Marisa Shanahan, AMFT, EMDR-Trained
Family Workshop Assistant Manager
Marisa Shanahan joined Azure Acres in February 2023 as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist in the process of completing her licensure. She holds a BA in Psychology with a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies from California State University, Chico as well as an MA in Marriage & Family Therapy from Touro University Worldwide, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. Driven by a belief that we all possess unique strengths that can be used to achieve our goals and cope with difficult emotions, Marisa is utilizes a person-centered, solution-focused approach to therapy.
Serving disadvantaged communities has been a central theme of Marisa’s work throughout her career. She spent 5 years as a Team Leader in the Children’s Unit of Redwood Coast Regional Center, part of a 21-facility network throughout CA that cares for adults and adolescents with developmental disabilities. More recently, Marisa has been providing a combination of individual, group, and family therapy to rural populations and incarcerated teens through the Mendocino County Youth Project.
Treating patients in remote communities led Marisa to see the hardships clients faced in accessing treatment for severe mental illness and strained family relationships. She also witnessed firsthand how substance abuse can exasperate these hardships. Marisa found Azure Acres while researching treatment options for her patients and became inspired to join their mission and become part of the team. She hopes to utilize her passion for service and knowledge of co-occurring disorders to help those on their journey toward recovery, sobriety, and success!
