I’m Dr. Shamanda Burston, a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist based in North Carolina. I specialize in financial therapy and emotional wellness for student and former athletes navigating identity transitions, performance pressure, financial stress, and life after sport. 

I founded Stewardship & Healing Collective to support athletes who have dedicated years to their sport but now face uncertainty, injury, or transitions. Many of the athletes I work with are balancing scholarships, performance expectations, and emerging independence, yet rarely have space to process the pressures they carry. 

My work helps athletes understand the deeper emotional patterns connected to identity, self-worth, and their relationship with money and success. Through therapy, financial therapy, and coaching, I support clients navigating injury recovery, transitions out of competitive sports, financial decision-making, and career development—all while protecting their mental and emotional well-being. 

My clinical approach integrates trauma-informed therapy, financial psychology, and culturally responsive care. I guide athletes in exploring the emotional side of money, performance, and identity, helping them move forward with clarity, confidence, and a sustainable sense of self. 

In addition to my clinical work, I am a university professor, published author, and mental health advocate, as well as an executive producer and screenwriter for Cinematherapy films, including Wounded Healer, which explore themes of trauma, healing, and emotional resilience. I often incorporate creative approaches such as Cinematherapy into workshops, psychoeducational programs, and healing experiences. 

My perspective is shaped not only by my professional training but also by my lived experiences. As a first-generation college graduate who overcame significant early-life challenges—including becoming a young mother and managing Crohn's Disease—I understand the resilience required to pursue goals while carrying personal and financial responsibility. 

I approach therapy with both clinical expertise and genuine empathy for the pressures and transitions athletes face. My goal is to create a space where student and former athletes can step away from external expectations, reconnect with themselves, and build lives that feel grounded, purposeful, and emotionally sustainable. 

If you’re a student or former athlete navigating identity, performance pressure, or financial stress and need space to pause, reflect, and reset, I invite you to schedule a consultation. Together, we can explore what’s weighing on you and begin creating a path forward that supports both your well-being and your goals.