617-275-3982
Sheela M. Joshi, Psychotherapy
Sheela M. Joshi, LCSW
Individual and Couples Therapist
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
"A joyful life is an individual creation that cannot be copied from a recipe."
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
About Me
About Subtitle
I'm a licensed clinical social worker based in Mill Valley, California. Before becoming a therapist, I earned my bachelor of arts degree from the University of Chicago with a major in Economics and then spent some years working in the financial markets. During this time, I found myself wanting to pursue an age old interest of mine in human behavior and to dive deeper into learning psychology in a clinical setting. I upended my trajectory to become a mental health professional while simultaneously raising my kids. After that I continued with my training as a fellow at the Psychoanalytical Institute of New England. I've had over 16 years of training and experience in a number of therapeutic settings including private practice, hospital, home and school settings. Having worked in financial firms, I am conversant in financial matters that insinuate themselves into our lives. I am a first generation daughter to Indian immigrants which has added to my understanding of the influence of culture within relationships. I love working with all kinds of people. I've lived in India and Germany, in addition to many parts of the U.S. from Vermont to California. In my work, I draw upon my life experiences including time in psychoanalysis. Along with my curiosity about human behavior, I have a love of animals. I like to cook, go to the beach and especially hike with my dog.
About Therapy & A Little Bit About How I Practice
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Therapy, unlike most times in our life, is a time when you are the focus. You may come in as a couple, a family or on your own. There's a wide range of things that bring people to therapy. Examples are depression, anxiety, sexual difficulties, relationship problems, marriage struggles and infidelity, pre-partnership or pre-marital relationship ground work, professional and peer relationships, career growth and change, parenting, depression related to menopause and mid-life, isolation, illness, loss, learning differences, trauma, obsessions, anxiety triggered by friends and family gatherings, and there are many, many more reasons. We all have unique troubles and histories that impact our wish to feel a sense of well-being and joy.
Starting therapy takes a lot of courage. Many of us have a hard time asking for help. To begin, when you meet with me, I'll want to talk about what prompted you to seek help, what you want to change and where you feel the difficulties lie.
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The first sessions are about getting to know each other. For my part, I'll ask you questions about your history and other important factors that will help me put together the bigger picture.
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During these first sessions, you'll get a sense of whether or not I'm the right therapist for you. Some people want to meet a few times or meet different therapists before making a decision and others may know quickly if landed in the right spot. There's a lot of therapists, and we each have our different styles of work and personalities.
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Signs of a good fit are that you feel like you could open up and trust, feel understood and not feel judged. When you find the right therapist, you will feel like your therapist is an attune and empathic person with experience and solid training. Your instinct can also guide you to figure out whether you've landed in the right place.
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One of the early steps is for me to help you figure out what you want out of treatment. In some cases it's very specific but more often there's a number of connected things and I can help you navigate to figure out what is holding you back. Treatment can be short-term or longer term, depending upon your needs. I work with people who need a faster solution focused approach to get through a specific thing as well as people who want to dive deeper into gaining insight into their lives to make more conscious choices. If you find a good therapist, even if it's short term treatment, you should feel like you could go back when you need to. Good therapy is dynamic and does not have a one size fits all approach. You can expect that there will be things that are difficult to talk about, things that are emotional and things that you may never have shared or expressed. That's part of therapy. Being vulnerable is difficult! Things from the past will likely come up. And at times, when I notice patterns or contradictions that could be hindering you from being happier, I will bring them up. But I also believe that therapy and healing, like most things, benefit from a sense of humor and creativity.
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In the case of couples the need for a good therapeutic alliance is no different. An experienced therapist with whom both your partner and you feel at ease with is fundamental, for positive change to take place.
Even very insightful people who have a pretty good handle on dealing with things, sometimes need help. Reaching out for help or getting help for loved ones is always a strength. Someone who is outside of our life, compassionate, skilled and not judgmental can help you get through difficult times and feel satisfied and more joyful.
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