As a therapist, I hold deep reverence for the courageous, messy, and transformative nature of human relationships. Whether I’m working with individuals or couples, my goal is to create a space where insight meets compassion, a space that allows for honest reflection, emotional safety, and meaningful change.

My path to this work has been shaped by both lived experience and clinical training. Before becoming a therapist, I worked in creative and corporate spaces that often lacked depth and connection. I left that world in pursuit of something more human, more whole. My own healing journey, along with years of working in both inpatient and private practice settings, has taught me that many symptoms such as  anxiety, disconnection, shame are not random. They’re messengers pointing to unmet needs, unresolved pain, or unspoken truths. And when we learn to listen closely, healing begins.

I specialize in helping couples navigate intimacy, trust, sexual challenges, and communication breakdowns. Many of the couples I work with come in feeling stuck, either in conflict, in silence, or in cycles of avoidance. I support them in building emotional safety, working through betrayals, reimagining intimacy, and learning how to see and hear one another again. I also work with individuals navigating anxiety, self-esteem, identity shifts, religious deconstruction, and relational trauma.

My approach blends evidence-based models like Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Level 3 Trained), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), with trauma-informed care and EMDR. In sessions, I aim to strike a balance between directness and curiosity, helping clients gain clarity, shift stuck dynamics, and move toward more empowered ways of being.

Currently pursuing my PhD in Critical Sexuality Studies, I bring a deeply affirming lens to conversations around identity, sexuality, and power. My work is rooted in a belief that healing doesn’t always look like “fixing,” sometimes it looks like expanding, softening, or simply allowing ourselves to be seen.

If you’re longing for deeper connection with yourself, with a partner, or with your life, I’d be honored to walk alongside you.

Professional Credentials, Licenses, and Certifications

• Gottman Method Couples Therapy – Level 1, 2, and 3 Certified

• EMDR-Informed Therapist (Level 1 Trained)

• Esther Perel’s Transformative Couples Therapy in Action

• Gabor Maté’s Compassionate Inquiry – Mastermind Training

• Trained in Out of Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB) Framework

• Healing from Affairs with Dr. Tammy Nelson

• Integrative Sex and Couples Therapy with Dr. Tammy Nelson

• Prosci Certified in Change Management

Education Background

• Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy – University of San Diego (COAMFTE Accredited)

• Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership – Point Loma Nazarene University (Magna Cum Laude)

• PhD Candidate in Human Sexuality – California Institute of Integral Studies (Expected 2028)

Supervised by Chrissy Powers, LMFT #84340

For inquiries email me at shantal@paradigmwellnesscollective.com.