Joo Hwan Shin, Psy.D

I am a Clinical Psychologist, licensed in both New York and New Jersey, who provides individual psychotherapy to adults in both English and Korean. I am eager to work with those struggling with various mental health and life challenges—particularly in this increasingly complex time, when the ground under our feet feels as if it is shifting. I am especially sensitive to issues involving bicultural identities, immigration/acculturation, and finding safety in times of uncertainty. No matter what brings you to seek a psychologist, please know that I am well-trained here in New York City and am continuing my postgraduate studies at the William Alanson White Institute, where I receive advanced training in psychoanalysis. I can help you.

I primarily use a psychodynamic/psychoanalytic approach to psychotherapy and incorporate other theoretical modalities (i.e., CBT, DBT) according to your needs. I will work with you to identify your relationship patterns, particularly those that might emerge in our work together. Such patterns provide insight into how you may have been affected by earlier life struggles, what your survival tactics may have been, and how these patterns may no longer be serving you and your goals. Together, we will come to understand your core relational needs and explore how best to pursue them. Therapy is also a space for healing old wounds that still resonate in your present-day psyche, causing despair, anxiety, and diminishing your vitality and sense of agency.

No two people are alike, just as no two psychotherapies are identical. I will listen carefully to you—your needs, concerns, and struggles—and together, in a collaborative process, we will work to help you live your life more fully and with fewer psychological burdens. Together, we will discover new ways of seeing and addressing issues that may leave you feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. Psychotherapy can be both liberating and restorative. The safe (yet challenging), compassionate, and open atmosphere I create with you is a space that encourages taking risks and allows new aspects of self to emerge—parts that may have never before been seen or nurtured.

I completed my Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology at the APA-accredited Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University. Previously, I worked as a licensed clinical psychologist at NYU Psychiatry Associates/NYU Grossman School of Medicine in Manhattan, NY, and at the Seoul Counseling Center in Seoul, South Korea. I also completed my post-doctoral fellowship at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, and my doctoral internship at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx.

I understand that this work requires courage, patience, and a deep commitment to sustained curiosity. I offer a safe and trusting space where a meaningful therapeutic relationship can develop, allowing you to embark on a healing journey. I am deeply passionate about my work and the transformation that occurs when one's experiences are truly seen, held with compassion, and met with empathy. If you feel ready, I invite you to reach out so we can begin this journey together.