Shefali Thaman, MA, LMFT

Shefali Thaman, M.A., M.ED. is a therapist registered in California as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT). She has over 8 years of clinical experience providing evidence-based therapy services to children, teens, young adults and parents with anxiety and mood concerns, working in schools, outpatient and intensive outpatient clinic settings. Shefali’s orientation is grounded in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and she incorporates strategies from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical behavior therapy when needed. One of Shefali’s many strengths is her highly collaborative approach. She has experience working closely with parents and schools and believes in parent coaching to empower both parents and children with the necessary tools to live the life they want to live.

Prior to joining Lumate, Shefali worked in an outpatient private practice setting where she provided ERP and CBT treatment to children, teens and young adults struggling with OCD, anxiety, depression, and body image concerns, as well as an intensive outpatient setting providing group therapy and individual therapy. She has experience collaborating with teachers to implement teacher training programs on social-emotional learning, child and adolescent mental health awareness and working with neurodiverse youth. In India, Shefali worked as a child psychologist, conducting psycho-educational assessments for neurodevelopmental conditions, and spearheading social skills programs for elementary schoolers and parent training programs in a school setting.

Having lived in two countries, Shefali is sensitive to understanding concerns from a cultural lens. She is cognizant of the role language, acculturation, family expectations, parenting practices and overall cultural adaptations play in a child or teen’s life. She keeps cultural adaptations in mind when formulating treatment plans for her clients.

Shefali earned her Master’s degree in Applied psychology with a specialization in Clinical psychology from University of Delhi, India. She pursued an Advanced Diploma in Child Guidance & Counseling from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, India for licensure to practice as a child psychologist in India. Being a seeker and passionate about learning, Shefali was curious to learn more about how evidence-based prevention programs can mitigate the impact of mental health conditions. After she moved to the United States, she earned a second Masters in School Psychology from Penn State University to further develop her expertise in evidence-based care. Shefali’s experience in both clinical and school settings has given her a unique perspective in the clinical field.
Shefali lives in the Bay Area, California with her husband. She loves everything Marvel and is also captivated by all stories whether it is a movie, a show or a person’s own story. When she is not wearing her therapist hat, you will find her spending time with family and friends, reading, cooking, watching movies and finding new places to travel and explore.

Shefali is supervised by Anna Swan, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist.