THERAPIST IN PASADENA AND ONLINE ACROSS CA

MEET IIHAE SHIN, LMFT

A refuge for healing, clarity,

and

growth. 

A place to feel supported, understood, and strengthened—especially when life feels heavy.

It’s hard to keep going when you don’t even feel like yourself.

Work, school, relationships—juggling all these demands can feel like an uphill battle. Even when surrounded by others, it’s easy to feel isolated under the weight of your own struggles. The pressure to perform, to appear composed, and to keep everything together can become overwhelming, making it hard to find the space to simply breathe.

You might have tried therapy before—perhaps it brought some relief or insight, or it left you feeling like something important was still missing. Or this could be your first time considering therapy, and you’re wondering if it can truly help.

Wherever you are in your journey, you may find yourself longing for more than quick fixes or surface-level change. You want a space where you’re truly seen, where healing feels possible, and where growth can take root in a way that lasts.

Maybe it’s time to do something different.

An approach that meets you where you are and helps you build the resilience and clarity to move through life with greater ease and authenticity.

Learn how to listen to your inner voice… and respond accordingly.

MEET IIHAE SHIN

I believe the power of connection is at the heart of healing.

Therapy can feel like a big step—and that’s because it is. Choosing to face old wounds and patterns takes courage, especially when life already asks so much of you. If you’re here, it likely means you’re ready to invest in yourself in a more meaningful way.

I partner with you to create a space where healing unfolds through genuine connection—a place where you feel truly seen, heard, and valued. Together, we’ll explore how the challenges you carry impact your relationships, your stress, and your sense of self, gently uncovering what lies beneath the surface with care and intention.

My approach integrates somatic awareness with an attachment-informed lens, helping you build not only insight but also practical tools to help your nervous system settle and find steadiness amid life’s pressures. These tools support you in responding to stress with greater ease and clarity, allowing you to move through life more fully and authentically.

Healing isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress, self-compassion, and discovering your own resilience. Whether you’re working through the lingering effects of trauma, navigating relationship pain, or feeling overwhelmed by the demands of daily life, I’m here to walk alongside you—honoring where you are while supporting where you want to go.

If you’re ready to move toward lasting growth and reclaim a more connected, grounded life, I invite you to take the next step.

As a therapist in Pasadena, I offer online therapy throughout California for adults navigating trauma, anxiety, relationship challenges, and the stress of modern life.

“Being the ‘best you can be’ is really only possible when you are deeply connected to another. Splendid isolation is for planets, not people.”

- DR. SUE JOHNSON
Love Sense: The Revolutionary New Science of Romantic Relationships

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE THERAPY

MY STORY:

Many of my clients come from backgrounds where therapy or “getting help” is frowned upon or not something that is encouraged or talked about. Cultural barriers and family expectations have a significant impact on mental health, and I know it can be difficult to come to terms with who you are now while honoring where you came from. As an Asian-American and an immigrant myself, I offer support to those navigating the intersection of their culture and well-being. I was born in Japan as a third-generation Korean and immigrated to the U.S. as a pre-teen. I speak Japanese and have a deep understanding of both Japanese and Korean cultures. This allows me to be especially sensitive and responsive to people from all backgrounds and nationalities. I create a space where you feel accepted and can define what’s important to you while embracing your heritage in a healthy, meaningful way. 

TRAUMA
RELATIONSHIP ISSUES
ANXIETY & DEPRESSION
FAITH-BASED

Some of the methods I use include… 

Somatic Therapy: Somatic therapy helps you tune into your body as a way to process emotions and past experiences. Because trauma and stress often live in the body, this approach supports healing by bringing awareness to physical sensations and patterns. Together, we’ll work with your nervous system to gently restore a sense of safety, connection, and well-being—not just in your mind, but in your whole self.

Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Therapy (AEDP): AEDP is a healing-oriented, emotion-focused approach that emphasizes the power of safe relationships to transform emotional pain. By tapping into your innate resilience and capacity for growth, we create space for deep emotional experiences to emerge—and be met with care. This allows healing to unfold from the inside out, often in profound and lasting ways.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): Rooted in attachment theory, EFT is designed to help you better understand your emotional responses in relationships and shift patterns that feel stuck or painful. Through this approach, we’ll work to strengthen your ability to connect more securely with yourself and others, paving the way for deeper intimacy, trust, and fulfillment.

Brainspotting: Brainspotting is a powerful method for accessing and processing trauma and emotional pain that may be stored beneath conscious awareness. By using specific eye positions to access these deeper parts of the brain, this approach helps bring unresolved experiences into awareness—so they can be felt, understood, and released at a pace that feels right for you.

MY BACKGROUND

EDUCATION AND LICENSURE
TRAINING
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in CA, LMFT 41346

  • Master in Science, Marital and Family Therapy, Fuller Theological Seminary

  • B.A. International Studies, Minor in Sociology, Emory University

  • Certified in Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM)

  • Level 2 therapist, Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)

  • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

  • Brainspotting Phase I, II, III

  • Trauma Resource Institute (TRI)

  • AEDP Institute

  • EFT International, EFT Center of Los Angeles

  • California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)

  • American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)

  • Los Angeles County Psychological Association (LACPA)

Become attentive to your body, learn how to trust your instincts, and move forward with confidence.