Paul J Shaker

You might be carrying a burden that does not belong to you. Maybe someone told you it did or you blamed it on yourself. Maybe you are taking a "fierce moral inventory," (Step 4) and you want to "make amends" (Step 9). Walking around with guilt or shame is like carrying a bag of heavy stones that exhausts you; life has become bitter. But something tells you that you want to breathe free, break those chains of addiction, come out of the closet, let go of guilt that has nothing to do with you. My office is a safe place. It is a place to learn and get to know yourself without guilt, without judgement. I encourage you to let me know what works and what does not work. I want your honest reactions because I am here for you. I want this to work for you. I know it takes folks a long time sometimes to call for therapy. I know it can be very frightening to open up to a complete stranger. You want to know that the person you are talking to really cares, gets what you are trying to say and wants to help. While this is a professional relationship, I love when folks feel comfortable letting their guard down. Specialties: I have dealt with mild depression and OCD. I have seen more severe forms of mental illness and addiction and what they can do to families. I was lucky to have people who guided me along the way, showing me a safe place to grow and heal. Be it CBT or the psychodynamic approach, I know you don't have to do it alone, whichever approach is best for you. Credentials & Experience: I have worked for many years with mental health/addiction, doing 12 Steps, etc. In my work with the Latino communities, I have dealt with many men with PTSD and women with sexual abuse/domestic violence. In my work with the deaf, I have advocated with various agencies for my clients.

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