About Me.

Hello! My name is Dr. Uma Shanmugham and I am a licensed psychologist in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in the state of Illinois. 

I earned my B.A. in International Relations from Tufts University [2008] and then received my M.A. in Counseling Psychology [2013] & PsyD in Clinical Psychology [2016] from William James College (formerly known as the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology). For both my Masters and Doctorate theses, I focused on examining the experiences of women in the sex industry. 

Finally, I received my certification in perinatal mental health through Postpartum Support International in 2024. 

My Training: 

My training and work have been in individual, group, and family therapy settings ranging from community health centers, schools, outpatient clinics, and in-home care. In these various settings, I have facilitated treatment with individuals, groups, couples, and parents and families of culturally and diagnostically diverse backgrounds. Additionally, I have extensive experience working with immigrants, refugees, and asylees across the lifespan. 

I have also had multiple years of experience teaching Counseling and Clinical Psychology graduate students. Classes I have taught have included Diversity, Difference & Inclusion in Clinical Practice, Existential-Humanistic Psychotherapy, and Career Counseling. 

• Trainings I have taken that embody my work: 

  • Perinatal Mental Health Certification Program (PMH-C)

  • Narrative Therapy Level 1 Training

  • The Clinical Use of Dreams in Psychotherapy

  •  Spirituality, Jung, and the Use of Images in Psychotherapy

My Therapeutic Style: 

I work with college and graduate students, new and expecting parents, and people navigating some of life’s most sensitive transitions, such as infertility, pregnancy loss, identity shifts, grief, and the particular weight that comes with being a person of marginalized identities in a world that doesn’t always make space for them. Additionally, many of my clients identify with being perfectionists, high achieving, and people pleasers.

Whatever your pull to come to therapy, I acknowledge the courage it takes to participate in your healing. Through person-centered and feminist approaches, I collaborate with clients in the process of re-defining who they are that feels the most authentic to themselves. My clinical "toolbox" includes mindfulness, a trauma-informed lens, existentialism, diversity practices, and a nonjudgmental stance.

Additionally, I am curious about how our marginalized identities and/or privileges influence how we see ourselves and our relationships with others. Ultimately, I hope that we can partner with your courage and figure out together how we can answer the questions you may have about your experiences and struggles. 

I welcome individuals of all races, ethnicities, immigrant statuses, castes, gender identities, sexual orientations, ability statuses, body sizes, and socioeconomic statuses.

A little bit about me:

I was born and raised on Long Island, NY and have called a few places home — Boston for about twenty years, Chennai during middle school, and Chicago while completing my postdoc. Now I’m based in Kansas City, where I live with my husband.

Outside of work, I enjoy tending to my ever-growing collection of plants, exploring art galleries, and hunting for vintage treasures at estate sales and local auctions. I also love practicing yoga, going on walks, scrapbooking, and finding joy in creative projects in our 100-year-old home. And I just started learning about gardening!