Bio
Dr. Shannon D. South is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a professional speaker and an expert in the field of spirituality and healing trauma. She is also a mother, writer and avid meditator, having completed her doctorate studying meditation and its effects on depression, anxiety, dopamine and other neurotransmitters. Her passion lies in speaking, writing or helping people "heal the split" associated with trauma so that wholeness and integration can occur. Transforming patterns that are not who we really are and living from our most authentic self takes work, and Dr. South knows how to assist in people giving themselves these valuable life-changing gifts.
When there is pain in our lives, we often develop or experience "unsupportive", or "destructive" coping skills and patterns. Our system attempts to "handle these events, beliefs or experiences" the best way it knows how. These less healthy ways of coping hold us together until we can develop new ways of being with ourselves, our pain and others. Dr. South utilizes processes in her therapy such as EMDR ( Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), dreamwork and a transpersonal psychology process called "the Inner Counselor". To read more about her healing therapeutic work and how she can help you get to the root of your problems and transform them, click Psychotherapy on the left. People feeling free, joyful, clear and more peaceful are some of the benefits one can receive from these types of therapy.
In 1994, during graduate school, Shannon had a spiritual experience during meditation, healing her rather debilitating anxiety and panic disorder. Since this transformative experience, Shannon's focus changed from one of traditional psychotherapy to a holistic, transpersonal nature. She began intense studies in meditation, mind-body-spirit healing and MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction) with Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD. She obtained her doctorate in theology studying with Dr. Norman Shealy and Dr. Carolyn Myss.
Dr. South's grew up in the mountains of NC. She spent a lot of time outside and she loved to write poetry. She continued her writing, publishing Love Wisdom: A Soul's Journey to Wellness in 2008. Love Wisdom is available in Malaprop's book store in Asheville, NC, Amazon and most directly can be purchased here on Dr. South's website.
Dr. South has been a speaker since 1995, leading workshops, groups and trainings on topics such as Breaking Free from the Cycle of Shame, Anxiety and Fear, Meditation and Stress Management, Goal Setting, and Love Wisdom: A Practical Approach to Spirituality. For a more thorough list, please click on her Speaking page which lists all her current trainings and workshops.
Shannon was published in Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine for her research on “The Effects of a Love-Wisdom Meditation on Urinary Catecholamines Excretion, Anxiety, Depression, Kinesiology Levels in Participants Who Have a History of Sexual Abuse”. She is currently finishing her second book, The Spiritually Satisfied Mother: 5 Keys to Unleashing Your Divine Inner Woman, which will be released this year.
