Vanessa Shea

About Me Hello, I'm Vanessa (she/her), dedicated to empowering individuals grappling with stress and mental health challenges through a holistic and relational approach. With a foundation in guiding clients toward well-being, my practice focuses on helping individuals reclaim their innate strengths. Growing up in a working-class family in New York, I was exposed to a rich diversity of culture and experiences, which fueled my fascination with people’s stories from a young age. I've always felt a strong pull toward supporting others. My interest in counseling began when I served as a peer mediator or "natural helper," inspired by the supportive adults—counselors, teachers, and mentors—who positively impacted my life at School of the Arts. I was fortunate to be surrounded by a vibrant community filled with artists, musicians, and leaders from diverse backgrounds. This exposure shaped my deep appreciation for culture, creativity, and the resilience of marginalized communities. From an early age, I realized how much I enjoyed being a compassionate listener, helping others navigate challenges, and encouraging them to embrace their true selves. Alongside my lived experiences with mental health, these early influences sparked my desire to support others in navigating their own paths to wellness. My deep-rooted belief in collective liberation led me to engage in activism and organizing from a young age, driven by a passion for social justice. These experiences have helped me connect naturally with people from all walks of life, enriching my work as a therapist. While I’ve navigated my own traumas within the context of privilege, I am deeply committed to standing alongside those who face greater challenges. I see therapy as a powerful tool for both individual and collective well-being, and my work reflects a commitment to empowering others on their journey toward resilience and self-discovery. As an alumna of Smith College for undergraduate and social work graduate studies, and UC Berkeley for post-masters education, my journey spans diverse sectors including theater, hospitality, school social work, restorative justice, residential programs, substance use prevention and recovery, mobile crisis intervention, juvenile justice, advocacy, and private practice. This varied background fuels my commitment to nurturing creativity and promoting well-being within individuals and communities across different settings. As a social worker, mental health therapist, mother, and community member, promoting restorative practices in both my personal life and professional work is paramount to me. I am happiest when I am with my family (& chosen family), spending time in nature, or exploring new places. I love taking walks, being near bodies of water, eating and cooking Italian food, traveling, reading, laughing at memes & sending to loved ones, concerts/live music, and playing with my son. I feel most fulfilled when I am spending time with my people: enjoying new experiences together or sharing deeper parts of ourselves with each other. I believe there is nothing more valuable than human connection. Eclectic Therapeutic Support for Adults Do you yearn for a therapist who values connection, authenticity, and self-empowerment? My goal is to co-create a therapeutic space where you can explore, heal, and rediscover your strengths, fostering a deeper connection to self and others. In our work together, I move beyond mere symptom management and I acknowledge how our relentless "grind culture" and unfair systems impact spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. I'm particularly passionate about supporting those in helping and caregiving roles, envisioning a world where systemic oppression is dismantled and communities of care thrive. In my practice, therapy and mental health support are viewed as radical acts of care, essential for healing trauma, confronting oppressive structures, and fostering collective well-being. I celebrate the inherent wisdom within each individual and understand how vulnerability and meaningful connections can nurture relationships, enhance well-being, and foster a community of interconnected care. It is important for me to support people to be self-determined. All of my work is grounded in the belief that we each have an infinite capacity for growth, change, and connection. Currently, I am licensed to provide psychotherapy in California (LCSW# 112139). My commitment is to meeting you wherever you’re at and developing a process of growth and transformation with you. As your therapist, you can count on experiencing a collaborative, laid back approach. Together, we'll navigate your path toward healing and personal empowerment. I will follow your lead to find new ways to live a balanced and meaningful life. Having personally navigated mental health challenges while balancing personal and professional demands, I truly empathize with your journey. I have an eclectic approach when working with people and tailor sessions to your needs and interests in particular therapeutic approaches, including insight oriented, cognitive and behavioral, trauma-focused, humanistic, mindfulness-based and body-focused therapies. Personal Values & My Why Since I was young, I've always known my calling and purpose was to help others. I discovered how much I enjoyed listening to people, problem-solving, and motivating others to succeed and explore their authentic selves. Additionally, I chose the field of social work to ground myself in social justice and a systems perspective. Co-creating spaces for joy, creativity, grief, rage, and solidarity has been an honor and privilege. My work has given me extensive experience with people from various socio-economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds. I have done and continue to do my own self-examination so that I can be clear and perceptive of others with cultural humility and respect. The central theme of what I do has remained the same throughout my life; listening deeply, bearing witness to people’s joy & pain, helping others see their unique strengths and power over their own lives despite the oppressive systems that impact all of us regardless of our relationship(s) to identity, privilege, points of oppression(s), and power. My journey as a white social worker and therapist who has grown up, lived, and worked in marginalized communities of color has propelled me into doing ongoing personal work to mitigate harm and a deep desire to work for a more equitable, safer, and healthier world for all. In my work, unlearning individualistic and pathologizing Eurocentric methods of wellness has been key to helping people from many backgrounds on their journey to wellness. We have to transform the relationships that we have with each other so we can really create new forms of safety and justice in our communities. Solidarity is an invitation to deepen our relationship with ourselves and community. We have a global mental health crisis. The demands and pressures stemming from capitalism, systemic oppression, white supremacy culture, and trauma, impact all of our bodies and minds significantly. I understand that our physical, spiritual, and emotional reality is impacted by inequitable systems and the deep wounds of colonialism, so it is important in my work to uplift the people who are committed to social change work and in the helping professions. I believe in the power of systematic, policy, and community based healing and change. Individual therapy is just one part of the puzzle for healing and wellness. I am passionate about fostering healing and bringing creativity, joy, and restoration in co-created spaces. As a lifelong learner and as my private practice evolves, I hope to support people who advocate for a world where everyone is entitled to life, safety, and care, aiming to comprehend and engage in collective solutions for the shared trauma resulting from living under capitalism and profitable oppressive systems. While I appreciate the role of community and school-based mental health support for youth and families, my evolving perspective led me to yearn for professional freedom and creativity. I envisioned a private practice that doesn't involve a focus on diagnosing people for insurance purposes and creating treatment goals with auditors in mind. Instead, I envisioned a talk therapy practice where there's less emphasis on "doing" and more space for "being." I carefully nurtured this vision of my private practice and took the leap only after years of dedicated self-healing and growth to provide therapeutic services to individuals who are rooted in their purpose to serve others personally and/or professionally. Psychology Today Profile (copy & paste URL in browser): https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/vanessa-shea-oakland-ca/1302404