Media

introduction

Courtney Shrum, LMHC, is a licensed therapist and nervous system educator who helps people understand their biology and reframe mental health from “what’s wrong” to “how we’re wired to survive.” She is available for expert commentary on anxiety, trauma, nervous system regulation, and the intersection of mental health and technology.

featured in

EHS Wellness Week: Hazard Recognition for Employee Wellness - Expert Speaker
Psych Your Way To Success Podcast: Navigating Workplace Stress: A Deep Dive into Your Nervous System with Courtney Shrum
Psych Your Way To Success Podcast: Sustain Yourself - Workplace Wellbeing with Special Guest Courtney Shrum
WWU Guest Speaker: Roadmap to LMHC
Becoming Authentically Me Workshop

quotes

“Chronic stress, lack of sleep, and overstimulation (like endless scrolling or multitasking) all keep the nervous system in survival mode,” Shrum says. “In that state, your body prioritizes stress hormones like cortisol over feel-good chemicals like endorphins. Over time, this leaves you feeling depleted and more anxious, even if you’re trying to boost your mood in other ways.”

“Honestly, this feels like a mirror to how disconnected many human interactions have become [AI’s] consistent, calm presence can help calm a person’s nervous system in a way humans sometimes can’t, especially when clinicians are juggling burnout, paperwork, and time pressures that crush their capacity to be fully present.”

Speaking topics

Nervous system regulation and mental health
Trauma recovery and body-based therapy
Why anxiety, burnout, and shutdown aren’t pathology but survival
The role of AI in mental health support
How biology and culture collide in modern stress

Influences

Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory
Dana, D. (2018). The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score
Maté, G. (2022). The Myth of Normal
Sapolsky, R. (2017). Behave
Siegel, D. J. (2020). The Developing Mind

Contact info

media@courtneyshrum.com