Melissa Arias Shah, PhD LMFT

Hello, I'm Dr. Arias Shah, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist of over 15 years of clinical experience, a Clinical Supervisor, an Assessor and the founder of Enso Minds; a center of therapy, counseling, evaluations, supervision and concierge services, offered in English and Spanish. As a clinician I see individuals, couples, and families of diverse cultures and diversities including the LBGTQ community experiencing a range of issues from a collaborative strength based approach. Services include but not limited to: Processing and coping with divorce, breaking the chains of depression, adjusting to life transitions, developing insight and self-reflection, improving communication skills, alleviating anxiety symptoms, developing stress and anger management skills, enhancing parenting skills, addressing marital discord identifying solutions within a language that creates change for the couple, working through dual diagnosis, processing grief, and empowering sexual abuse victims. My psychotherapeutic approach is collaborative, systemic and strength based. Through these theoretical frameworks I work with my clients to identify negative interactional cycles and patterns that keep them stuck, and explore potential resolutions/solutions working towards preferred outcome. This process requires identifying strengths and resources, identification of exceptions to the problem, externalization the problem, and discovering the clients' preferred narrative. Overall Psychotherapy with me will involve: • Develop a therapeutic relationship based on trust and authenticity • Identify therapeutic goals collaboratively • Determine the clients personal strengths, resources and assets to capitalize on • Explore and identify the client's and his or her systems' interactional patterns that drive and sustain "symptoms/distress" and reduce those negative experiences accordingly • Develop increased self-awareness/mindfulness, insights, resources, and skills • Work towards positive change in reaching preferred outcome/narrative Develop new perspectives, ways of managing emotions, communicating, and interacting in healthier productive ways assuring stronger relationships