Shirin Shoai, LMFT, Certified IFS Therapist
Oakland, California
VerifiedTelehealth Available
Professions: Counselor, Marriage & Family Therapist, Psychotherapist
Languages: English
Telephone: 415-966-3566
My Approach to Therapy
If you often find yourself feeling out of place, playing it safe, or struggling inside—even though other people think you have it all together—positive change and peace of mind are possible. I offer mindfulness-based, depth-oriented Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy to caregivers, therapists, and those challenged by anxiety and self-doubt.
I work with people who are successful and capable but can at times minimize their feelings, strengths, and abilities in the service of caretaking others. They may experience difficulty with knowing or trusting themselves fully, navigating relationships or life transitions, overthinking, people-pleasing, boundaries, burnout, or self-criticism. If you can relate to this, making the choice to invest in good therapy can give you more insight and grace for yourself, and you can begin to feel more resilient, empowered, and clear about your options and needs.
My style is engaged yet spacious, collaborative, trauma-informed, and focused on supporting you in slowing down, tuning into yourself, and accessing your own wisdom and answers. I hold an integrative and systemic lens with my clients, blending mindfulness and somatic (embodied) awareness with relational, psychodynamic and Internal Family Systems therapy. Together, we'll connect the dots between the conditions of your upbringing and the strategies you took on to cope with it, and you’ll discover new ways of easing the tensions that keep you stuck.
I welcome curious, committed, creative, down-to-earth, self-reflective people to my practice, as well as therapists seeking individual or group consultation in IFS. (I'm also a Level 3 Certified IFS Therapist and Approved Clinical Consultant.) To get started, contact me for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation.
My Practice & Services
Host of Multiracial Mental Health: The Podcast: https:shows.acast.commultiracial-mental-health
My Therapy Focus
Mindfulness is the foundation for the three main approaches I integrate into therapy: somatic (body-based) practices, relational therapy (talking and interpersonally based), and Internal Family Systems ("parts" work, your inner relationship with yourself). While thinking through a problem is useful when done mindfully, sometimes we can fall into talking and thinking in circles?particularly when anxiety is present. I believe therapy works more efficiently when we offer curiosity and presence to your in-the-moment experience of yourself or our interaction together, which is often a more direct path to insight and the answers that work best for you.
Importance of the Client-Therapist Alliance
The relationship between you and your therapist is just as important as the approach you use. You'll want to feel not just heard and understood, but that you feel aligned around stylistic fit and how to make the best use of therapy.
Expertise & Specialties
Age Groups I Work With
Adults
Groups I Work With
Motherless daughters, Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), people of color, mixed and multiracial adults, creative professionals, social entrepreneurs, artists, childhood emotional neglect (CEN). People wanting support with burnout and boundaries. Approved IFS consultation for Level 1+ trained therapists.
Therapy Services & Specialties
Concerns & Challenges Addressed
Adjusting to Change / Life TransitionsAnxietyAttachment IssuesCareer ChoiceCaregiver Issues / StressCodependency / DependencyCommunication ProblemsCreative Blocks
Therapeutic Approaches & Evidence-Based Methods
Depth TherapyHolistic PsychotherapyIntegration of different therapy modelsInternal Family Systems (IFS)Mindfulness-Based InterventionsPsychoanalysis / Modern PsychoanalysisPsychodynamicRelational Psychotherapy
Industries & Communities
BIPOCEntertainment IndustryFirst Responder/Medical ProfessionalsLGBTQ+Self-Employed and Freelance Professionals