Therapists in Palmyra, PA

From an early age, I knew I wanted to be a therapist growing up with an emotionally immature mother who struggled with addiction. I learned to distinguish between her issues and my own, but despite this awareness, I couldn't escape internalizing her insecurities. In my early teens, I went to my first therapist for depression. I will always remember the jar of cheerios on his desk labeled “Bagel Seeds!” Therapy helped me navigate various situations such as coming out and the sudden loss of my father. I deeply believe in the power of therapy to change lives.

Since 1932, Council for Relationships has provided therapy and psychiatry services to those in Pennslyvania and New Jersey. Our Staff Clinicians offer individual, relationship (sometimes called "couples"), family, and sex therapy online and in person. We make the best therapy services accessible to everyone. Our 80+ Staff Therapists & Psychiatrists specialize in over 45 specialties and provide comprehensive mental health care and medicine management. We see clients of all ages, backgrounds, religions, genders, and sexualities. We believe that thriving relationships foster flourishing communities. Let us help you thrive.

Hi! My name is Shira Collings (she/they). I am a feminist, neurodiversity affirming, LGBTQ+ affirming, fat affirming, and disability justice aligned therapist. I am passionate about supporting people in living a life that is aligned with their true values, and healing from both external and internalized oppression that may be impacting their well-being. I strive to create a space in which clients can express their full, authentic selves and share their stories without shame or judgment.

I have over a decade of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in diverse settings. I specialize in supporting individuals navigating anxiety across the lifespan.

Whatever brought you to finding me, whether it is seeking therapy for the first time or not finding a connection with multiple therapists, congrats on not throwing in the towel. Finding treatment is an arduous task, and I commend you for it. I focus on finding solutions and am confident we can be a good fit, so let's start the conversation.

You want something different, but it’s hard to motivate and place what that really is. You are sensitive, creative, queer, thoughtful, and full of so many thoughts. You likely have a habit of overextending yourself in the hopes of finding where you feel you belong. You see patterns in your relationships that you want to examine and change, and some part of you knows that you deserve a more satisfying life. Therapy is a non-judgmental space in which you can overcome familiar patterns by being witnessed and heard, and acquire tools to improve your relationship with yourself and others.

I work for The Center For Growth, treating everything from mental health to sex and relationship issues. I can help you manage thing like anxiety and depression as we explore and understand complex emotions in a safe space and find healthy and effective ways to express and release those feelings. We can immerse ourselves in exploration of your past as we make connections and gain understanding of how old patterns show up for you today. Or we can focus on the here and now, identifying what behaviors and thoughts are no longer serving you so you can create new goals that support your growth, in whatever way feels right to you.

If you find discord between different parts of yourself and between you and people or situations in your life, consider embarking on this journey to personal freedom and self-discovery. This work is about finding your own inner balance and resolution and feeling free to express your authenticity. I work with mood disorders, anxiety, sleep, stress, family and relationship conflicts, compulsions and addictions. I use my own mix of many theoretical and practice techniques in the service of your resolution, integration and wholeness, with special expertise in relationship counseling, spirituality and gender issues.

I believe that everyone deserves a time and a place to work on their mental health, heal from painful experiences, and move towards finding more meaning in their lives and relationships. I also know that given the current pandemic, we're all struggling more than usual! I offer a warm and judgment-free zone to work on a range of issues. I believe psychotherapy works best when it is tailored to each person as a unique individual. I utilize an integrative model, drawing from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), relational, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and humanistic approaches.

Everyone has a story and it is my privilege to be invited into yours. My unique blend of warmth and tenacity set me apart as a therapist and allow me to work with clients towards meaningful change. I value the relationships I form with clients and my goal is to make everyone I work with feel safe, respected and accepted for who they are. My practice is shaped by a combination of formal education and hands-on experience, including training in psychoanalysis, couples counseling, ExRP, play therapy and family therapy.