David Shellenbarger, LPC

David Shellenbarger is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Michigan with 35 years of experience supporting children, adolescents, and adults. Much of his background has been in school settings, where he developed extensive expertise helping young people build the skills needed to navigate social and educational challenges, and he has also guided many adults through complex life transitions and emotional struggles.

His practice concentrates on common but impactful concerns such as depression, anxiety, relationship dynamics, grief, and self-esteem, while also addressing caregiver stress, workplace pressures, isolation, and questions of life purpose. He works from a compassionate, non-judgmental stance that honors each person’s unique story and emphasizes practical healing through improved communication, rebuilding social connections, and developing coping strategies for stress and emotional difficulty.

David is particularly attuned to supporting older adults, caregivers, and those facing major changes like divorce or separation. He creates a supportive space where clients can explore difficult feelings, process trauma when it arises, and build concrete plans for personal growth and emotional resilience. His work draws on evidence-based methods, principally client-centered, reality, and rational-emotive approaches, to tailor care to each individual's needs and goals.

Evidence-Informed Approaches for Online Support

Client-centered therapy focuses on understanding each person's lived experience and building a therapeutic relationship that supports self-exploration and personal growth. It is useful for issues like low self-esteem, life purpose questions, and the emotional impact of relationship changes.

Rational-emotive approaches address the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, helping clients identify and shift unhelpful beliefs that contribute to anxiety, depression, guilt, and shame. This method offers practical tools for changing patterns that maintain distress.

Reality therapy emphasizes present-focused problem solving and making workable choices to improve relationships and daily functioning, which can be especially helpful for workplace stress, caregiving challenges, and navigating transitions like separation or divorce.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. David collaborates with clients to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting techniques as progress unfolds.

Online sessions via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging provide flexible access to therapy and make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules. These options allow licensed professionals to work with clients in ways that match individual comfort and practical needs while maintaining a consistent therapeutic process.