Exploring Life & Business with Shelby McDaniel of Shelby McDaniel LCSW PLLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby McDaniel.

Hi Shelby, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always been a helper and concerned with the needs of others; I was highly sensitive as a child and quickly assumed the role of “peace-keeper” in my military family as a way to try and please everyone. As a result, I developed severe anxiety and the beginnings of disordered eating at a young age as a way to cope with frequent moves across the U.S. and world, family struggles, and constantly feeling like I didn’t belong. Once I began competitive synchronized swimming at age 13, my anxiety and disordered eating had the perfect place to flourish in an environment that was based on pressure, perfection, judgement, and abuse. As my “synchro” skills improved, my self-worth plummeted; at that time, being a good synchro swimmer also meant being docile and disempowered, and I fulfilled that narrative perfectly. My strong, albeit distorted, work ethic in the pool and classroom eventually resulted in a college scholarship where my anxiety and, by then, full-blown eating disorder worked in tandem with yet another verbally and mentally abusive head coach to dismantle any remaining autonomy or confidence I had; by the time I sustained an injury that prematurely ended my college swimming career, I had absolutely no self-worth or identity to fall back on. Add in a few more traumatic events, a slew of chronic medical issues that had been present since high school, and I was beyond lost and full of shame and guilt. I finally asked for help at 20 years old after ten years of suffering on my own.
I began therapy with extreme hesitation and disbelief that a stranger could help or care for me, and I am truly grateful to say that I was so wrong in that thinking. I have often said that my first therapist saved my life due to her warmth and genuine compassion, as well as showing me new ways of thinking, helping me build a better relationship with food and body image, and empowering me to trust myself. It took me a few more years to realize that I could also help others in the way my first therapist helped me, but then that became the goal. I finished my Masters in Social Work from Louisiana State University, and I have had the benefit of working in different mental health environments that have provided me incredible clinical training and mentorship. I completed my clinical internships at both a long-term care nursing facility and an eating disorder treatment center. I then worked at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless providing mental health services to unhoused youth during COVID, and eventually transitioned into a group practice. I knew I wanted to specialize in eating disorders and anxiety as a result of my lived experience, so I worked to finally open my own private practice in 2023. I love getting to be a support to my clients, witness their resiliency, and help them realize their own strengths and capabilities. I definitely don’t look back on my own struggles with gratitude, but I can appreciate how my own experiences enable me to better connect and empathize with my clients.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, as I’m sure most people can relate to. Things frequently did not go as I had planned, and I often had to pivot or manage change as it was happening. I was working full-time during my first year of graduate school which came with challenges of work overload, missing time with friends and family, and chronic stress. During my second year of graduate school came the challenge of trying to maintain any form of financial stability while working as an unpaid intern for months at a time. I also completed two cross-country moves while in graduate school as a result of required transitions for my partner’s work. My first clinical job was at the Coalition for the Homeless in downtown Denver that I started about three months before COVID hit; trying to ensure clients still received needed resources during a time of unprecedented crisis while also balancing the learning curve of being a new therapist was a daily struggle. It has also taken a few years for me to figure out my style as a therapist and learn how to trust myself and my clinical skills; I’m sure that will be a career-long struggle I can look forward to. I am also just a person, too, who has good and bad days, who screws up regularly, and am constantly trying to navigate showing up for clients, family, friends, and myself.

As you know, we’re big fans of Shelby McDaniel LCSW PLLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a private practice in Colorado. I provide individual therapy for adults struggling with mental health concerns and specialize in treating eating disorders, anxiety, and low self-worth. I welcome all races, religions, genders, and sexual identities. I especially love to work with female-identifying clients who want to shed shaming, debilitating narratives and instead harness their individual power. I pride myself on trying to create a therapeutic space that is welcoming, humorous, authentic, and built on trust. I want my clients to know they have someone in their corner who will support them and also challenge them to make the changes they want to make. I offer virtual treatment to allow for ease of access and enable clients to meet in the space they feel most comfortable. Sessions can be scheduled on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or as-needed basis; I accept private pay, as well as multiple different insurance providers to try and make accessing care as financially feasible as possible. Clients might also catch a glimpse of my virtual “therapy” dog or be soothed by her *gentle* snoring in the background.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I understand the fear that can accompany asking for help, so I offer a free, initial consultation to meet and see if I might be the right fit for someone. I will listen and hopefully, become a trusted support. I strive to show up as my authentic, curious, slightly sarcastic, and compassionate self, and I want any client I work with to feel comfortable and confident to show up authentically as well, in and out of therapy. I value the experiences of all my clients and love getting to see their thoughtful change on a regular basis.

Pricing:

• Private Pay: $130 per session
• Accepted Insurance: United, Aetna, Anthem, Cigna (rates vary based on plan)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shelbymcdaniellcsw.com
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/shelby-mcdaniel-lcsw-pllc-denver-co/1118634