Lija Shah, MSW, ASW
Lija Shah, MSW, ASW
Associate Clinical Social Worker - ASW 126822
(408) 495-4718
Supervised by Lisa Neves, LCSW 19725
Education/Degrees
The University of Houston- M.A. in Social Work
The University of Texas at Austin- M.A. in Communication Disorders
The University of Texas at Austin- Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music
Memberships
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
Meet Lija
Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful part of us.” – David Richo
I believe people come to therapy carrying the weight of their brokenness—wounds from their past, family struggles, fractured relationships, grief, and loss. Pain has a way of making us feel isolated, as if the shattered pieces of our lives can never be put back together. But I also believe in the profound beauty of healing. When we face our pain with honesty and courage, we open ourselves to transformation—where even the deepest wounds can become a source of strength and hope.
I see therapy as a reflection of Kintsugi, the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. This practice doesn’t try to hide the cracks; instead, it highlights them, turning what was once broken into something even more beautiful. In the same way, healing is not about erasing pain but honoring the journey that shaped us—embracing the scars as part of our story, not the end of it.
My heart is to walk beside you in this process, whether to sit with you in your pain, and to remind you that you are not alone or to help you grow in your journey of next steps in your life transition. Together, we will navigate the broken places, not just to mend them, but to create something stronger, something whole. My hope is to help you reclaim your life—not defined by what has hurt you, nor by the path that life has led you thus far, but by the resilience, courage, and beauty that emerge from your healing.
My Background
I am an Associate Clinical Social Worker with a Master of Arts in Social Work from the University of Houston. I moved to the Bay Area from Houston, Texas, after living there for 20 years. For 10 years, I served as the Director of Caring Ministry at a large church, caring for the emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs of the congregation. Working in a faith-based community gave me the privilege to empathize with members and help them process the mental and emotional effects of difficult relationships, divorce, grief, loss, caregiver burnout, dementia care, depression, anxiety, addiction, and spiritual/religious trauma.
Areas of Focus
I focus in the areas of grief and loss, life and career transitions, depression, anxiety, trauma, caregiver burnout, identity issues, family matters, setting healthy boundaries, and navigating spiritual/religious pain from your past. I work with individuals, couples, and families.
Fun Facts About Lija
I love spending time with my family, which includes my husband, two teenage children, and our golden doodle (Poppy). I enjoy listening to audio books, singing, traveling, and experiencing the culture that each new place has to offer.
