Shelby Cook

Walking into a first session with Shelby Cook means being met with warmth before anything else — no pressure to perform, no rushing toward a diagnosis, just the experience of feeling genuinely heard. Cook, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Gahanna, Ohio, leads a group practice built around the conviction that clients are equal partners in their own care. That sense of safety isn’t a preamble to the real work; it is the real work.

She and her team support individuals, couples, and families across all stages of life — from teenagers sorting out who they are while managing the relentless pull of their social feeds, to adults navigating breakups, career shifts, and the quiet weight of a life that looks fine from the outside but feels hard to carry. They are also deeply experienced working with the LGBTQIA+ community and those in ENM and polyamory relationships.

The clinical approach draws on cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, motivational interviewing, and acceptance and commitment therapy — woven together with a person-centered foundation. The goal throughout is practical and lasting: helping clients understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behavior so they can choose how to respond, rather than simply react. Online sessions are available.