Megan E Shea

A conversation with Megan E Shea

• What led you to choose psychotherapy or counselling as a profession?

  My own experience of childhood trauma and the healing I found through therapy shaped both my life and my path. I chose this work because I know, firsthand, how powerful it can be to feel truly seen, heard, and supported during difficult times.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional development?

  My work is influenced by Jungian and existential thought, which honour the psyche’s drive toward wholeness, meaning, and transformation. I also draw on expressive arts, archetypal psychology, the Hero’s Journey, and mind-body-spirit frameworks such as the Medicine Wheel and seasonal cycles—approaches that view healing as a creative, embodied, and relational process.

• Which particular aspects of health or the human journey are you interested in?

  I’m drawn to the parts of the human journey that involve descent, transformation, and return—what Joseph Campbell called the Hero’s Journey. I'm particularly interested in how people navigate turning points like trauma, grief, spiritual crisis, or identity shifts, and how those experiences can become gateways to deeper self-awareness, purpose, and growth.

• What methods do you use?

  My approach is integrative and trauma-informed. I draw on evidence-based therapies such as CBT, ACT, Narrative Therapy, and EMDR (in progress), alongside somatic practices, breathwork, and parts work. I also work with creative and symbolic methods—including expressive arts, archetypes, and the Hero’s Journey—to support healing across mind, body, and spirit.

• When do you think the client will start to feel that progress is being made?

  Progress often begins when clients feel safe enough to slow down, speak freely, and notice something shift—whether that’s a new insight, a sense of relief, or a moment of connection. While healing timelines vary, many people start to feel more clarity, self-trust, or emotional regulation within the first few sessions, especially when the pace and approach feel right for them.

• How has therapy made a difference in your life?

  Therapy has helped me understand my own patterns, reconnect with my body, and build a relationship with myself rooted in curiosity and care. It’s taught me that healing isn’t linear—it’s a layered and deeply human process—and that growth often begins with the courage to sit with what’s real.

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

  I find it meaningful to help people make sense of their experiences, reconnect with their strengths, and navigate change with more clarity and confidence. I appreciate the depth, variety, and honesty this work invites—no two sessions are the same, and it keeps me present and engaged.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

  Of course! Hair, moods, and nervous systems all have their own rhythms. I show up anyway.

• What do you think is the most significant problem we face, in the world today?

  A significant problem we face today is disconnection—from our bodies, each other, the land, and our sense of meaning. In a culture that prizes productivity and perfection, we often lose touch with what truly sustains us: belonging, purpose, and embodied presence.

• Can you share the name of a book, film, song, event or work of art that inspires you?

  I often return to the haiku of Kobayashi Issa. His poetry captures the fragility, humour, and beauty of everyday life with just a few words—reminding me to slow down and stay present.