Shirley Butler, LCSW
Therapist in Montana
Shirley Butler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 23 years in mental health care.
- Licensed inMontana
- LicenseBBH-LCSW-LIC-815
- NPI 1619151669
- Experience23+ years
- LanguagesEnglish
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.
About Shirley
Shirley Butler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 23 years in mental health care. She practices from Montana and brings long experience from community mental health and Tribal behavioral health settings. Shirley aims to make therapy straightforward and humane for people feeling overwhelmed by stress, loss, or big life changes.
She listens first and builds trust over time. Sessions focus on the client’s story and what matters most to them.
Background and approach
Shirley works collaboratively to set clear goals and a simple plan that fits each person’s needs and life. Her work addresses anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, grief, parenting concerns, relationship and family stress, anger, career worries, and mood disorders such as bipolar.
She also supports issues like abandonment, codependency, communication problems, commitment worries, forgiveness, and self-love, with attention to women’s issues when relevant. Shirley uses Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered approaches, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Emotionally-Focused Therapy to guide sessions. She adapts methods to the person in front of her rather than following a fixed protocol.
Clients can expect clear, compassionate conversation and practical tools to try between sessions. Shirley values cultural awareness and has worked across diverse communities, including Tribal settings. She encourages people to tell their stories and to take therapy at a pace that feels right for them.
Credentials
- LCSW (Montana)
- License BBH-LCSW-LIC-815 · expires December 2026
- NPI
- 1619151669 · national provider identifier
Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the therapist lists and checks neither.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Shirley lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Abandonment
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Forgiveness
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-love
- Women's issues
Approaches Shirley names
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
Attachment-informed care and practical online therapy
Shirley draws on Attachment-Based Therapy to look at how early bonds shape current relationships and emotional patterns. This approach can help people understand why they react a certain way and learn new ways of connecting and feeling safe in relationships.She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, which centers on listening, empathy, and following the client’s pace. This method helps people feel heard and supports self-directed change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to identify unhelpful thoughts and develop concrete skills for mood, anxiety, and coping with life changes.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Shirley will discuss options, try approaches that fit the person’s goals, and adapt methods based on what helps most. The plan is collaborative and flexible so it can change as progress is made.
Online therapy is offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to make care more accessible. Video lets clinicians and clients see nonverbal cues and have a fuller conversation, while phone sessions use less bandwidth and can fit into a busy day. Live chat or text messaging can be useful for quick check-ins, brief coaching, or when typing feels easier than speaking. These choices make it simpler to keep continuity of care across schedules and locations.
We will earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no cost to you. It does not change what you pay or the order of the listings.
Frequently asked
What concerns does she address?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, grief, parenting strain, relationship and family stress, anger, career issues, and bipolar disorder. Additional focuses include abandonment, codependency, communication problems, forgiveness, post-traumatic stress, self-love, and women’s issues.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her approach is collaborative and client-centered. She listens carefully, builds trust, and pairs conversation with practical skills and coping strategies to try between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
She brings 23 years of experience in mental health work, including time in community mental health and Tribal behavioral health settings, and has run a independent practice since 2013.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds the credential MT LCSW and practices from Montana.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English, and she accepts international clients as well.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How is cost handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on therapist availability.
More therapists in Montana
See all
Erica Tribble
LCSW
Practical, relationship-focused therapy
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship
- Trauma and abuse
Angela Whitecrane Widdicombe
LCSW, LMFT
Compassionate clinician focusing on connection
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship
Is this your profile?
Ask us to correct details or take the page down.
Contact us