Krisha Shah, Intern

I grew up in India and moved to the US for my Master’s degree and a career in mental health, but I didn’t always know I wanted to be a therapist. I stumbled into this field while trying to figure out what I wanted to do and navigating my own mental health concerns. The first time I even thought about counseling as a path was while I was waiting for my undergraduate degree to begin.

Therapy with me is engaging and challenging, like solving a jigsaw puzzle. We work toward building the whole picture, while learning tools to notice patterns and bring real change and growth. My approach is person-centered, which means I follow your lead and work with you as an equal rather than taking over the session and telling you what to do. I also make really bad jokes, so hope you’re ready for that.

One of my biggest frustrations is how therapy is always portrayed as constant crying. Yes, crying is part of therapy, but that’s exactly it – a part. Therapy includes different moments, different emotions, and varied experiences throughout the journey. It’s not like you’ll cry every single session and boom, you’re magically fixed in a few weeks. Everyone experiences ups and downs which means you’ll also laugh and experience moments of clarity where things slot into place and you can see a way forward from being stuck.

I work with children, young and middle-aged adults dealing with trauma, depression, anxiety, and people from the LGBTQ+ community, always approaching this work from a person-centered perspective. I also help people dealing with neurodiversity, mood issues and the challenges of daily life.

My own therapy taught me that no matter what happens, I’ll be fine. This belief has felt so supportive and hopeful as I navigate life, and it’s something I hope my clients will discover for themselves too.

I want you to know that I’ve been where you are. I know how scary it is to open up to a stranger, especially if you’ve had a bad experience in therapy before. But taking that first step, despite the fear, helps you move forward on your journey of getting where you want to be.