April Shields

April Shields is an LPC and LPCC with 15 years of experience based in Wisconsin. She works with people around stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, coping with life changes, ADHD, relationship concerns, coaching needs, and compassion fatigue. April also focuses on life purpose, attachment issues, communication problems, dissociation, family of origin issues, forgiveness, multicultural concerns, and somatization.

She uses a collaborative, client-centered way of working. Sessions are a conversation about the goals a person brings. April listens for what is getting in the way of making changes and helps people notice patterns that keep them stuck.

Her practice draws on several methods. Mindfulness work and somatic techniques such as guided breathing are used to help people feel more grounded in their bodies. Solution-focused methods help set clear, small steps toward immediate changes. April also incorporates Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, for trauma-related symptoms.

In a typical session she balances listening with practical tools. People often leave with one or two things to try between meetings. The emphasis is on building more self-trust and self-love so decisions feel less overwhelming.

April frames therapy as a cooperative process. She helps people clarify what matters next and work toward it in manageable ways. To begin, clients complete a short questionnaire and schedule a first session through the site’s online options.

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

April offers Client-Centered Therapy, which focuses on the person’s own goals and values and centers sessions on what the client brings. This approach helps when someone is unsure what matters next and needs a space to clarify priorities. EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is offered for processing trauma-related memories and distressing experiences; it is often used when past events continue to affect present day functioning.

She also uses Mindfulness Therapy in sessions, teaching simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus. These methods are practical ways to manage anxiety, stress, and the bodily responses that accompany trauma. Deciding which approach to use is collaborative; April works with each person to match methods to their goals and preferences as part of the process.

Session formats are not specified in the provided biography, so confirm the current online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life by removing travel time and allowing shorter check-ins during a break. It can also help people practice mindfulness or somatic techniques in the context of their everyday routines. Licensed professionals adapt tools like EMDR, mindfulness, and somatic exercises to remote sessions when appropriate, and April will discuss what will work best during the initial matching and first appointment.