Shelli has more than ten years of professional experience in special education where she utilized principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to address challenging behavior in the classroom and to teach new skills. She held many positions including teacher, behavior specialist, and art teacher. While ABA had its benefits, Shelli started noticing that including art making improved her students’ abilities to express themselves and communicate with others, particularly when words were difficult or impossible. This experience influenced Shelli to study art therapy in order to be a better resource for her students.

Shelli went on to graduate school at Holy Family University where she earned her Art Therapy degree. After graduate school, began as a substance use counselor at a residential treatment center for women. Since then, Shelli has worked in multiple women’s treatment centers as a counselor and art therapist in Philadelphia and Portland. While this work was challenging and rewarding, Shelli decided to start working with children again and was interested in addressing the unfortunate overlap of ADHD and addiction. 

Shelli brings experience from educational and therapeutic settings and is enlivened by helping children understand their ADHD and build confidence and skills to address challenges they may face. Shelli utilizes a humanistic art therapy approach, and occasionally leans on ABA principles, to process and address challenges such as emotional regulation, family dynamics, social concerns, and more.