About Elham Shoa, LCSW

A Therapist Who Gets to the Heart of Things

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing virtual therapy throughout California. I work with thoughtful, high-functioning adults and couples who may look like they’re doing fine on the outside but feel stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected, or caught in patterns they can’t seem to change.

My approach is warm, direct, collaborative, and grounded in clinical expertise. I’m not interested in simply helping you manage your symptoms or spending fifty minutes nodding along. I want to understand what’s really happening, help you make sense of it, and work with you toward meaningful change.

Real Therapy. No Therapist Voice Required.

I believe therapy works best when you can actually be yourself in the room.

I’m direct. I’ll offer observations, ask the questions you may be avoiding, and tell you what I’m noticing when it could be useful.

I’m collaborative. You know your life better than I do. My job is to bring clinical expertise and perspective while making sure the work remains grounded in what you actually need.

I use humor. Therapy can hold difficult things without becoming heavy every minute. Humor is part of how I connect with people, and sometimes laughing at the absurdity of life is exactly what we need.

Why EMDR & Couples Therapy?

I specialize in EMDR because unresolved experiences can continue to shape how we feel, respond, and relate long after they’re over. EMDR gives us a way to work directly with those experiences rather than relying on insight alone.

I’m also Gottman trained and bring an active, practical approach to couples therapy. I work with couples across relationship structures, including monogamous, ENM, and polyamorous relationships.

Cultural Competence Is Part of the Work

As a woman of color and child of immigrants, I understand firsthand that our identities, families, cultures, and relationships shape how we experience the world.

My practice includes work with people of color, LGBTQ+ clients, children of immigrants, and people navigating non-monogamy and polyamory. You shouldn’t have to provide a cultural crash course before we can get to the actual work.

Clinical Experience & Training

I earned my MSW from Columbia University in 2005 and have worked in high-intensity clinical environments, including New York City schools and hospitals. I’m also a former faculty member at California State University, Fullerton, where I trained future social workers.

My work is informed by both evidence-based practice and the reality that therapy is, ultimately, a relationship between two people.

Ready to Get to the Heart of It?

If you’re looking for a therapist who will listen closely, think critically, and actually engage with you in the work, I’d love to connect.