Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanta Milner.
Hi Shanta, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey in the helping field began after undergrad when I started working at a women’s correctional institution (Leath CI), providing both individual and group therapy. That experience gave me the opportunity to work closely with women from many different backgrounds and helped shape the way I understand trauma, life experiences, and the importance of having a safe space to feel heard and supported.
I later returned to school and earned my graduate degree in Individual, Couples, and Family Counseling. From there, I continued working in the helping field in different capacities, men’s Correctional Institution (Perry CI), Department of Social Services, Mental Health Agency, private practice, gaining experience with individuals facing a variety of emotional, relational, and life challenges.
In 2019, I decided to venture out on my own and started my private practice. Today, I work with adults, both individuals and couples, who may be struggling with anxiety, trauma, life transitions, relationship concerns, emotional regulation, postpartum and women’s emotional health, as well as professionals who may appear to have everything together on the outside while experiencing stress, anxiety, or overwhelm internally.
My work has evolved over the years, but the heart of what I do has remained the same: helping people better understand themselves, challenge patterns that are no longer serving them, and develop healthier ways of navigating their emotions, relationships, and everyday lives.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not always been a smooth road. The journey to becoming licensed was challenging, but it was also very rewarding. Between getting through graduate school, completing supervision hours, learning how to balance work and life, and eventually building a caseload of my own, there were plenty of moments that required patience and perseverance.
I believe that with life comes challenges, but I also believe there is something to be learned from every one of them. Each struggle I have faced has taught me resilience, the importance of trusting the process, and most importantly, how to have faith in myself even when things do not come together as quickly as I would like.
Looking back, those challenges helped shape both the person and the therapist I am today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Creative Narrative Counseling & Coaching is a virtual private practice where I work with adults, both individuals and couples. I mainly work with people who are struggling with anxiety, trauma, life changes, relationship issues, emotional regulation, postpartum concerns, and just feeling overwhelmed with life. Anxiety is probably what I am most known for. I really enjoy helping people understand why they think, feel, and respond the way they do.
I am big on psychoeducation, so I do not just want to tell my clients what they are experiencing. I want to help them understand it. We talk about where certain patterns may come from, how those patterns are affecting them now, and what we can do differently moving forward. I think what sets me apart is that I am very down to earth in the therapy room. I talk to my clients, I teach, I ask questions, we laugh sometimes, and sometimes we have hard conversations. I also pull from different therapeutic approaches depending on what each client needs.
What I am most proud of is that Creative Narrative has grown while still staying true to what I wanted it to be. The idea behind the name has always been that we all have a story, but we do not have to stay stuck in one chapter of it. I also bring that same approach to social media by breaking down therapy concepts into everyday language. At the end of the day, I want people to better understand themselves, learn healthier ways to handle life, and feel more confident in how they show up for themselves and the people around them.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Over the next 5 to 10 years, I see my practice continuing to grow beyond just traditional one-on-one therapy. I still want therapy to be the foundation, but I also see Creative Narrative expanding more into psychoeducation, workshops, digital resources, and other ways of helping people understand and manage their mental health outside of the therapy room.
I also see myself continuing to grow in the areas I already enjoy working in, especially anxiety, relationships, emotional regulation, life transitions, and women’s mental health. I think people are becoming more intentional about finding therapists who really understand their specific needs, so I want my practice to continue becoming more focused while still allowing me to be flexible in how I work with each person.
I also think social media will continue to play a big role in how people connect with therapists and learn about mental health. I have already started using my platform to break down therapy concepts in a way that feels simple and relatable, and I can see that becoming a bigger part of my brand. Long term, I want Creative Narrative to be known not only as a place where people come for therapy, but also as a resource where people can learn, grow, and better understand themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.creativenarrativecc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativenarrativecc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creativenarrativecc/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@shantamilnerlpcncc
