About Shirley
Shirley Cayko is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Montana. She brings 18 years of experience to sessions and focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma, and changes in life. Shirley aims to create a respectful, sensitive space where people can start real work on problems that matter to them.
She uses straightforward conversation to understand what each person needs. That can mean looking at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going, practicing skills to handle strong emotions, or finding meaning when life feels confusing.
Background and approach
Shirley adapts the pace and focus to match each person's situation and goals. Her work covers a wide range of concerns including depression, grief, anger, bipolar mood concerns, relationship strain, and issues related to gender and sexual identity. She also supports people facing long-term illness, caregiver stress, end-of-life planning, immigration challenges, and difficult life transitions.
Sessions tend to be practical and down-to-earth. Shirley mixes skill-building with chances to talk through past hurts and current struggles. She helps people notice patterns, try new responses, and build small routines that make daily life easier.
People who reach out often want a calm partner in the process. Shirley aims to be that steady presence while tailoring strategies to fit each person’s needs and values. Taking the first step is often the hardest part, and she acknowledges that beginning therapy takes courage.
Therapeutic approaches adapted for online care
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and responding to each person without judgment. It helps people feel heard, name what matters to them, and set goals that fit their values. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions are linked and teaches skills to change unhelpful patterns; it is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication to manage strong emotions and reduce conflict.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Shirley will discuss options with each person and try methods that match their needs and preferences. The plan can change as progress is made so therapy stays useful and practical.
Online sessions can be easier to fit into a busy life. Video calls let people meet face to face when travel is difficult. Phone sessions work when a quieter or lower-bandwidth option is needed. Live chat and text messaging are useful for brief check-ins, skill reminders, or shorter conversations between longer sessions. These options make it simpler to keep regular contact and apply new skills in daily life.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Avoidant personality
- Bipolar disorder
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Communication problems
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Gender dysphoria
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Immigration issues
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Post-traumatic stress
- Postpartum depression
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 18 years
- Licensed
- Montana
- Languages
- English