Ratnesh Sharma

Associate Marriage & Family Therapist

I believe that seeking therapy is a courageous step. I work with young adults and adults navigating emotional and relational challenges, questions of identity and belonging, life transitions, and the impact of difficult or painful experiences. I believe every person has the capacity for growth, resilience, and meaningful change when they feel truly heard, accepted, and understood.
My decision to become a therapist grew from my own life experiences. After many years in the technology industry, the loss of both of my parents led me to reevaluate what mattered most. That period of reflection led me to become a Compassion Ambassador through Stanford’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE). During that experience, a therapist in the program noticed my ability to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where people felt comfortable sharing deeply personal experiences. She encouraged me to consider a career in therapy, particularly recognizing the need for more men in the profession. Her encouragement helped me recognize something I had not fully seen in myself and ultimately set me on the path toward becoming a therapist.
During my clinical training at a community college counseling center, I worked with clients ages 16 to 62 from a wide range of cultural, socioeconomic, and personal backgrounds. That experience deepened my commitment to providing culturally responsive care while supporting individuals through life’s challenges with compassion, curiosity, and respect.
My work is grounded in compassion, collaboration, and a trauma-informed perspective shaped by both lived and professional experience. I strive to create an authentic, collaborative space where clients feel safe, seen, and supported. I tailor therapy to each person’s unique needs, integrating person-centered, Gestalt, existential, and evidence-based approaches, including CBT and DBT, to help clients build insight, strengthen resilience, and create meaningful change.
Taking the first step can feel daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you’re ready to begin, I’d be honored to walk alongside you as you move toward healing, growth, and self-discovery.

Qualifications

School: Santa Clara University — M.A., Counseling Psychology
University of California, Berkeley — M.B.A.
Clemson University — M.S., Electrical Engineering

License: AMFT #164291

Supervisor: Saleha Pirzada, LCSW #101178

Check out my client focus and how to work with me!

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