Shada Atwa is a clinical psychology practicum student at Chicago DBT Institute. She earned her bachelor's degree in Applied Psychology with a minor in Criminology. She recently earned her master's degree in Clinical Psychology and is working towards her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at The Chicago School. After her undergraduate studies, Shada worked as a behavior technician in a residential setting with women and girls struggling primarily with substance use disorders and eating disorders. More recently, she worked at a private practice where she conducted psychological evaluations for children and adults to clarify diagnoses and provide treatment recommendations. These opportunities have allowed Shada to work with individuals from a variety of backgrounds and clinical concerns including substance use disorders, eating disorders, trauma, anxiety, depression, and ADHD.

As a practicum student, Shada is dedicated to learning and practicing DBT. She believes in taking a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. Shada believes that the therapeutic relationship is key and as such is committed to creating a trusting, nonjudgmental environment and meet clients where they are at. She believes it is important to remind clients that they are the experts on their lives and her role is to support them in building a life that is aligned with their values. She strives to do this through direct communication, humor, authenticity, and striking a balance between validation and therapeutically challenging clients.

In her spare time, Shada enjoys cross-stitching, reading, and roller skating. Shada is also a language lover and nerd and she enjoys dedicating time to learning new languages.