Maisa Shelmire , LCSW

Maisa Shelmire is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Louisiana with 19 years of professional experience. She combines broad behavioral health experience with a compassionate, respectful approach to help people navigate stress, anxiety, family conflicts, trauma, grief, relationship concerns, and other life challenges. She has worked across psychotherapy, crisis management and intervention, clinical interviewing, and a range of assessments and evaluations to inform care and treatment planning.

Maisa commonly integrates evidence-based methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and psychodynamic approaches, tailoring conversations and treatment to each person’s unique needs. Her background includes work with anger management, parenting and family-of-origin issues, attachment and abandonment concerns, and co-occurring conditions like ADHD and mood disorders. She also brings experience supporting people through career transitions, intimacy-related difficulties, and the complex emotions around loss and forgiveness.

As a combat veteran who served for more than 24 years in the Louisiana Army National Guard as a Behavioral Health Officer, Maisa draws on military and clinical experience to inform her practice. She frames the therapeutic relationship as collaborative, meeting clients where they are and helping them take steps toward a more fulfilling, balanced life. She emphasizes individualized care and supports clients as they work toward their goals.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Maisa Shelmire often draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors - a practical approach that is commonly used for anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. She also uses Motivational Interviewing to support people who are ambivalent about change by exploring their values and enhancing motivation for achievable steps. Additionally, psychodynamic techniques can be applied to examine patterns rooted in relationships and family history, which can be helpful for attachment, abandonment, and long-standing interpersonal difficulties.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Maisa works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan over time as progress and priorities evolve. This collaborative stance helps ensure therapy feels relevant and useful.

Online therapy with Maisa is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which provides flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care across busy lives, support timely check-ins, and allow therapy to adapt to practical constraints such as work, family, or mobility considerations.