Sharon Olson, MA, LMHC

I am a licensed mental health counselor, and I came to Shifa in 2008. I began my career in the Midwest: I received a BA in psychology from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and an MA in clinical psychology from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. I have been licensed as a Mental Health Professional since 1996. I have worked primarily in the Community Mental Health setting in Emergency Services, Intake, Counseling/ Psychotherapy, Outpatient Program Management, and Case Management programs. I found my niche in doing individual counseling/psychotherapy with adults.

I was trained in the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy model in graduate school, and since then I have been trained and developed expertise in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I also have experience in treating those with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). In terms that are not so “clinical”, I work with clients who have developed some not-so-healthy ways of living in the world, in response to trauma—big and small. My approach has been greatly influenced by the concept of Mindfulness.

I am an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction books, in the areas of spirituality, biography, history, and, of course, mental health. I have a vast marble collection, which has been growing since 1992, and I am just beginning to develop an interest in Lionel Trains.