers a mix of therapy formats and tailors pace to each person. Her aim is to help people gain coping tools and clearer perspectives so they can manage family stresses and move toward more stable relationships.

Therapeutic approaches for online family and relationship work

Client-centered therapy focuses on understanding each person’s perspective and responding with empathy. It helps when people need a respectful space to talk through feelings and figure out what matters most to them.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT looks at how thoughts and behaviors affect moods and actions. It teaches concrete strategies to change unhelpful thinking patterns and develop new coping skills, which can help with anxiety, depression, and stress related to family life.

Psychodynamic therapy pays attention to patterns that repeat over time and how family history shapes current relationships. It can help people understand deeper influences on their choices and reactions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss options and try methods that fit the client’s goals, needs, and preferences. This is a collaborative process and adjustments are made as progress is observed.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls let people interact much like an in-person session, while phone sessions may suit those who prefer voice only. Live chat and text-based messaging provide shorter, more frequent check-ins or a way to stay connected between longer appointments. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy family schedules and to access help across different locations.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Exploring how earlier relationships and patterns still shape the present, often over a longer stretch of time. It relies on conversation and reflection rather than exercises.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does Ellen work with?
She supports people facing stress, anxiety, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, addictions, depression, bipolar concerns, coping with life changes, and many family-related problems.
How would you describe her therapy style?
She uses a practical, compassionate style that combines listening with clear problem solving. Sessions often focus on skills, perspective shifts, and steps people can try between meetings.
What is her professional background?
She has 36 years of counseling experience, including work with the Veterans Health Administration and hospital adolescent services. She has run a independent practice and worked across a range of family issues.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds the LIMHP credential with number NE LIMHP 3517 and practices in Nebraska.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English, and she accepts clients internationally.
What formats are available for meeting online?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does payment and cost work for online sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps do I take to begin therapy?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
36 years
Licensed
Nebraska
Languages
English

Next step

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