Sheila Paul, LMFT | Founder, Clinical Director
Areas of Expertise:
✦ Trauma and PTSD
✦ Anxiety and Depression
✦ Toxic/Emotionally Immature Family Dynamics
✦ Chronic Stress and Burnout
✦ Grief and Loss
✦ Intergenerational Trauma
✦ Codependency and People-Pleasing
✦ Identity and Self-Esteem
Approach:
I'm direct. I'm compassionate. And I'm not going to let you stay comfortable in patterns that are keeping you stuck. I'm trained in EMDR, CBT, and insight-oriented approaches, and I specialize in working with adult children of narcissists, survivors of emotional abuse, and people who've been running on anxiety and adrenaline for way too long. Therapy with me is a place to unpack what happened, make sense of how it shaped you, and start building something that's actually yours.
Who I work with:
I work with adults who are done being the person everyone else leans on while quietly falling apart inside. The ones who've held it together for so long that no one even thinks to ask if they're OK. If that's you, you're not alone and you're not being dramatic. You've just been running on fumes and calling it fine.
A lot of my clients are dealing with the fallout of growing up in families where emotions weren't welcome, where love came with conditions, or where they learned early that their job was to keep the peace. They're smart, capable people who've built good lives on the outside but feel disconnected, exhausted, or stuck on the inside. If you've never had real space to process your own story, that's exactly where we start.
How I can help:
We start by untangling the patterns you've been living in, the roles you took on, the beliefs you absorbed, the ways you learned to protect yourself that aren't working anymore. Using EMDR, CBT, and insight-oriented approaches, I help you work through trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, toxic family dynamics, and the lasting impact of relationships that never gave you what you needed.
The pace is yours. We build clarity, stronger boundaries, and a sense of self that isn't defined by what everyone else needs from you. This work isn't about perfection. It's about building a life that actually feels like yours.
What my clients say about working with me:
That I'm direct but I won't bulldoze you. That they finally feel heard without being judged. That for the first time, someone helped them make sense of patterns they'd been stuck in for years and gave them real tools to change them. That the work we did helped them set boundaries they never thought they could and reconnect with who they actually are underneath all the roles.
Off the clock:
When I am not in session, you can find me painting Warhammer miniatures, getting lost in a good book, or relaxing with a good movie or show. I also love spending quality time with my kids, whether we are having deep talks or just sharing a quiet moment together.
Education:
✦ Master of Arts in Psychology, Chapman University, 2007
✦ Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Chapman University, 2005
✦ EMDR Training I & II, EMDR Center of the Rockies, 2020
Licensure:
✦ Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT 48199, CA, 2010
Volunteer Work:
✦ The Soldier's Project
✦ Lutheran Social Services
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
~ Wayne Dyer