Shayla Gray
I’m Shayla Gray, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, EMDR-certified therapist, and founder of Serenity First Counseling. I help individuals navigate relationship challenges, trauma, and life transitions, including pregnancy and parenthood.
Together, we’ll explore patterns, strengthen communication, and work toward healing and deeper connection with yourself and others.
My approach is warm, collaborative, and practical, creating space for you to feel heard while developing tools for meaningful change. Together, we’ll explore patterns, strengthen communication, and work toward healing and deeper connection with yourself and others.
First session
Your first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and explore what brings you to therapy. I’ll ask about your concerns, relationships, strengths, and what you hope will change. We’ll discuss how we might work together, and you’ll have space to ask questions and share at a pace that feels comfortable to you. You don’t need to know where to begin; we’ll start together and identify initial goals and next steps.
Strengths
I bring warmth, compassion, and a practical, collaborative approach to each session. As a marriage and family therapist, I consider how your relationships, experiences, and environment shape what you’re facing. I balance space for reflection with tools you can use in everyday life, helping you understand patterns, communicate your needs, and build on your strengths. My goal is for you to feel understood and empowered to take meaningful steps toward the changes you want.
Ideal clients
My ideal clients are individuals who feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or stuck in patterns they want to change. They may be navigating challenges, past trauma, pregnancy, parenthood, or other life transitions. They want to better understand themselves, communicate their needs, and build more fulfilling relationships. You don’t need to have everything figured out, just a willingness to explore what’s happening and work together toward meaningful change at your own pace.
Origin story
My desire to compassionately empower others drew me to becoming a therapist. I believe people deserve a space where they feel heard, valued, and supported as they navigate life’s challenges. I’m passionate about helping individuals recognize their strengths, understand their experiences, and build the confidence and skills to make meaningful changes in their lives and relationships.
Ongoing work together
Our work together will balance understanding your experiences with practicing tools that support your goals. We’ll explore patterns, build on your strengths, and develop ways to navigate emotions, communicate your needs, and strengthen relationships. We’ll regularly check in on what’s helping and adjust our approach as needed. Progress may look like feeling more grounded, responding differently during difficult moments, setting clearer boundaries, or feeling more connected to yourself and others. Together, we’ll define what meaningful change looks like for you.
Treatment methods
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I help you understand what you’re experiencing, recognize patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and find practical ways to move forward. Together, we build on your strengths and practice skills to manage emotions, communicate your needs, and navigate challenges.
Location
Virtual sessions