Shama Joshi, LCSW

Licensed in Illinois · 9 years in practice

Shama Joshi is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in Illinois who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, and major life changes.

License and registration

LCSW, Illinois: 149019649 · expires November 2027
NPI: 1497023022 · national provider identifier
Years in practice: 9
Languages: English

Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check any license with the state board and any NPI with the national registry.

About Shama

Shama Joshi is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in Illinois who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, and major life changes. She works with adults who want practical tools for daily coping and clearer thinking about their goals. Her style is straightforward and attentive, geared toward people who want a collaborative, skill-focused approach.

She uses a mix of short-term strategies and longer-term reflection. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people notice and change unhelpful thinking.

Background and approach

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy supports clients in deciding what matters most and taking small steps toward those values. Shama pays attention to each person’s cultural background and life story. That means she listens for how identity, work stress, adoption or caregiving roles, and family dynamics shape current problems.

She also addresses issues like ADHD, attachment concerns, body image, and the stresses of aging or divorce. Sessions focus on clear goals and practical skills. Clients can expect help building coping strategies, improving communication, and reducing overwhelm with step-by-step techniques.

The work often combines talk, real-world experiments, and skill practice between sessions. With nine years of experience, Shama blends empathy with hands-on tools. She offers therapy in English for people located in Illinois and uses video, phone, chat, or text-based sessions to fit different schedules and needs.

Focus areas and approaches

Everything Shama lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Stress, Anxiety
Relationship issues
Depression
Coping with life changes
ADHD
Adoption and foster care
Aging and geriatric issues
Antisocial personality
Attachment issues
Autism and Asperger Syndrome
Avoidant personality
Blended family issues
Body image
Caregiver issues and stress
Codependency
Commitment issues
Communication problems
Control issues
Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
Divorce and separation
Eating and food-related issues
Emptiness
Family of origin issues
Family problems
Fatherhood issues
Fertility issues
Forgiveness
Guilt and shame
Immigration issues
Impulsivity
Infidelity
Isolation / loneliness
Jealousy
Life purpose
Money and financial issues
Multicultural concerns
Panic disorder and panic attacks
Postpartum depression
Post-traumatic stress
Pregnancy and childbirth
Prejudice and discrimination
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Self-love
Women's issues
Workplace issues
Young adult issues

Approaches Shama names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.

Online support

How approaches like ACT and CBT work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and choose actions that match their values. Online ACT sessions often include short exercises, values clarification, and homework to try between meetings to create meaningful change.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying thought patterns that increase anxiety or low mood and practicing new ways of thinking and behaving. In remote sessions clients work on specific skills such as behavioral activation, thought records, and step-by-step exposure or activity planning.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they decide whether ACT, CBT, attachment-based ideas, or a mix will fit best and adjust as therapy progresses.

Online sessions are offered by licensed professionals using video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. Video is useful for in-depth conversations and exercises, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, and chat or text works well for short check-ins or between-session support. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and try different formats to find what feels most helpful.

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Questions people ask

What issues does Shama commonly help with?

She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, coping with life changes, and ADHD, plus related topics like adoption, caregiving stress, body image, and divorce.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her approach is collaborative and practical, using clear goals, skills practice, and real-life exercises to reduce distress and improve coping.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has nine years of clinical experience working with adults on a variety of emotional and life transition concerns.

What credentials and region are listed?

She is a licensed clinical social worker, LCSW, practicing in Illinois.

Which languages are supported and are international clients accepted?

Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.

Which session formats are offered?

Appointments are available as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.

How does pricing work for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions based on therapist availability.

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