My Mission: To empower you with useful tools to make the relational or personal changes in your life that will allow you to live your life and experience your relationships with purpose, freedom, joy, determination and authenticity

Individual or Couples Therapy: Therapy, Psychotherapy, Talk therapy and Counseling are often used interchangeably. Therapy is all about YOU! It is a safe, confidential space to focus on self-improvement, where you can talk, explore and resolve anything that is confusing, scary, painful or uncomfortable for you.

Everyone’s experience in therapy is different. I tailor your therapy to you and your unique experiences in the world, with the goal of helping you become the healthiest version of yourself. This may include increasing self-esteem, helping you learn to respond differently to your partner, to your children or to life experiences, changing behavior patterns in relationships, helping you make better choices in romantic partners, resolving relationship issues, increasing self-awareness, resolving feelings of loss, increasing motivation…. The list goes on.

The individuals and couples that I love to work with are struggling with:

  • Relationship/ Marriage Issues (Infidelity, Intimacy, Arguing, Emotional distance, 7 year itch, boredom)
  • Parenting (feeling overwhelmed, co-parenting, discipline, parent/child relationship)
  • Dating (choosing partners wisely, breaking unhealthy patterns, law of attraction, )
  • Life Transitions (Divorce, Death, Pre-marital, Retirement, Empty Nest)
  • Re-inventing Yourself (I know that I don’t want to be in this same place in the next few years, but I don’t know how to get where I want to go- maybe I don’t even know where that is)

My Philosophy:  I believe that people can change (but not often for others) and that change most often happens when you are feeling uncomfortable enough in your life that it is scarier not to change than to take the leap that you know you need to take. I also firmly believe that all behavior makes sense in its context.

We will explore your context so that you can understand yourself and your motivations and choices better and more importantly, begin to make those transformations in your life and relationships. And believe me, as you change for the better, your relationships have no choice but to follow suit. It is a scientific law that changing one part of a system enacts change on the entire system because we do not live in vacuums but are always influencing and being influenced by our environment.

Additionally, our thoughts are exponentially powerful in our lives. They determine our moods and ultimately shape our lives through our behaviors and decisions. We will identify your thoughts and self-talk that is not productive and create a healthier, more productive way of speaking to yourself that will yield positive results in your life.

I always respect your viewpoint while I help you deal with specific problems, improve your relationships or develop better ways of living.

Confidentiality:  Therapy is confidential. I adhere to psychology’s code of ethics and am mandated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPPA) to keep your confidence, unless you tell me you are planning to injure yourself or someone else.

The three most common concerns I receive from new clients are:

I’m still not sure if I need therapy. If you are asking yourself this question, you could probably benefit from talking to me about what is going on in your life.  Don’t wait another day. When you know it’s time to make a change, there is no better time than now!

My partner isn’t ready to come to therapy. No problem. Changing one part of a relationship (YOU), changes the whole relationship. We can work together to create positive changes in your relationship even if your partner is unwilling to participate in therapy at first. My relationship expertise can help you recognize unhealthy patterns and I can provide you with skills you can implement to improve your relationship.

Can I still work with you if I don’t live close to you? Absolutely! It used to be that you could only choose from a therapist or coach who was within driving distance- whether you connected well with them or not. It is exciting that technology allows you to choose from a therapist or coach regardless of geographical distance. You can connect and talk with me right from the comfort of your own home or office. No traveling, no hassle, just grab a cup of your favorite beverage, relax in your chair, click your zoom link and your are ready to go!

Remember, you’re not alone. Therapy is an excellent way for you to address your deepest concerns about life, your future and your past. Your results from counseling will expand the second you decide to put your own needs on the table. And that is something I can definitely help you explore. If you are anywhere in California email me at zoe@drzoeshaw.com to discuss an appointment (by zoom or phone) today. If you are outside of California and are interested in personal or relationship coaching, click on the coaching tab for more information or email me.