Little Steps 2 Healthy Minds LLC is the brainchild of Dr. Utpala Shanker and was created keeping in mind that life changes are a gradual process occurring with each little step a person takes towards wellness and health.  Dr. Shanker approaches psychotherapy with the understanding that the process of therapy is a journey of healing undertaken by the person seeking to bring change in their life.  Dr. Shanker views her role as a therapist to be that of a facilitator who reflects, reframes, and challenges the client in their endeavors to make changes in their lives and bring emotional well-being. Therapy is seen as a collaborative effort between the therapist and the client to help the client develop tools to maintain emotional wellness.  These therapeutic tools are drawn from several theoretical orientations based on the unique needs of the individual client.  Dr. Shanker’s extensive experiences in working with children and adolescents make her particularly suited to understanding the developmental needs of children at every stage of growth and learning.

Dr. Shanker is a licensed psychologist with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She works with children, adolescents, adults, families, couples, and groups.  Dr. Shanker has a keen clinical acumen in understanding the unique needs of every client that she serves.  Her training is based on a scientist-practitioner model that emphasizes the importance of evidence-based practices in working with clients.  Dr. Shanker brings her training in several theoretical orientations to her work and adopts a treatment model that best fits the needs of the individual clients.  Some of the theoretical approaches that Dr. Shanker brings into her work include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic, Interpersonal therapy (IPT), family systems, and play therapy among others.  She is skilled in working with parents on parent skills training and has a deep understanding of the developmental needs of children and their families.  Dr. Shanker’s areas of expertise also include working with multiculturally diverse populations using evidence-based practices to meet the needs of her clients.