About Norman
Norman Shaffer is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing addiction, anxiety, depression, trauma, and problems with self-esteem. He supports those dealing with grief, anger, relationship stress, bipolar challenges, and major life changes. Norman frames recovery and growth as a step-by-step process and focuses on practical coping skills people can use right away.
He uses clear, direct conversation to help people understand what they are facing. Sessions look at thoughts, habits, and choices that keep problems alive.
Background and approach
Norman draws on motivational techniques to help people find reasons to change and on mindfulness to reduce overwhelm in the moment. His background includes nine years working in Tennessee with people coping with drug and alcohol addiction, hoarding, obsessive-compulsive concerns, sex addiction, and issues affecting veterans and armed forces members.
He emphasizes collaboration and respects each person’s experience as the starting point for therapy. Norman explains clinical ideas in plain language and helps people create small, doable steps toward goals. He focuses on skills that make daily life easier, such as reducing anxiety, managing mood swings, and improving communication.
Progress is planned around what fits the person’s life and values. People who choose Norman can expect practical guidance mixed with a supportive approach. He aims to build tools clients can use after sessions end, and to work at a pace that feels manageable.
His Tennessee license is LCSW 7497.
How CBT, Mindfulness, and Motivational Work Online
Norman uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and change small habits that reinforce problems. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, OCD patterns, and unhealthy coping like substance use. It focuses on concrete exercises and short homework tasks that fit into daily life.He also uses Mindfulness Therapy to teach simple attention and breathing practices. Mindfulness helps reduce emotional reactivity and makes it easier to tolerate difficult feelings during recovery or grief. Motivational Interviewing is part of his approach when people feel unsure about change; it focuses on finding personal reasons to act and building momentum one step at a time.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Norman will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they decide which strategies to try and adjust the plan as progress is made.
Online sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video calls let people use visual cues and longer conversations. Phone sessions can fit a quick check-in or be used when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging offer brief check-ins, written reflections, and flexible timing for people with busy days. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent and work it into real life.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Grief
- Hoarding
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Sex addiction
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 9 years
- Licensed
- Tennessee
- Languages
- English