01 · Who Shelly works with

Shelly works with relationship issues, parenting issues and anger management

Shelly lists 4 specialisms and 3 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Shelly chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Shelly's own words

What Shelly says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the State of North Dakota . I have more than 10 years’ experience in the medical and mental health field. I received a masters degree in Mental Health Counseling from Bellevue University and my masters in social work from Arizona State University. My specialties are relationship issues, child and adult abuse, stress management, anxiety, and anger. My treatment approach is rather laid back, but is set on the foundation of having a therapeutic relationship, to include using theory's such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused, and Mindfulness. I have worked with couples to learn how to communicate effectively and get down to the root cause of why they are having arguments. I have also worked with children and teens have experienced or witnessed violence in their family. Finally I have worked with alcohol addictions and treatment counseling. Thank you for taking the time to review my profile. I look forward to helping you on your journey.

Shelly Carbo, on the BetterHelp listing · read 7 Nov 2026

03 · How Shelly works

The 5 approaches Shelly lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Shelly lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Shelly's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Shelly runs a session.

Client-Centred TherapyPerson-centred · Rogerian

The therapist does not steer toward a technique or a diagnosis. They offer sustained, non-judgemental attention and reflect back what they hear, on the premise that people find their own direction when they are genuinely listened to. Often what people mean by “someone who just gets it”.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

The Gottman Method

A couples approach built on decades of observational research into what distinguishes relationships that last. Structured and assessment-led: it maps friendship, conflict and shared meaning, then works on the specific mechanics of how the two of you argue.

Mindfulness-Based TherapyMBCT

Trains attention on what is happening right now - body, breath, the thought as it arrives - so distress can be observed rather than automatically acted on. Strongest evidence is in preventing depression from recurring, and it is usually taught as a practice you keep doing outside the session.

Motivational InterviewingMI

A way of talking about change with somebody who is genuinely in two minds about it. The therapist does not argue for the change; they help you say your own reasons out loud, which is the part that predicts whether it happens. Common around substance use and health behaviour.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Shelly 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 Shelly's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   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 Shelly at this point.

2. Naming Shelly specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Shelly 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 Shelly.

3. If the caseload is full

   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.

4. The first conversation

   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.

5. If the fit is wrong

   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.

05 · Before you commit

2 questions worth asking Shelly

Built from what Shelly actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Shelly's - Shelly has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Client-Centred Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “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.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LCSW

Licensed in

North Dakota

Licence

ND LCSW 6069

Licence number

6069

Licence expires

31 Dec 2027

NPI

1609030568

Years in practice

3

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

22 Oct 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Shelly'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 Shelly. 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.