Practitioner record · Checked 7 Nov 2026
Shantel Hams has been in practice 8 years and is licensed in Missouri. Shantel lists stress, Anxiety, addictions and trauma and abuse among 22 subjects on the BetterHelp roster.
Everything below is either quoted from Shantel's own BetterHelp listing, taken from public licensing records, or written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such. Nothing here is an availability promise, a review, or a rating.
01 · Who Shantel works with
Shantel lists 6 specialisms and 16 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Shantel chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.
02 · In Shantel's own words
Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.
You do not have to face life's challenges alone. I am a trauma-informed therapist who offers a warm, compassionate, and down-to-earth space where you can feel heard, supported, and accepted without judgment.
I work with individuals and couples experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, major life changes and transitions, relationship conflict, addiction, abuse, and other difficult or overwhelming experiences. Together, we will explore what you have been through, understand how it may be affecting you today, and develop practical tools to help you feel more grounded, confident, and connected.
I believe therapy should feel collaborative and genuine. You are the expert on your own life, and I will meet you where you are with empathy, honesty, and respect. Whether you are feeling stuck, navigating a painful chapter, or simply ready for something to change, we can work together at a pace that feels right for you. My goal is to help you recognize your strengths, build resilience, and move toward a life that feels more peaceful and fulfilling.
Shantel Hams, on the BetterHelp listing · read 7 Nov 2026
03 · What happens next
Shantel practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Shantel's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.
BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Shantel at this point.
BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Shantel is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Shantel.
You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.
A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.
Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.
04 · Before you commit
Built from what Shantel actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Shantel's - Shantel has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.
“How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”
Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.
“How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”
On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.
05 · Practical details
06 · Provenance
Shantel's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 7 Nov 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.
The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.
Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Shantel. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.
Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.
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