Safe Space, Real Skills
Shelby Gaudette's path to becoming a therapist was shaped by a conviction that everyone deserves access to mental health care that actually meets them where they are — without requiring them to perform wellness, suppress their identity, or pretend they have it together before they are allowed to get help.
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a Master of Social Work (MSW), Shelby brings a strong foundation in social justice and systemic thinking to her clinical practice. Her primary therapeutic framework is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), an evidence-based approach originally developed for individuals with intense emotions, self-destructive patterns, and difficulty tolerating distress.
What makes DBT effective in Shelby's hands is her ability to translate the framework's four core skill areas — mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness — into practical tools that clients can actually use in their daily lives. She does not just teach skills in session; she helps clients practice them in real-world contexts where the learning sticks.
Shelby is deeply committed to LGBTQIA+ affirming care and creates a therapeutic space where clients of all gender expressions and cultural backgrounds can show up as themselves from the first session. For clients navigating OCD, she combines DBT skills with exposure-based approaches to help break the cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors without avoiding the underlying emotions.
Education & Training
Education
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
Licensure
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) — State of Florida
Clinical Experience
- DBT-Informed Therapist — Dialectical Behavior Therapy specialized training
What Shelby Treats
Services
- Individual Therapy — DBT-informed treatment for emotional dysregulation, self-harm, and chronic suicidality
- OCD Treatment — exposure-based and DBT-integrated approaches to obsessive-compulsive patterns
- Anxiety Treatment — generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic, and phobias
- LGBTQIA+ Affirming Therapy — identity exploration, minority stress, and intersectional mental health concerns
Conditions Commonly Treated
- OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder
- Depression and emotional dysregulation
- Borderline personality features and BPD
- Self-harm and suicidal ideation
- Interpersonal difficulties and relationship patterns
- Gender identity and sexual orientation concerns
- Chronic stress and burnout
Insurance & Payment
Payment
Self-Pay Rates
- Initial session: $175
- Follow-up sessions: $140
Superbill provided for out-of-network reimbursement. Shelby provides superbills that many insurance plans will reimburse at out-of-network rates.
