Shalawn Childs, MD, LCPC

Shalawn Childs is a licensed mental health professional with three years of clinical experience assisting people facing stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma, and depression. She works with clients across a wide range of concerns, including LGBT issues, coping with abuse, chronic pain and illness, drug and alcohol addiction, family difficulties, first responder stress, hearing impairment, multicultural challenges, and experiences of prejudice and discrimination.

Shalawn approaches each person with the belief that they are the expert of their own story and already possess strengths to draw on. She aims to help clients build on those strengths to manage challenges and move toward a more fulfilling life. Shalawn holds MD and LCPC credentials - MD indicating a medical degree and LCPC denoting a license to provide professional counseling - and she is licensed in Maryland and Washington. Taking the first step toward change requires courage, and Shalawn offers supportive guidance as clients decide goals, learn practical skills, and work through obstacles at a pace that fits their needs.

Evidence-Based Approaches and Flexible Online Care

Shalawn uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques tailored to the concerns a client brings. For stress and anxiety she focuses on practical coping strategies and skills that help reduce symptoms and improve daily functioning, such as breathing, relaxation, and problem-solving approaches that support better emotional regulation. For addictions and trauma-related issues she applies structured interventions that address patterns of substance use and trauma responses, working to build relapse prevention skills, healthier coping options, and ways to process difficult experiences safely.

Choosing the right therapeutic approach is a collaborative process. Shalawn works with each person to identify their goals, preferences, and needs, then adjusts methods over time so therapy fits the individual rather than expecting the person to fit a single model.

Online therapy with Shalawn is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, which increases flexibility for scheduling and access. These options allow people to engage in consistent care from home or other convenient locations, making it easier to maintain momentum between sessions and to receive support in a way that matches their lifestyle.