About Dr.Manasi Shankar

Since childhood, I have been interested in the helping professions. Connecting with people has always brought me joy. To pursue this inclination professionally, I immigrated from India to Syracuse, NY in 2014 to complete my masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I then went on to earn a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science (with a specialization in Couple and Family Therapy) from Virginia Tech. Since then, I have been serving as an Adjunct Professor in University of San Francisco's Counseling Psychology masters program. 

I conduct disability-affirmative research, working to improve the attitudinal and infrastructural accessibility of therapy for disabled individuals and their families. Having a foot in academia allows me to stay up to date on contemporary developments in the therapy world, so I can apply these learnings in the work that I do with my clients. I currently live in San Jose with my husband who is a Production Engineer. Outside of work, you can catch me experimenting with new recipes to feed friends and family, gaming, reading, or catching up with family back home. I also love writing, and have been trying to make more time for this long-lost hobby.