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Ashanti "Shan" Anderson, LAPC

(he/him/his)

Licensed Associate Professional Counselor (Pennsylvania)
License #: APC002753
Supervisor: Alexandra R Darion, LPC

Those who know me, call me Shan (pronounced 'Shawn'). Professional licenses & publications are under my full name, Ashanti Anderson.

I'm an Associate Professional Counselor (licensed in Pennsylvania) and author of the award-winning short poetry collection, Black Under.I help young people develop a strong sense of self and express themselves effectively. This work typically addresses family trauma, systemic harm, and cultural identity.My mission is to empower you to live by your own values—not only the pain, inner criticism, or others' expectations. Together, we’ll explore these parts of your story while giving voice to the whole you.

ABOUT ME

COMING SOON!

Author Bio:

Ashanti "Shan" Anderson (he/him) is a Black Queer Disabled writer, 2023 National Endowment for the Arts fellow, and psychotherapist. Shan is the author of Black Under, which won the Spring 2020 Black River Chapbook Competition at Black Lawrence Press. A two-time Pushcart Prize nominee, Shan's poems have appeared in POETRY, World Literature Today, and elsewhere. His other published and produced works include academic research, essays, stage plays, screenplays, and tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs). Shan currently lives in Philadelphia.

Therapy

"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation..."
— Audre Lorde

Session Info

Pennsylvania

Individual Therapy (Adults)
@ Alexandra R Darion LLC
Virtual/Telehealth
50 minute sessions (approx.)
Insurance: Most accepted
Self-Pay: Sliding scale

Rates & Fees

I periodically partner with organizations to improve access to therapy at reduced rates or no cost to clients. Due to this, pricing and insurance eligibility may vary. Financial details will be discussed in our consultation.

Focus Areas

  • Family trauma, incl. (Complex) PTSD and grief/loss

  • Systemic trauma

  • Identity development

  • Self-relationship (e.g. shame, self-criticism, self-worth)

  • Social and cultural identity

  • Spiritual development

  • Career development

  • Life transitions, incl. end of life

  • Unwanted coping (compulsions, behavioral addictions, perfectionism, people pleasing, etc.)

  • Burnout and toxic stress

  • Managing mental health diagnoses/symptoms

  • Relationship conflicts

  • Body and embodiment (incl. disability/chronic illness adjustment)

Techniques

  • Intersectional Trauma-Focused Gestalt

  • Motivational Interviewing

  • Relational Psychodynamic Therapy

  • Experiential (e.g., Somatic, Gestalt)

  • TFACT

  • Parts Work

  • SFBT

  • DBT

  • Ecology/nature-based therapy

  • Expressive Arts (Writing)

UNITED STATES | VIRTUAL ONLY

WRITING

BLACK UNDER

Winner of the Spring 2020 Black River Chapbook Competition

Cover Art by Mariah Quintanilla

Black Under layers outward perception with internal truth to offer an almost-telescopic examination of the redundancies—and incongruences—of marginalization and hypervisibility... In these pages, declarations are reclamations, and joy is not an aspiration but a birthright.

Praise for Black Under:

"Black Under defies strict categorization, save for the fact that it is altogether excellent."
—Marcus Wicker, author of Silencer and Maybe the Saddest Thing"Witness Anderson's haunting and marvelous skill."
—Kay Ulanday Barrett, cultural strategist and author of More Than Organs a 2021 Stonewall Honor Award Book"I’ve read these poems again and again, and every time I leave like—it’s we time.
—Sara Borjas, author of Heart Like a Window, Mouth Like a Cliff

Selected
Publications & Productions

Poetry

My Ancestors Who Learned to Read by Staring at the Bible, in Limp Wristsister, pick which battle to win when you choose to lose the war, in The RumpusDeep Nostalgia, in Container MagazineSlave Ship Haibun; Acrostic for my Last Breaths, in Jet Fuel ReviewSelf-Portrait in Blackface; Self-Portrait as Overseer; Resignation, in Tupelo QuarterlySelf-Portrait as Kendrick Lamar, Laughing to the Bank, in PoetryIf, in World Literature TodayOde to Black Skin, in Poetry (audio available)Cleaning Up Men's Messes; Mamie Till on Carolyn Bryant's Confession, in Foothill JournalGoddam, in Really SystemTeach Me to Float, in Panoply

Essay

Deep Nostalgia, in Container Magazine

Research

Eskine, K. E., Anderson, A.E., Sullivan, M., and Golob, E. J., (2018). Effects of music listening on creative cognition and semantic memory retrieval. Psychology of Music, 48(4), 513-528.Anderson, A. E. (2014). College Students’ Perceptions of Various Types of Domestic Violence. XULAneXUS: Xavier University of Louisiana’s Undergraduate Research Journal, 11(1), 43-52.

Stage & Screen

Study Room (2018)
Short Film | Credit: Writer
Winner of the 2018 Haley's Flight Page-to-Screen Short Film CompetitionA young woman races against the clock to finish her term paper on time while being harassed by annoying classmates.

Bleak Magic (2021)
One Act Play | Credit: Writer

When a conjure woman perfects a potion for "Black Power", she uncovers the nefarious desires of her clients.

Games

Visit itch.io (external site)

Writing Services

COMING SOON!

Consulting for Professional Writing

for Professional Writing Opportunities

Freelance Writing

for Professional Writing Opportunities

Groups & Workshops

for Professional Writing Opportunities

Contact

GENERAL / CREATIVE:

Therapy:

Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 12, 2026This Privacy Policy explains how information is handled when you visit this website.Information Collected Through This WebsiteI do not intentionally collect personal information through this website. The website does not currently provide contact forms, user accounts, login functionality, newsletter subscriptions, or other features through which you submit personal information to me.Because this website is hosted through Carrd, certain technical information about visits to the site may be automatically processed in connection with the operation, security, and functionality of the website. This may include information such as your IP address, browser and device information, and information about how you interact with the site. By accessing this site, you are agreeing to Carrd's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.Links to Other WebsitesThis website contains links to external websites and online services, including social media, publications, and other accounts or platforms. These websites are operated independently and have their own privacy policies and practices. I do not control or assume responsibility for information collected by third-party websites after you leave this site. For information regarding how your data is handled by these third-parties, please review the Privacy Policy of each respective website you visit.Bookshop.org Affiliate LinksSome links on this website are affiliate links to Bookshop.org. If you purchase a book through one of these links, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Bookshop.org uses cookies associated with affiliate links to attribute purchases to affiliates.Scope of This PolicyThis Privacy Policy applies only to this website. Information collected or maintained in connection with therapy or other professional services is governed by the laws and regulations, privacy notices, informed-consent documents, and other policies provided in connection with those services.Changes to This PolicyI may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date.ContactIf you have questions about this Privacy Policy, you may contact:Shan Anderson
talktoshan [at] protonmail [dot] com