Hey!

I’m really glad you’re here.

My name is Shanika, and before anything else, I want you to know this: I’m a human human—one who believes that healing happens best when we show up honestly, imperfectly, and with care for one another.

I’m a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), a private practice owner, a psychotherapist, and a lifelong student of people, systems, and self-understanding. I do this work because, much like many of my clients, I once entered therapy wanting clarity—about my patterns, my needs, my values—and hoping, quite simply, to feel better during hard seasons. That lived experience continues to shape how I sit with you now.

If you’re wondering whether you’ll be safe here, let me say this plainly:

My practice is queer-affirming and allied, sex-positive, fat-friendly, kink-aware, body-positive, feminist, spiritually connected, anti-racist, and deeply rooted in social justice. You do not need to shrink, explain, or edit yourself to belong in this space. All of you is welcome.

When we work together, I consider you the expert on your own life. My role is not to fix or direct you, but to walk alongside you—bringing evidence-based clinical tools, thoughtful curiosity, and genuine human compassion to our conversations. Therapy, to me, is a collaborative relationship rooted in trust, consent, and respect.
Metaphorically, our work asks us to travel together for this leg of your journey. I set my intentions daily to help you explore why you’re here, what you hope to cultivate, what you’re ready to release, and how you want to stay connected—to yourself, to others, and to the world around you.