Shannon Lasater, MA, LPC, Health Coach, neurotherapist, neurotherapy

Shannon provides counseling services to adults and adolescents.  Shannon specializes in working with individuals who are dealing with any of the following:

Your relationship with food/your body:  Shannon has 15 years of experience working with women who struggle with emotional eating, binging, and over-eating.  She can provide guidance and support to help clients feel in control with food, understand what causes cravings, discover what way of eating works best for their mind and body, and experience more joy and peace.  

Stepparenting: As a Stepmom herself, Shannon understands the complicated role that many stepparents find themselves in. She can support you to navigate the complexities of family dynamics, find clarity around your role, and manage relationships.

Insomnia:  Shannon has struggled with insomnia on and off for many years.  She knows the stress that can come from not being able to get a good night's sleep. Shannon often recommends neurofeedback training and Cognitive Behavior Therapy for insomnia in conjunction for the best results with getting more consistent and better sleep.

Shannon is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Health Coaching, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness Techniques.   

Shannon provides Health Coaching services for individuals who struggle with emotional eating, over-eating, binging, yo-yo dieting, and sugar addiction.  Shannon can provide a step-by-step process for understanding what way of eating will help you feel your best and get you back to feeling in control with food.  Shannon combines cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and other approaches for the best outcomes. 

Shannon personally struggled with over-eating, binging, body image, sugar cravings, significant changes in weight/size, for many years.  To read more about Shannon's personal journey with food, check out "Shannon's Personal Story" below.

Shannon provides Neurofeedback services for a variety of symptoms.  She specializes in providing neurofeedback for:

Anxiety: Anxiety can include mental symptoms such as racing thoughts, excessive worry, and feeling overwhelmed.  Anxiety can also present with physical symptoms such as a racing heart, tense muscles, startling easily, feeling shaky or jittery, nausea, cold sweats, and more.  Neurofeedback can help address both the mental and physical symptoms of anxiety.

PTSD/CPTSD:  As a result of a trauma or series of traumatic experiences, people may develop anxiety, panic attacks, depression, problems with concentrating, difficulty managing emotions, issues with sleep or eating, and more.  Neurofeedback can help re-regulate the nervous system so the "fight or flight" response isn't always stuck "on".  By helping the nervous system become more flexible, it is possible to reduce the frequency, intensity, and duration of symptoms. 

Insomnia: Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early in the morning can get frustrating, and, over time, feel debilitating.  Not getting quality sleep can lead to issues with mood and concentration.  Neurofeedback in combination with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia can be very effective for getting better sleep and improving quality of life, (even on days when sleep wasn't as great the night before!).

Depression:  Feeling tired, numb, void of pleasure, and unmotivated can be exhausting and extraordinarily difficult to tolerate if these feelings last for a long time or happen frequently.  Neurofeedback can help boost mood and energy.  If you find that medication isn't working for you, has too many side effects, or you don't want to take medication for other reasons, neurofeedback can help activate the nervous system to give you more energy and satisfaction in life.

Contact us at admin@neurotherapy-kc.com or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with Shannon.

Food was my best friend and my worst enemy.  I would constantly anticipate the pleasure of eating something delicious and simultaneously fight every impulse to "give in".   

I remember eating to the point I felt over-stuffed and sleepy, over and over again.  I remember getting to the bottom of the carton of ice cream or the bag of chips and feeling this longing for.... something.  And I would go searching in the cabinets or the refrigerator.  The lights would be off and I would feel the fear and thrill of seeking out the next thing to eat, hoping no one else would walk in and see me.  I would keep going, one snack after another, until finally I felt so exhausted I had to put my self to bed.

And then, the next morning I would wake up remembering how out of control I felt the night before.  I would start the day determined to "stay on track".  I'd step on the scale, heart racing, and wait for the impact of the number.  Sometimes I was deeply disappointed and other times I was elated at what I saw.  But no matter what the number was, no matter how I felt when I saw that number, managing what to eat was at the forefront of my mind.  Really, I couldn't win no matter what the scale said.  If it was a number I was happy with, I had the terror of the number going up the next day.  I might win one battle, but the war was on-going.

Over time and after LOTS of experimenting, my relationship with food changed.  There wasn't just one thing that "fixed" it.  I came to understand where my cravings were coming from.  I discovered what food made me feel good and energetic.  I took the risk of giving myself permission to fully experience food and find that elusive satisfaction that I had been seeking all along.  It was a journey with ups and downs. 

Now, I'm happy to say, food and I are like friendly acquaintances.  We get along.  It feels neutral.  Food is no longer the central focus of my mind and my life.  It's on the sidelines, and I am at the center.  

If you are caught up in a war with food and your body, I get it.  It probably feels like you're all alone in it, a warrior fighting a hidden battle that no one else can see, and you're desperate to win. 

I've been on the battle field too, and I found my way out. 

Some people prefer to "go with the flow" and talk through issues as they arise while others want clear guidance and a step-by-step outline of what to focus on.  Shannon can provide whatever approach works best for you (and/or help you to discover which approach is the best fit for you so that you can get the most out of each appointment). Shannon utilizes  a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and solution focused approaches. Her office is located in Overland Park Kansas.