You deserve to feel safe,
seen, and supported.

Being a human is hard. It can feel heavy, overwhelming, and sometimes lonely.

Most days, there’s barely time to process what’s going on, let alone how we’re feeling. It’s easy to get caught in loops—cycles that are based on the thoughts and behaviors we’ve relied on to survive. Therapy is a space for you to catch your breath and figure things out.

I’m a relational psychotherapist,
which means I’m interested in
your relationships and how they shape your life.

This also means that our therapeutic relationship is the main tool for your growth and healing. When you feel heard and validated, it gives you the foundation to build healthy relationships with yourself and others.

I’m not the kind of therapist who sits back and scribbles on a notepad. I believe that you’re the expert of your life and I’m here to support you — to hold the map, flashlight, and the bag of snacks.

For more information on my therapeutic approach, click here.

What Informs My Practice

My practice is an amalgamation of my education, training, work experience, and personal interests.

  • My undergraduate career focused on intersectional queer and feminist theory, history, and literature.

  • I trained in social work at Hunter College, a public university in New York City known for its commitment to social justice and anti-oppressive social work practice.

  • In my pre-therapist former life, I was a teaching artist, workshop facilitator, and nonprofit program coordinator.

  • I have always loved media and pop culture. I’ve been known to quote a meme in session and would love to know what TV show you’re currently watching.

  • I’m kink positive, fat positive, and pleasure positive. I affirm poly and queer identities.

Me and my coworker, 10 year-old Boxer mix Zadie

About Me

For many people, having an overlap in identities can be important.

Here are some identities I navigate and am happy to share:

  • I’m a white, queer femme millennial living in Philly.

  • I use she/her pronouns.

  • I’m Jewish (Ashkenazi and Sephardi/Mizrahi).

  • Half of my family is from Eastern Europe and the other half is from the SWANA (Southwest Asian North African) diaspora.

  • I’m a second-generation American and
    grew up with an immigrant parent.

Areas of Specialization

 I work with queer adults and emerging adults, as well as folks who may be questioning/processing parts of their identity.  I also work with people navigating nontraditional relationship structures. My clinical interests include anxiety, depression, self and body image, family of origin issues, caretaking and boundaries, and chronic shame.

I have additional interests in healing from fatphobic familial and social structures, working across differences (race, class, religion) in romantic and platonic relationships, healing from friendship wounds, as well as working with adult children of immigrants. 

FAQs

Starting therapy can be a bit daunting. To make things easier, I’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions.

  • At this time, I do not take insurance. As an out-of-network provider, I provide my clients monthly documents (superbills) that they submit to insurance for partial reimbursement. For more on this, click here.

  • I’m currently seeing clients online via a secure telehealth platform.

  • My fee is $160/session.

Contact Me

Taking the step to seek therapy is huge and reaching out is a big part of that journey. If you have any questions or want to learn more about my approach, feel free to contact me.

Emma Shakarshy, LCSW
530-430-7896 | emmashakarshylcsw@gmail.com
Philadelphia, PA, 19144
License #CW021872
NPI #1417465972