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SM Portrait of Shomaya McFarland
Online therapist

Shomaya McFarland

Compassionate counselor for everyday life challenges

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Credentials
LPC
Experience
13 years
Licensed in
Louisiana
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Shomaya

Shomaya McFarland is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Louisiana with 13 years of experience in mental health. She offers a relaxed, respectful approach and focuses on helping people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship and intimacy concerns, anger, depression, and life changes. Her style is informal and grounded in active listening and straightforward feedback.

Parents reading on a phone will find short, clear sessions that aim to make space for your feelings and practical next steps.

Background and approach

She has held roles as a counselor, crisis therapist, counselor supervisor, and case manager. That background informs how she responds to everyday struggles like work stress, communication problems, and the emotional fallout from breakups or separation. She uses practical tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy to help reduce distress and improve coping skills.

Her work also incorporates client-centered and mindfulness approaches to create a calm, focused space for exploring attachment issues, forgiveness, guilt and shame, or challenges with impulse control. Motivational interviewing helps when someone is deciding on new directions or weighing change. She notes that deeply rooted trauma or long-standing childhood wounds may require a different focus than she offers.

For many common stressors - relationship friction, parenting frustrations, grief, or questions about identity - she aims to help people identify alternatives and try new ways of moving forward. Getting started involves a short matching questionnaire and scheduling; sessions are delivered through video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging.

The emphasis is on practical support, respect, and helping clients take the next step toward better daily functioning.

Online approaches and how they help

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening without judgment and responding to what matters most to the person. It helps people feel heard and make choices that fit their values and goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and teaches practical skills to change them, which can be useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, adds skills for managing strong emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness, which can help with anger, impulsivity, and communication struggles.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what has or has not helped before. Together they will try methods that fit the situation and adjust the plan based on what works in real life.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. This flexibility can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, keep momentum between sessions, and use shorter check-ins when needed. Licensed professionals can adapt these formats to teach skills, practice communication, and track progress without requiring in-person visits.

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.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Concrete skills for riding out strong emotion, tolerating distress, and handling relationships without things escalating. The skills are practised in daily life, so between-session support by message or phone fits naturally.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?
She focuses on stress, anxiety, relationship and intimacy issues, anger, depression, and coping with life changes, along with related areas like grief, self-esteem, ADHD, and compassion fatigue.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Sessions are informal and relaxed with an emphasis on active listening and clear feedback. She uses practical techniques to help people try new ways of responding to problems.
How much experience does she have?
She has 13 years of experience working in mental health as a counselor, crisis therapist, counselor supervisor, and case manager.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor - LPC - licensed in Louisiana with license number LA LPC 6715.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
She provides video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging formats.
How does payment work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and uses a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
13 years
Licensed
Louisiana
Languages
English

Next step

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