ABOUT ME

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), National Certified Counselor (NCC), Keynote Speaker, Nonprofit Executive, and Mental Health Advocate, Shanae Benito earned her master’s degree in clinical Mental Health Counseling with a 3.8 GPA and is a member of Chi Sigma Iota, the international honor society for counseling professionals.

Shanae is the Founder and President of The Shanae Benito Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating as SB Wellness Foundation, dedicated to advancing mental and physical health equity for BIPOC individuals. The organization delivers programming across health and wellness, youth development, and racial equity initiatives, with a focus on increasing access to care, reducing disparities, and supporting long-term community outcomes. She has professional experience in high-performance mental health environments, including a leadership role with Alive and Well Sports’ Sports Psychology Program, which provides intensive mental health and wellness services for NFL players. In this role, Shanae led the program’s daily Psychological Skills Training (PST) curriculum, supporting mental resilience, emotional regulation, coping strategies, and performance-based psychological education. Shanae also serves as President of Black Clinicians Meet, a community organization focused on mental health advocacy, professional development, and empowerment for Clinicians of Color.

As a psychotherapist, Shanae specializes in anxiety, depression, PTSD, and trauma. She primarily works with minority women, men, couples, and adolescents, while serving individuals from all backgrounds. Her clinical approach is grounded in Trauma-Focused Modified Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-MCBT). She holds certifications in the Neuroscience of Addiction and the Neuroscience of Grounding Techniques. Shanae is an experienced keynote speaker and facilitator, presenting on mental health, trauma-informed care, leadership development, wellness equity, and stigma reduction. She also leads the Leaders of Tomorrow Initiative, an educational program focused on increasing mental health awareness among young adults in BIPOC communities and HBCUs. Special Skills: group facilitation, psychological skills training, trauma-informed program design, curriculum development, community-based mental health education, leadership development, and wellness programming.

Outside of her professional work, Shanae is a professional dancer, active songwriter, and has experience in website design and marketing for small businesses.