About Nira Shah, LMHC, LPCC
Reconnect with yourself.
I’m a Los Angeles-based therapist who specializes in helping folks manage the mind, regulate the nervous system, and create deeper fulfilment.
Therapy can extend beyond just talking about your problems.
I understand how difficult life can be. Whether it's trauma, past experiences, or present difficulties, you’re struggling emotionally and feeling disconnected from life and your relationships, including the one with yourself. The stressors you’re facing are weighed down by the intense emotions, causing you to feel stuck or lost in how to cope.
my approach
At the core of my process is empowering clients to feel equipped to effectively move through the difficult parts of life. When it comes to building emotional resilience, I believe the best approach combines managing the turmoil that goes in the mind, finding effective ways to self-soothe, and aligning with your personalized value and intentions. Combining Eastern and Western frameworks, I want clients to not only gain insight, but to also interact with life in a different way. Through individual therapy, couples therapy, and personalized yoga and meditation, I’m dedicated to helping folks heal and grow.
Manage the mind + regulate the nervous system + create deep meaning
my guiding principles
Compassion.
I believe is not only essential for a therapist, to hold a safe space to guide you, but also for clients to develop within themselves. The role of self-compassion elevates your growth by addressing the layer of judgment that often sits on top of the distress you’re already experiencing.
Integrative.
Our work together does not start and stop in the therapy room. I believe that to create real, meaningful change, clients have to engage in reflection and practices outside of therapy. The magic truly happens in real life, when clients begin to see that they can react differently, process information in more healthy ways, and move through life more meaningfully. I’m here to guide during every step.
Psychoeducation.
It’s important for my clients to understand the intention of our work together. I want clients to have a deep understanding of how the tools and practices I offer impact the emotional, neurological and interpersonal levels of their lives.
Collaboration.
While I’m the expert on psychotherapy, you are the expert on you. I view this as a journey we take together, where I can guide you, gently challenge your perspectives, and help you open up to different parts of yourself, while you hold the space to “do the work” and offer me feedback on what’s resonating and what isn’t.
Credentials
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in NY State, #010095
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), in CA State, #LPCC12116
250-hour Yoga Teacher Training Certificate (Yoga Alliance),
Yoga Limbs, Hong Kong, 2010Ed.M. & M.A. Psychological Counseling, Columbia University, NYC, 2012
Ongoing training and certifications in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from the Beck Institute; Compassion-Focused Therapy; and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
I’m a South Asian licensed psychotherapist and registered yoga instructor, with 14 years of clinical experience. In addition to facilitating therapy, I’ve worked in clinical and research areas of international trauma, substance abuse, child protection, and social work. With a passion in humanitarian work and reaching vulnerable communities, I also spent several years working with refugees across sub-Saharan Africa and northern Thailand with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), focusing on child protection, sexual and gender based violence, and psychosocial support.
No matter who my client is, I’ve noticed a commonality: resilience. I’ve aligned my therapeutic orientations and style to match what I truly believe can help people heal and evolve— a combination of cognitive behavioral and holistic methods. What does that mean? Managing the spirals of the mind, while being able to drop downward into the body and the moment. Of course all of this is easier said than done, which is why I’ve developed worksheets, guides, and practices to support clients engage in this personal growth work in way that extends beyond traditional therapy.
I’m passionate about continually evolving—as a clinician, instructor, student, and human.