About Norman
Norman Shaffer is a licensed clinical social worker in Tennessee with nine years of practice. He helps people facing addictions, anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship stress, grief, anger, and problems with self-esteem and career transitions. Norman focuses on practical steps people can take to feel steadier and more in control.
He encourages clients to recognize their own strengths and to use them when making changes. Sessions are collaborative and down-to-earth. He emphasizes clear goals and small, doable actions rather than jargon or long lectures.
How Norman works
Norman often draws on cognitive behavioral techniques to help people notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior. He also uses mindfulness practices to help clients sit with difficult feelings and reduce reactivity. Motivational interviewing is used to support people who are unsure about change, especially with drug and alcohol issues.
He has worked with concerns that include hoarding, obsessive-compulsive patterns, sex addiction, veteran and armed forces issues, bipolar symptoms, and coping with life changes. That experience informs a practical approach to complex problems and addiction-related challenges. Norman aims to make the process manageable.
He meets people where they are and helps them build plans they can follow between sessions. The goal is clearer thinking, steadier moods, and better daily functioning over time.
Norman lists 4 ways of working on the entry:
What Norman works with
The areas below are the ones Norman selected when setting up a profile. The first one is listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
Also listed
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Grief
- Hoarding
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Sex addiction
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
Training and background
| Register | LCSW |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 9 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | Tennessee |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How Norman’s approaches work online
Norman commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness therapy in online sessions. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps people notice thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and then practice different responses to feel and act better. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and to tolerate difficult feelings without acting on them.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Norman treats therapy as a collaboration - he listens to your goals and tries different techniques to see what fits. Together you will choose methods that match your needs, whether that means behavior-focused work for addiction or mindful practices for stress management.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for deeper conversations and skill practice, while phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or you prefer not to be on camera. Live chat and texting allow shorter check-ins, quick coping plans, or ongoing support between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and maintain momentum between meetings.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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