Psychotherapy Services by Shahna Duerksen, LMFT
Posted Aug. 23, 2026
Therapy for women who are tired of holding everything together.
Do you need to Refill Your Cup?
You’re the person everyone counts on. You take care of the details, solve the problems, show up for the people you love, and keep things moving—even when your own cup is getting pretty empty.
Maybe you have a hard time saying no without feeling guilty. Maybe you find yourself taking responsibility for other people’s feelings, overthinking your relationships, or giving far more than you receive.
You may know you need better boundaries, more rest, or more space for yourself—but actually making those changes can feel uncomfortable, selfish, or even impossible.
You can be the strong, capable woman everyone relies on and still need someone to help you refill your cup.
I provide psychotherapy exclusively for women age 18 and older who are ready to better understand themselves, break patterns that keep them stuck, and create healthier, more balanced lives and relationships.
My approach is warm, collaborative, compassionate, and practical. I believe therapy should be a place where you can set down some of what you've been carrying, be honest about what you need, and begin making room for yourself again.
When Your Cup Has Been Empty for Too Long
Sometimes the signs aren't obvious.
You may simply feel:
Tired of being the one everyone depends on
Resentful because you're always giving and rarely receiving
Guilty when you prioritize yourself
Anxious when someone is upset with you
Overwhelmed by everything you're expected to manage
Disconnected from what you actually want
Stuck in relationship patterns you understand intellectually but can't seem to change
Like you're constantly doing more and somehow still falling behind
You don't necessarily need to become better at doing more. Sometimes the work is learning that you don't have to carry everything in the first place.
Learning to Care Without Carrying
A big part of my work with women involves exploring the difference between caring for others and carrying everyone else.
You can love someone without managing their emotions.
You can support someone without solving their problems.
You can be dependable without being endlessly available.
You can say no without becoming a bad person.
And you can have needs without having to justify them.
Refilling your cup isn't about becoming less caring.
It's about making sure there is something left for you, too.
Areas of Focus
I particularly enjoy working with women navigating:
People-pleasing and difficulty setting boundaries
Over-functioning and feeling responsible for everyone else
Anxiety, stress, and emotional overwhelm
Relationship difficulties and recurring relationship patterns
Betrayal trauma related to infidelity or a partner's sexually addictive behaviors
Adult ADHD-related challenges and executive functioning
Burnout, emotional exhaustion, and compassion fatigue
Life transitions, identity exploration, and personal growth
Depression
Self-worth and learning to prioritize your own needs
Adoptive parenting and the unique challenges of adoptive motherhood
For the Woman Who Is Always Pouring Into Everyone Else
You may have spent years being the dependable one.
The one who remembers.
The one who helps.
The one who listens.
The one who keeps the peace.
The one who figures it out.
The one who says, "It's okay, I've got it."
Until one day, you realize:
You don't have it. You're exhausted.
Therapy can be a place to slow down, understand how you got here, and begin making different choices.
Together, we'll explore what has been keeping you stuck and work toward relationships, boundaries, and a life that don't require you to continually empty yourself to meet everyone else's needs.
You don't have to keep pouring from an empty cup.
Therapy for Therapists & Helping Professionals
When your profession revolves around caring for other people, it can be especially difficult to recognize when your own cup is empty.
I provide therapy for mental health professionals, therapists, graduate-level clinicians, and other helping professionals who may be experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, professional self-doubt, boundary challenges, or simply the emotional weight of always being the helper.
You spend much of your professional life creating space for other people. Therapy can be the place where you don't have to be the helper.
You get to bring your own experiences, needs, uncertainty, and exhaustion into the room.
Together, we can explore how to care for yourself without guilt, establish sustainable boundaries, reconnect with yourself outside of your professional role, and create a life that leaves something in your cup for you.
My Therapeutic Approach
My work draws from psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral (CBT), solution-focused, strengths-based, and existential approaches.
I don't believe therapy should be one-size-fits-all. We will work collaboratively to understand what is happening, identify the patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and develop practical ways to create meaningful change.
Clients often describe my style as warm, welcoming, relatable, validating, and encouraging.
I also believe there is room for humor in therapy. Sometimes we need to sit with something painful. Sometimes we need to challenge a long-standing pattern. And sometimes we need to laugh.
My goal isn't to teach you how to pour more efficiently from an empty cup.
It's to help you understand why your cup keeps getting emptied—and how to begin filling it differently.
The Investment
My professional standard fee is $165 for a 50-minute psychotherapy session.
When needed I offer a sliding scale fee of $90–$210 based on your individual financial circumstances, income and resources. Clients with greater financial flexibility may want to contribute at a higher rate, helping make reduced-fee care possible for women with fewer financial resources. No financial documentation is required.
For clients paying privately, I can provide a superbill that you may submit to your insurance company for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Reimbursement depends on your individual insurance plan, and I cannot guarantee that your insurance will reimburse for services.
In-Person & Telehealth
In-person psychotherapy: The Reclaim Therapy Collective, Fresno, California
Telehealth: Available to clients located throughout California.
Ready to Refill Your Cup?
You don't have to wait until you're completely empty to ask for support.
You don't have to earn rest by taking care of everyone else first.
You don't have to become a different person to deserve space, care, and support.
You can care deeply about the people in your life and still make room for yourself.
It's okay to put yourself back on the list.
Refill Your Cup.
Contact
Interested in therapy? Contact me to inquire about availability and whether we may be a good fit.
Shahna Duerksen, LMFT #140986
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
In-Person: The Reclaim Therapy Collective | 2001 N. VanNess Blvd., Fresno, CA 93704
Telehealth: Available throughout California
Email: Shahna.RedDoor@gmail.com
Phone: 559-374-9616
Instagram: @shahnaduerksentherapy
Website: shahnaduerksen.wixsite.com/therapy
The Reclaim Therapy Collective: https://thereclaimtherapycollective.com
My Fresno office is located within The Reclaim Therapy Collective, a community of independent therapists offering a range of therapeutic specialties and approaches.
Comments