Joy Shuo, MS, LMFTA
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate
(she/her)
You may be carrying a story that feels heavy. One shaped by anxiety, grief, burnout, relationship strain, parenting challenges, or a season of unexpected change. Perhaps you feel caught in the same conflict with someone you love, overwhelmed by emotions that seem difficult to explain, or disconnected from the person you once knew yourself to be. You may not be looking for someone to “fix” you, but for a safe place to slow down, make sense of what is happening, and discover a way forward.
I work with adults, couples, and families who want to better understand themselves and their relationships. In couples therapy, I help partners move beyond blame to recognise the cycle that keeps pulling them apart. Together, we explore the emotions, needs, and protective responses beneath the conflict so that each person can feel heard and understood. My work also supports individuals navigating anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, life transitions, emotional reactivity, parenting concerns, and the relational effects of illness or caregiving.
As a therapist, I see myself as a co-traveller. You are the expert of your life, and my role is to walk alongside you with curiosity, compassion, and respect. Therapy with me is warm and collaborative, with space for tears, honest conversations, meaningful insights, humour, and laughter. Every part of you is welcome, and you do not need to hide any part of yourself in the therapy room.
My approach is grounded in Narrative Therapy and Internal Family Systems, with additional influences from family systems, the Gottman Method, mindfulness, somatic awareness, and trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming care. When helpful, I incorporate expressive arts so that your story does not have to be limited to words. Drawing, music, movement, writing, and other creative forms can offer different ways to explore experiences that may be difficult to name.
My passion for this healing profession is shaped by my own experiences of raising my six children, foster parenting, pastoral work, relocating across cultures, navigating illness, and caring for aging loved ones. These experiences have deepened my appreciation for the complexity of family relationships and the ways our culture, faith, health, histories, and communities influence the stories we carry.
I hold a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Seattle Pacific University, a COAMFTE-accredited program, and a Bachelor of Social Work from the Singapore University of Social Sciences. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate in Washington State and have completed Levels 1 and 2 of Gottman Method Couples Therapy training. My background as a Singaporean Chinese also informs my sensitivity to cross-cultural experiences, migration, family expectations, spirituality, and the tension that can arise between individual needs and collective responsibilities.
Ultimately, I hope therapy can become a space where you feel safe enough to be honest, curious to see your story differently, and supported to take your next step towards healing. Together, we can uncover the strengths already present within you, loosen the hold of the past and make room for greater connection, hope, and possibility.
Areas of Focus
Aging
Anxiety
Caregiving
Chronic Pain/Illness
Depression
Emotional Regulation / Nervous System Support
Grief & Loss
Identity
Life Transitions
Neurodivergence
Parenting
Perinatal Mental Health / Postpartum
PTSD / C-PTSD
Race & Cultural Identity
Relationships & Attachment
Religious Trauma
Self Esteem
Sex & Intimacy
Spirituality
Stress
Trauma & Abuse
Fees
Individual Sessions $180
Couple Sessions $200
Insurance
I am in network with:
Cigna
First Choice
Lifewise
Premera
Regence
Location
My practice is based both virtually and in person at:
355 NW Gilman Boulevard, Suite 204
Issaquah, WA98027
Scheduling Information
I look forward to connecting with you. You can reach me by:
Email: joy@innercanvashealing.com
Phone: 425-448-8989
Website: https://innercanvashealing.com/about