Let me introduce myself.

I have been described as a crazy shrink who homeschools her kids, works out too much, has a million businesses and never gets enough sleep. This may be true, but I also see myself as just a busy mom of 5 kids (4 at home- one with special needs) currently doing what I love, living life with teenagers and a toddler at the same time! I have been a wife for 22 years and am a licensed psychotherapist with a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. I have an entrepreneurial spirit and yes, I do love to work out and stay fit. And okay, I rarely sleep. I have been an athlete, stay at home mom, entrepreneur, homeschooler, author and working professional.

We all have roles we play in our lives and this blog is about creating balance within real life!! So, what can I offer you? With 16 years of experience as a therapist, I have been privileged to have been given the key to the innermost chambers of people’s minds. Many of my patients share with me their darkest secrets, deepest desires, biggest regrets and loftiest dreams – the parts they don’t invite their parents or partners or children into. I witness and walk with them through their pain and rejoice with them in their victories. I see a side of humanity that most people don’t witness on a regular basis. It is an honor and it is beautiful, deeply rewarding and disturbing all at the same time.

Through this 16 year process, I have learned more about the workings of the human mind and emotions and the motivations behind our actions than I ever could have learned in my education alone. In addition to the role of therapist, I am living a rich life of my own. I too navigate my way through experiences and relationships, sometimes through my therapist lens, but more often, just like everyone else does, making some mistakes along the way. Did I mention it is so much easier to see through someone else’s forest than through your own? Thank God for amazing friends and family who give me clarity, when I am the one who needs a little help.

As a result of my professional and life experiences, I have a lot to offer and am thrilled to be able to reach and help so many more in this public setting! I will be tackling topics such as relationships, loss, parenting, divorce, empowerment, change (why do we resist that part of life so much??), fitness, living the life of your dreams and of course maintaining balance! My vision for this blog is for it to be interactive. My advice and thoughts rendered will never replace therapy, but good advice can sometimes be quite therapeutic.

My goal is to travel this self-improvement road with you as I impart a little wisdom along the way and we learn from each other. I want to hear from you!! I appreciate and encourage feedback and comments. My writing means nothing if it doesn’t inspire, support, and hopefully encourage you as well. I also expect that I will occasionally anger and maybe even annoy you because, well, that’s what we humans do sometimes. I encourage feedback and even disagreement. Iron does sharpen iron and we grow so much more from our disagreements and failures than we do from our successes and smooth discourse.

You can comment here on my blog, reach me via (email) or my website (www.drzoeshaw.com) and of course Facebook (Drzoeshaw) or Instagram (@drzoeshaw). I look forward to connecting and sharing with you!!!

I am so excited to be launching my blog!!!