New Beginnings Hires Shana Burns, MFT as Clinical Director

(SANTA BARBARA, CALIF.) – New Beginnings is pleased to announce the addition of Shana Burns, MFT as the agency’s new Clinical Director. Burns joins New Beginnings bringing a range of clinical, administrative, and management experience to the position, most recently serving as the Forensics Manager for the County of Santa Barbara’s Department of Behavioral Wellness. Prior to that, Burns served as a Regional Manager for the department, overseeing mental health outpatient clinics in northern Santa Barbara County.

Burns is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 17 years of psychotherapy experience and 15 years of leadership experience. Burns’ therapeutic specializations include serving adults with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, trauma, relationships issues and legal/justice involvement. She maintains her own private practice as well. Prior to working for the County of Santa Barbara, Burns was an Administrator for Telecare Corporation in Ventura, Program Director for Bonita House, a residential treatment program based in Berkeley, and the Assistant Director for Sharper Future in the Bay Area, where she supervised a team of forensic psychologists and psychotherapists. Burns received her M.A. in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies and her B.A. in English Literature from the University of Iowa.

Kristine Schwarz, MA, MFT, LPCC, Executive Director of New Beginnings said, “We’re so excited to hire Shana! She brings to the position both clinical and administrative expertise, which will help us improve the quality of our mental health services and the efficiency of our clinic.”

Shana Burns, MFT, Clinical Director, said “I am tremendously grateful and excited to step into my new role! I believe access to quality, sliding scale mental health services is needed now more than ever. I look forward to supporting our clients and our counselors and growing the impact of our Counseling Center and agency.”

New Beginnings provides quality, affordable counseling, shelter, case management and education that strengthens our community and provides their clients with the ability to lead healthy and productive lives. New Beginnings, located at 324 East Carrillo Street, Suite C, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, please contact our development department at (805) 963-7777 x112 or email at development@sbnbcc.org.