About Shawn (Zie, Zir)

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Shawn (pronouns Zie, Zir), a member of the LGBTQ communities, earned a Master's in Education from The College of William and Mary in counseling, specializing in community and addiction counseling.  Zie earned an undergraduate degree from Virginia Commonwealth University studying Gender, Sexuality and Women's studies.   For a number of years, zie has guest lectured on various college campuses, speaking on issues of and relating to the LGBTQ communities.  Shawn has worked as an adjunct instructor for VCU's Honors College and College of Humanities and Sciences as well as an instructor for The College of William and Mary in the School of Education.

Shawn served in internship with ACCESS AIDS Care, now known as the LGBT Life Center in Norfolk, as well as The New Leaf Clinic at The College of William and Mary.  A third internship was conducted with Colonial Behavioral Health in Emergency Services, and zie completed the residency for Licensed Professional Counselor through time served as a crisis counselor with that agency.

Zie is committed to co-creating spaces of welcome and warmth for all. In practice, Shawn ascribes to a client-centered process that holds space for equanimity in the relationship between therapist and client.  Zie has an extensive history of serving the LGBTQ communities, including those exploring gender identity, living with HIV, and coming out.