Crystal Shilling

I am a Clinical Social Worker with over 16 years of experience working with women, children & families in Wayne County, Michigan. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Family Life Education (Spring Arbor University) and earned my Master's degree in Social Work from Wayne State University. I am certified as a Behavioral Health Specialist through the University of Michigan (Adults & Pediatrics) and Cherokee Health Systems (TN). I also have advanced training and certifications in Women's Health, Perinatal Mental Health, and Trauma Focused CBT. I have worked in a wide variety of settings including providing home visits to mothers with postpartum depression, serving as a Behavioral Health Consultant, and Integrated Healthcare Supervisor for a local nonprofit and practicing as a Pediatric/Integrated Pediatric Psychotherapist at Henry Ford Health System. In addition to my role as a therapist, I have served as an adjunct instructor at Spring Arbor University and Southern New Hampshire University and I provide professional consultations to local pediatricians and Ob/Gyns. I am currently working on obtaining a certificate as an Animal Assisted Therapist. At the Lilith Center for Women, I specialize in women's health, body positivity, parenting issues, depression, anxiety, perinatal mood disorders, domestic violence and PTSD/trauma. I only see women. Additionally, my practice is exclusively virtual. Much of my approach to therapy is simply holding space to remind people that we are all human beings with a need to be seen and heard. As a therapist who works in feminist theory, it is important to note that the goal of counseling is not to "fix" women, but to recognize the larger societal influences and environmental contexts that contribute to many of the issues women experience. Feminist therapy focuses on supporting clients in being empowered to challenge oppressive structures and practices. Feminist therapy provides a space for women's voices to be heard, learned from and valued. I believe that there is a great deal of strength in the telling of our stories. By having a supportive, healing environment in which to share your truth, you will find that you can identify issues/stressors, verbalize your thoughts and feelings and eventually, learn to regulate your emotions. Receiving mental health services shouldn't be scary! I work very hard to ensure that you feel safe and comfortable in our therapeutic alliance. Therapy should not be intimidating. It should provide you with an opportunity to feel seen, heard and validated. You can’t heal what you don’t acknowledge. The telling of your story is important. It is my sincere hope that you will find that individual therapy can provide you with the strength that you need to fulfill your goals and dreams, improve your self-esteem, and allow me to assist you with regulating the mind/body connection that is so important in the healing process. My greatest strength as a provider is my ability to set people at ease and provide a sense of hope that relief is possible. I am down to earth, compassionate, sympathetic and "real" in my personal and professional life. There is no such thing as a "perfect" wife, mother, woman or daughter. We are all just doing our best to carry the mental load, and sometimes, it's not pretty. If this sounds like someone you might be interested in working with, please contact me at crystalshilling@therapysecure.com.