Becoming a therapist was a career change I made in my late 30s, one of many significant life decisions I’ve faced. I was born in Canada to Brazilian parents and moved to São Paulo, Brazil, at the age of 5, where I attended a British school. As a result, I’ve been bilingual (English/Portuguese) my entire life. I earned a BA in Journalism but spent several years working in hospitality. I married young and immigrated to the United States in the late '90s with two young children. After a divorce, I raised my children as a single parent and working mother for most of their childhood. In my late thirties, I shifted careers and became a licensed marriage and family therapist.I have personal experience with acculturation, married life, single parenting, dating as a single parent, remarriage, blended families, empty nest syndrome, life after divorce, grief and loss, midlife, and caring for aging parents.
After earning my Master’s in Counseling Psychology, I worked with foster children and at-risk youth and their families at non-profit agencies in San Diego. I quickly realized that many clinicians were struggling with their work with children because they were relying primarily on talk therapy. This approach often doesn’t work well with children under 12, as their brains aren’t yet developed for that kind of cognitive therapy. That’s when I began researching Play Therapy. As I learned more about neuroscience, brain development, and trauma, I discovered that play and expressive art therapies are crucial tools not only for children but also for teens and adults. These therapies help individuals process trauma and bring unconscious material to the surface for healing in a non-intrusive way.
After earning my Master’s in Counseling Psychology, I worked with foster children and at-risk youth and their families at non-profit agencies in San Diego. I quickly realized that many clinicians were struggling with their work with children because they were relying primarily on talk therapy. This approach often doesn’t work well with children under 12, as their brains aren’t yet developed for that kind of cognitive therapy. That’s when I began researching Play Therapy. As I learned more about neuroscience, brain development, and trauma, I discovered that play and expressive art therapies are crucial tools not only for children but also for teens and adults. These therapies help individuals process trauma and bring unconscious material to the surface for healing in a non-intrusive way.
My experience working with children has deepened my understanding of the root causes of hurt and pain, and this has made me more attuned when working with adults. Many negative behaviors and choices in adulthood stem from unresolved and often unconscious childhood issues. Once these issues are brought into awareness, they can facilitate positive changes in the present.
At this stage of my career, I have shifted from working with children to primarily working with adults. I enjoy working with the inner child in every adult, incorporating expressive arts therapies if and when it feels appropriate for the client.
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S), Registered Sandplay Practitioner (RSP), SoulCollage® Facilitator, and Past President of the California Association for Play Therapy (CALAPT). I am fluent in Portuguese and proficient in Spanish. I stay current by attending conferences and workshops and have trained in various therapeutic modalities, including Play Therapy, Sandplay Therapy, Depth Psychology, Expressive Arts Therapies, IFS, CBT, ACT, Mindfulness, and EMDR. My practice is primarily rooted in Psychodynamic and Attachment theory, offering a holistic, integrative approach where I blend different modalities based on each client’s unique needs, considering their physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual well-being.
Having been the primary caregiver for my mother during her battle with cancer, I am passionate about providing support for cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers. I’ve also completed a Psychosocial Oncology Certificate Course through APOS.
I am deeply passionate about my work, and I believe my personal and professional life experiences, combined with my ongoing education, have allowed me to become a compassionate, supportive, and authentic therapist.
I look forward to working alongside you as you take steps toward living a happier, healthier, and more balanced life!
"We’re only as needy as our unmet needs."
— John Bowlby
At this stage of my career, I have shifted from working with children to primarily working with adults. I enjoy working with the inner child in every adult, incorporating expressive arts therapies if and when it feels appropriate for the client.
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S), Registered Sandplay Practitioner (RSP), SoulCollage® Facilitator, and Past President of the California Association for Play Therapy (CALAPT). I am fluent in Portuguese and proficient in Spanish. I stay current by attending conferences and workshops and have trained in various therapeutic modalities, including Play Therapy, Sandplay Therapy, Depth Psychology, Expressive Arts Therapies, IFS, CBT, ACT, Mindfulness, and EMDR. My practice is primarily rooted in Psychodynamic and Attachment theory, offering a holistic, integrative approach where I blend different modalities based on each client’s unique needs, considering their physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual well-being.
Having been the primary caregiver for my mother during her battle with cancer, I am passionate about providing support for cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers. I’ve also completed a Psychosocial Oncology Certificate Course through APOS.
I am deeply passionate about my work, and I believe my personal and professional life experiences, combined with my ongoing education, have allowed me to become a compassionate, supportive, and authentic therapist.
I look forward to working alongside you as you take steps toward living a happier, healthier, and more balanced life!
"We’re only as needy as our unmet needs."
— John Bowlby
MY CATS: CHECO, LECLERC & AZULA
On a personal note, I love being in nature, beach, travelling, reading, hiking, camping, gardening, yoga, creating my personal SoulCollage® Cards, watching Formula 1 and I am a proud parent of two adult children and three cats.
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Education
B.A. Communication Studies Major in Journalism Universidade São Judas Tadeu São Paulo - SP - Brazil M.A. Counseling Psychology National University San Diego, CA - USA Post Graduate Certification in Play Therapy UCSD Extension San Diego, CA - USA Post Graduate Certification in Sandplay Therapy UCSD Extension & STA Trainings San Diego, CA - USA Recognitions
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Professional AffiliationShirla de Magalhães
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist BBS - Board of Behavioral Science - CA - LMFT License # 82947 RPT-S - Registered Play Therapist Supervisor #S2226 RSP - Registered Sandplay Practitioner Associations
Accomplishments
Workshops Presented:
Trainings Attended: (attached PDF) 
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