Joy Shuo

I believe the stories we tell shape how we understand ourselves, relate to others and experience the world. Stories do not need to be told only through words. Expressive arts such as images, painting, metaphors, music, or movement can help us express our stories when words cannot fully hold.

Together, we will explore the stories shaping your life and listen with curiosity to the parts of you working hard to protect you. We will uncover overlooked strengths and make room for new possibilities. When helpful, we may engage in expressive arts-informed activities to help you find meaning and tell an empowering story.

My clients describe me as warm, positive, genuine, direct yet gentle. I bring my authentic self, including my natural wit and humour to make room for honest conversations, tears, laughter, and the freedom to be fully you.

I specialise in working with people who may look like they are doing okay but feel anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, or stuck in patterns that no longer make sense. I support adults navigating anxiety, burnout, trauma, grief, and life transitions, as well as couples and families caught in recurring conflict or disconnection

I became a therapist after years in pastoral care and fostering showed me how deeply our stories, relationships, and life experiences shape and influence us. I wanted to walk alongside people with compassion and practical support, helping them understand what lies beneath their struggles and discover new possibilities for themselves and their relationships.

I am a Marriage and Family Therapist Associate with Inner Canvas Counselling and Coaching, a group private practice, with a focus on expressive arts approaches. While I am not a registered expressive arts therapist, I practise under the supervision of a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT) and use expressive arts-informed practices when helpful.