Profile / United States
Shirley Butler, LCSW
Montana
Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Trauma and Mood
See online therapy options- CBT methods
- EMDR use
- Attachment focus
About Shirley
Shirley Butler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Montana with 23 years of experience. She has provided crisis on-call support and regular clinical care in community mental health and Tribal Behavioral Health settings. Shirley now maintains a private practice she opened in 2013 and works with people facing stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, grief, relationship and family issues, parenting concerns, and mood disorders including bipolar.
She earned a Bachelor of Human Services Rehabilitation from Salish Kootenai College and a Master of Social Work from Walla Walla University. After her MSW she completed three thousand supervised clinical hours before sitting for the clinical license exam. That clinical background includes time living and working on a reservation and in other communities, which informs her experience with diverse cultures.
Her day-to-day approach begins with building rapport and a working alliance. Shirley emphasizes hearing each person’s story and identifying the parts they want to examine. From there she and the client set collaborative, practical goals and a plan for meeting them.
Shirley lists several therapeutic methods she uses, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), attachment-based work, client-centered strategies, dialectical behavior therapy elements, emotionally-focused methods, and EMDR for processing distressing memories. She explains that what traumatizes someone is personal, so treatment is individualized through discussion and planning.
Sessions focus on concrete steps people can try between meetings, and on noticing unhelpful thoughts and habits. Shirley aims to help clients practice new ways of responding to stress, improve communication, and manage intense emotions. The work is collaborative and paced to the client’s goals.
How Shirley Uses Practical Approaches Online
Shirley lists Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as one of her main methods. CBT focuses on noticing unhelpful thoughts and testing new ways of thinking and behaving to reduce symptoms like anxiety and low mood. Attachment-based work looks at patterns in close relationships and helps people understand how early bonds affect current reactions and connection problems.Client-centered therapy is also part of her approach. That means sessions focus on the client’s priorities, with the therapist listening and reflecting so the person can explore what matters most. Shirley treats the choice of method as collaborative; she will discuss options with each person and agree on what to try based on goals and preferences.
The biography does not name specific session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, shorten commute time, or allow for brief check-ins during a workday break. Some formats work better for low-bandwidth conversations or phone-only check-ins, while others suit longer, video-based work; Shirley will help find practical arrangements that fit the client’s life.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
23+ years
Listed in
Montana
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Shirley most often help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, grief, relationship and family issues, parenting challenges, anger, career concerns, and bipolar disorder among other areas.
How does she use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
She uses CBT to identify unhelpful thoughts and habits and to practice different responses. CBT is presented as a practical tool alongside other approaches to help reach specific goals.
What is her professional background?
She has 23 years in mental health, including community mental health and Tribal Behavioral Health, and has run a private practice since 2013.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in Montana and practices from that state.
Are sessions available in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are offered?
The original biography does not specify session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.