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RS Portrait of Ryan Sheehan
Online therapist

Ryan Sheehan

Compassionate, practical help for life’s challenges

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Credentials
LCSW
Experience
6 years
Licensed in
Illinois, Virginia
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Ryan

Ryan Sheehan is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, and issues related to LGBT identity. He also supports those struggling with self-esteem, motivation, addiction, grief, and major life changes. He treats concerns such as intimacy-related challenges, parenting questions, anger, and career stress in a direct and approachable way.

Sheehan works from the view that clients know their own stories. He looks for strengths that can be used to move forward.

Background and approach

Sessions are practical and focused on what a person wants to change. He emphasizes small, doable steps and steady progress. His style blends acceptance-based and cognitive techniques with a warm, client-centered stance.

He draws on tools from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Emotionally-Focused methods when they fit the person’s goals. Mindfulness and skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy are used when helpful. Ryan holds an LCSW and has six years of professional experience in clinical settings.

He is licensed in Illinois and brings a calm, nonjudgmental presence to sessions. People looking for straightforward support often find his approach practical and relatable. Sessions are offered in English and are available through multiple remote formats.

The focus remains on making therapy fit everyday life, so conversations are grounded and centered on what matters most to each person.

How these approaches work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people accept difficult feelings while committing to actions that reflect their values. Online ACT sessions often include exercises to notice thoughts and plan meaningful steps you can try between meetings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns. In remote sessions CBT can include homework, thought records, and skill practice discussed over video or messaging.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will review goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before, then suggest approaches to try. This is a collaborative process where adjustments are made as progress and needs become clearer.

Online formats available include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, allow follow-up between sessions, and let people choose the mode that feels most comfortable. Licensed professionals can use these tools to deliver structured therapy, skill coaching, and regular check-ins without needing an office visit.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Less about arguing with difficult thoughts, more about loosening their grip and acting on what matters to you anyway. Values and committed action carry the work, which suits conversation at a distance.

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.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does this therapist address?
He works with stress, anxiety, depression, LGBT matters, self-esteem, ADHD, addictions, relationship and family issues, trauma, grief, parenting, anger, career stress, bipolar, and coping with life changes.
How would you describe the therapy approach and style?
His style is warm and practical. He focuses on clear goals, small steps, and using a person’s strengths to address problems.
What is his professional background?
He has six years of professional experience working in clinical settings and emphasizes collaborative work with clients to meet their goals.
What are his credentials and where is he based?
Ryan Sheehan is an LCSW licensed in Illinois with license numbers IL LCSW 149023568 and VA LCSW 0904017718.
In which languages can sessions be conducted?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available online?
He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different preferences.
How are costs and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to start working with him?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
6 years
Licensed
Illinois, Virginia
Languages
English

Next step

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