Cheerful Heart Mental Health Counseling PLLC (She/Her)
Licensed Mental Health Counselor, LMHC-D, LPC, LPCC, NCC
In-Person in White Plains, NY 10603
Online in Multiple States
California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina
Cheerful Heart offers specialized therapy and groups created to offer the kind of care many women need but struggle to find; care that takes women’s pain seriously and honors their beliefs. The practice was founded by Shakira K. O’Garro, LMHC-D, whose lived experience with severe stage IV endometriosis, adenomyosis, and medical trauma informs every layer of this work. Like many clients, she navigated years of dismissal within medical systems and discovered how deeply those experiences can impact mental health and faith.
Cheerful Heart exists so women no longer have to choose between clinical excellence and cultural and spiritual understanding. This is a space where faith questions are welcome, anger toward God is met with compassion, and healing is supported by understanding and genuine loving-kindness.
Client Focus
Session Format: Group, Individual sessions.
Age Specialty: Adult, Senior, Teen, Young Adult
Demographic Expertise: Asian, Black / African American, Christian, Hispanic / Latino, Women clients.
Languages: English
Treatment Approach
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Helps people accept difficult thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them, while committing to actions that reflect their values. It blends mindfulness with practical behavior strategies.
- Brainspotting A therapy that uses eye positions to access and process unresolved trauma. It helps release emotional and physical pain held in the body.
- Christian Counseling Blends psychological practices with Christian values and scripture. It provides faith-based support for life challenges and spiritual growth.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) One of the most widely used approaches, CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and replace them with healthier patterns. It is effective for anxiety, depression, and many other concerns.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Combines CBT with mindfulness to help regulate emotions, tolerate stress, and build stronger relationships. Originally designed for borderline personality disorder, it’s now used more broadly.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) A structured therapy that uses guided eye movements to help process traumatic memories. It is widely recognized for treating PTSD and trauma-related conditions.
- Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) A short-term approach focused on improving relationships and social support. It is often used for depression and grief.
- Motivational Interviewing (MI) A collaborative, client-centered approach that strengthens motivation for change. It is especially effective for addictions and health behaviors.
- Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) Focuses on solutions and future goals rather than past problems. It is practical, short-term, and goal-driven.
Approach Description: Cheerful Heart is led by Shakira K. O'Garro, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with Diagnostic Privilege (LMHC-D), bringing over a decade of clinical experience to the intersection of faith, women’s health, chronic illness, and trauma recovery.
Specialized therapeutic modalities include:
✅ EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) for reprocessing strong emotions and memories, acute trauma, PTSD, CPTSD, and medical trauma.
✅ EMDR Intensives & Group Therapy for accelerated trauma recovery and shared healing in a safe, culturally grounded space with others
✅ Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for navigating chronic illness, chronic pain, somatic pain, and values-based living
✅ Motivational Interviewing (MI) for building motivation and importance for behavior change
✅ Prolonged Exposure (PE) for post-traumatic stress and anxiety management
✅ Brainspotting for releasing deeply held trauma, somatic distress, chronic physical tension, and deep emotional pain beyond talk therapy
Fees & Insurance
Fees
- Average Session Fee 225 to 250
- Affordable sliding scale therapy: apply if you may be eligible.
- Shakira's interns see clients via Open Path Collective. She also has 2 to 3 slots for clients experiencing financial difficulty who can demonstrate financial need.
- Out of Network
- We partner with Thrizer to help you understand your out of network benefits and pay your coinsurance instead of the full fee once your deductible is met..
Education & Credentials
Cheerful Heart Mental Health Counseling PLLC LMHC-D, LPC, LPCC, NCC
- Female
- License # 007634-D
- Licensed in NY
- Practicing Since 2013
Education: I graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh (summa cum laude) with my Master's of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Cheerful Heart Mental Health Counseling PLLC Practice Details
Therapy Sessions
- Available In-Person in White Plains, NY 10603
- Available Online for residents of Multiple States California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina
- Online Therapy Details: I offer HIPAA secure video sessions via Sessions Health
If you are a BIPOC Christian woman navigating chronic illness, medical dismissal, or a crisis of faith, and you are exhausted from having your pain minimized or being told your suffering means your faith is lacking, you're in the right place. Cheerful Heart Mental Health Counseling provides trauma-informed therapy that honors your physical health, emotional reality, and spiritual beliefs.
Ways We Can Work Together:
• EMDR Intensives: Deep, focused trauma processing offered in half-day or multi-day blocks to create rapid progress without months of weekly appointments.
• EMDR & Chronic Illness Groups: Small, supportive cohorts for women navigating medical trauma, systemic dismissal, and chronic illness together.
• Individual Weekly Therapy: Ongoing, integrative care blending somatic approaches like Brainspotting and EMDR with faith-based counseling.
We provide confidential in-person counseling at our office in White Plains, New York, as well as HIPAA-compliant telehealth for clients living in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, South Carolina, and California.
Next Step: Ready to work together? Click the 'Appointment Request' button on our webpage, click the Contact Me button on this page or send an email below to schedule an initial consultation.