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He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how" Let's connect you to yours. You got this!
Shirley Pakdaman, Psy.D.'s style
🎯 Direct 😃 Humorous 💡 Solution-oriented 🙏 SpiritualWhy Shirley Pakdaman, Psy.D. chose to be in the helping profession
Life is precious. Realizing you need help and choosing to seek it are important first steps toward making meaningful and satisfying changes. Therapy is a collaborative process, and together we can clarify your values, needs, and desires so you can move toward the life you truly want. My goal is to create a supportive space where you feel comfortable exploring what’s holding you back and what will help you move forward.
I’ve dedicated my life to helping people live more genuine, meaningful, and joyful lives. It’s an honor for me to do this work and support individuals in becoming more connected to themselves and the people around them. I believe that when we uplift individuals, we also strengthen families and communities, helping create a more peaceful and compassionate world. That belief continues to guide both my work and the way I approach therapy.
Shirley Pakdaman, Psy.D.'s approach
My practice is built on creating an authentic and trusting relationship with my clients. I work especially well with people who value connection, straightforwardness, and humor as part of the therapeutic process. While my work is grounded in extensive formal training in cognitive, psychodynamic, and mindfulness-based treatments, I believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach to therapy. Each client brings a unique story, personality, and set of challenges, and I tailor my approach accordingly to meet their specific needs and goals.
My dating coaching approach blends behavioral science, structured goal-setting, and compassionate accountability to help clients create meaningful and lasting change in their dating lives and relationships. Using a clear, evidence-based framework, I help clients identify unhelpful patterns, challenge limiting beliefs, and make more intentional, aligned choices. Sessions are focused, practical, and personalized, with an emphasis on building confidence, improving communication, and developing healthier relationship dynamics. This work is both strategic and deeply personal, combining insight with actionable tools that clients can apply directly to their everyday lives and relationships.
What you can expect from sessions with Shirley Pakdaman, Psy.D.
In our work together, we will expand awareness of your thoughts, emotions, and beliefs so that you have the freedom to reevaluate them and make decisions that are more aligned with your actual values and desires. Therapy is not just about understanding patterns, but about creating the ability to respond differently to yourself, your relationships, and the situations you face in everyday life. My goal is to help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself in a way that feels honest, practical, and meaningful.
We’ll also explore how you can respond to life and others more authentically. As you begin to understand yourself more completely and compassionately, it often becomes easier to build confidence, feel more open to experiences and relationships, and respond more effectively to challenges. Relationships can begin to feel more connected, and life itself can start to feel richer, fuller, and more grounded. I will challenge you when needed, and at times we may agree on practices or exercises between sessions to help you continue moving toward your goals outside of therapy as well.
Shirley Pakdaman, Psy.D.'s experience working with the Jewish community
I am deeply connected to the Jewish community through a variety of affiliations and experiences. Earlier in my life, I explored becoming a BT and immersed myself in the religious world in a very meaningful way. While I ultimately realized that path was not the right fit for me personally, the experience gave me a deep appreciation and respect for Jews from all backgrounds, levels of observance, and walks of life. It also gave me a strong understanding of many of the cultural, religious, familial, and personal dynamics that people within the community may navigate.
I continue to be personally involved in the community and have taken on leadership roles that have exposed me to a wide range of learning, connections, and communal resources. Many of my clients are Jewish, and I value being able to incorporate Jewish values, history, culture, and spirituality into our work when it feels meaningful and welcome to the client. I believe Judaism offers powerful tools and perspectives that can support growth, resilience, self-reflection, and living with greater purpose. Helping clients connect to those strengths in a way that feels authentic to them can be an especially meaningful part of the work we do together.
Shirley Pakdaman, Psy.D.'s Book Recommendation Zone
- Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life--in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There)
This book explores why Judaism matters and how its message is more relevant than ever, and she inspires Jews to do the learning, questioning, and debating required to make this religion their own. - How to Not Die Alone: The Surprising Science That Will Help You Find Love
A funny and practical guide to help you find, build, and keep the relationship of your dreams. - Love Life: How to Raise Your Standards, Find Your Person, and Live Happily (No Matter What)
An essential set of tools and principles for healing from heartbreak, finding love, and loving life. - The Happiness Project One-Sentence Journal: A Five-Year Record
Helps you to make a fascinating and revealing time capsule of the next five years of your life. Simply turn to today’s date, reflect on the quote at the top of the page, and jot down just one sentence (perhaps about something good that happened that day). - Man's Search For Meaning
Viktor Frankl’s riveting account of his time in the Nazi concentration camps, and his insightful exploration of the human will to find meaning in spite of the worst adversity, has offered solace and guidance to generations of readers.
Approaches
- Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-based
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Existential
- Gestalt Therapy
- Inner child work
- Life Coaching
- Mindfulness and Meditation
- Motivational Interviewing
- Person-Centered Therapy
- Positive Psychology
- Premarital Counseling
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Concerns
Languages spoken
English Farsi/PersianAges
AdultsPeople I work with
Men Women IndividualsPersonal religious affiliations
Proud JewJewish community experience
ExtensiveLicensed to work in
CaliforniaNearby areas within a short commute to my in person office
Beverly Hills, Encino, Los Angeles, Westwood12 years in practice
Licenses
- Psychologist by California 2014. License number 26413
Degrees
- Psy.D. Doctorate of Clinical Psychology by Pepperdine University 2012
- M.A. Psychology by Pepperdine University 2007
- B.A. Communication Studies by University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) 2005
Awards
- Young Women’s Leadership Award by Jewish Federation Los Angeles 2025
Certificates
- Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional (CIMHP) by Evergreen Certifications 2022
Trainings
- Dating Coach Training by Best selling author and dating coach 2024
Average costs per session
$260 - $400
Payment Methods
- Free consultation
- Zelle Quick Pay
- Venmo
What people have to say about working with me:
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“Working with Shirley has been the practical nudge my dating life needed. From day one she created a judgment-free zone where I could sort out what I actually want in a long-term partner through thoughtful questions that helped me clarify my non-negotiables. She’s also an unbeatable accountability partner. Working with her helps keep dating at the top of my priority list and she celebrates the small wins that keep me moving forward. Knowing I’ll check in with her every few weeks is the healthiest pressure I’ve found! Most valuable, though, is her bias toward action. If I admit there’s a text I’ve been dodging or a profile tweak I’ve been putting off, she has me do it right then and there on the call. Those real-time pushes turn good intentions into concrete steps. If you want coaching that blends a safe space with firm accountability and real-world follow-through, Shirley’s the person you want in your corner!”
SV
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I have referred multiple patients to Dr. Pakdaman. All of them, without exception, have had improvements and exceptional results. I highly recommend her for treatment of stress/anxiety, depression, insomnia and cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain. She is hands down the only therapist in the LA area I recommend to all my patients.
SR
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Dr. Pakdaman is an outstanding clinician, who really cares about her patients. She has a lot of experience and will provide you the right tools to help you on your journey. I have known her personally and professionally for almost 20 years and highly recommend her. I think that you will find her warm, but open approach very welcoming. Whether you are struggling with sleep, need help in the dating department or have been struggling with racing thoughts, she can help you out!
Anonymous Verified