An Introduction to Natasha Shapiro, Psychotherapist

Thank you for your interest in my blog.  You may be wondering who I am and why you should keep reading, so I will share a little about myself personally and professionally.  I am a Bay Area transplant from upstate New York.  I have lived in several states, cities, and countries, but now consider myself settled in The Bay.  In my free time I enjoy practicing yoga, hiking, traveling, and going out to eat with friends.  I have always had a passion for learning about other people and offering support when needed.  I believe that everyone deserves to enjoy their lives, and that obstacles within the social, physical, and internal environments can sometimes threaten this enjoyment. I decided to become a therapist so that I could help others navigate through these obstacles and accomplish whatever goals they have for their lives.  As someone who has been in therapy, I recognize the positive impact it can have on anyone with an open mind.  Unfortunately psychotherapy is often stigmatized  and thought of as a place for the weak or crazy.  I believe it is a safe space in which one can really be heard, a place to learn about yourself, an environment in which to share feelings with family members, and a place to gain power over problems and obstacles.

I have worked in a variety of settings including schools, clinics, private offices, homes, and I have even conducted therapy sessions in restaurants.  The people who I have had the privilege of working with cross all economic, racial, and cultural lines.  I have seen children who were abused and placed in the foster care system.  I have worked with adults struggling with painful relationships, and families who are feeling unable to manage a child with ongoing temper-tantrums.  Throughout these years, I have learned an incredible amount about others’ suffering.  At times the pain I have seen has threatened to overwhelm me, and I have left sessions crying and feeling hopeless.  But then I remember that strength and hope can always be found if you know where to look.  I refer back to the many joyous moments I have experienced in which relationships improve, families reunite, people gain control over their problems, and life fulfillment increases.  I feel incredibly lucky to have witnessed some of the most powerful moments in people’s lives.

This blog is my way of sharing the experiences and insights I have gained through my interactions with people of various ages and backgrounds.  In addition to all I have learned from my clients, I have been lucky to have had some fantastic supervisors and colleagues over the years who have helped me navigate this challenging profession.  Through this blog, I seek to inspire other clinicians to continue their search for hope and life satisfaction with their own clients.  I wish to share some of what I have learned about the way humans interact with themselves and others.  My goal is also to continue maintaining a dialogue about mental health so as to stay open to various perspectives, and continue being helpful to my future clients.  I recognize my knowledge as limited and know that everyone is the expert of their own lives.  I encourage you to provide as much honest feedback as you’d like, and hope that this can be an open forum for sharing experiences and perspectives.

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