About Shelly
Shelly "Sheldon" Lewin helps people facing relationship strain, trauma and abuse, career stress, depression, addiction, grief, and coping with major life changes. He also supports concerns like anger, self-esteem, bipolar symptoms, eating and food-related issues, and compassion fatigue. He brings a practical, steady approach shaped by a long career in health care leadership and direct clinical work.
He listens first and helps people clarify what matters most. Sessions focus on concrete goals such as reducing anxiety, improving communication, managing addictive behaviors, or finding a way forward after loss.
Background and approach
He draws on straightforward techniques that help people change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Therapy is framed as a partnership where the client’s priorities guide each step. Lewin has three decades of experience in executive roles at major hospitals and health systems and now practices in New Mexico.
He holds a Master of Social Work from Loyola University and carries the credentials LICSW and LCSW. His background in management and clinical settings gives him a broad view of stressors related to work, caregiving, and health challenges. Sessions may involve problem-focused work, exploring formative patterns from the past, and building new habits that fit daily life.
He uses tools from cognitive behavioral methods, emotionally-focused and psychodynamic ideas, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused strategies to tailor treatment to each person’s needs. Outside the office he enjoys hiking, travel, reading, and art, and lives in New Mexico with his wife and their Yorkie. His practice emphasizes steady encouragement, practical steps, and helping people build confidence and resilience.
How evidence-based approaches work online
Emotionally-Focused Therapy helps people notice and make sense of their emotions, and it supports improving how they connect and communicate. It can be useful for relationship strain, grief, and recurring emotional patterns that feel stuck.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. Sessions often include practical exercises and small behavioral experiments to reduce depression, anxiety, and unhelpful habits.
Motivational Interviewing is a conversational method that helps people find their own reasons to change. It can be especially helpful when someone feels unsure about making changes around substance use, health behaviors, or career decisions.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, past experiences, and preferences to decide which methods to use. That collaboration helps tailor sessions so they fit each person’s needs and pace.
Online formats make it easier to use these approaches without traveling to an office. Video calls let the therapist and client work face to face for deeper conversation. Phone sessions can be shorter check-ins or an alternative with lower bandwidth needs. Live chat and text messaging support quick updates, coaching between sessions, or ongoing reflection when scheduling in-person time is difficult. These options add flexibility while keeping the focus on steady progress and practical skills.
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Career difficulties
Also works with
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Coaching
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 30 years
- Licensed
- Illinois, Kentucky, Florida, New Mexico, West Virginia, Arizona
- Languages
- English