Shanti Hill Gauer, LCSW
Hi! I’m Shanti. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, my mission is to help children, teens, and young adults overcome crisis or current challenges, and to guide them to find understanding, connection, and self-worth on the other side.
No one should have to struggle alone. I'll partner with you, and with my animal co-therapists, to empower you to bring their true self forward. Strengthening your authentic self is where the healing begins...
I support young people in believing in themselves, learning to trust, and building positive relationships. When youth can feel comfortable being themselves, they can confidently step out into the world to share their beautiful gifts.
“Shanti’s leadership is strong, clear, transparent and inspiring!”
CREDENTIALS
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, California License LCSW# 74070
Certified Equine Interaction Professional—Mental Health (CEIP-MH)
Animal Assisted Social Work Certificate (AASW)
University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work, Master of Social Work
Over a decade of direct experience working with children, teens, young adults, and families in private practice, community, and residential mental health settings.
My Approach
There are four heart-centered values that I practice daily and infuse into my therapeutic work with you and your teen:
1. Authenticity
Every individual is unique, which means there's no "one size fits all" approach to emotional and social growth. We'll partner with you and your teen to creatively and collaboratively develop a therapeutic plan that meets their needs.
2. Integrity
Teens are actually all about Integrity. They want to know that what you say is going to be followed through on with your actions. We ask your teen to explore Integrity as congruency between their internal thoughts and feelings and their external actions.
3. Community + Connection
When your teen is struggling, it affects everyone at home. And on the flip side, raising a child really does take a village. Thus, I maintain regular communication with parents/caregivers and offer parent coaching and family sessions as needed.
4. Restoring Hope
If you've begun to doubt that things will get better, you're not alone. Perhaps you've tried helping your teen on your own, and you're at your wit's end. Or maybe you've been through a few talk therapists and your child hasn't yet made that real connection. I'm passionate about thinking "outside of the box" when traditional therapy hasn't been a good fit for your teen. Animal-Assisted Therapy is an innovative and effective therapeutic model.
How Can I Support You?
If you are looking for a fresh approach to therapy, please contact me to schedule a phone consultation.