Inspiring Conversations with Jacqueline Shamtoob, Ph.D. of Couple Therapy LA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline Shamtoob, Ph.D..

Hi Jacqueline, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My path into psychology was shaped by a long-standing curiosity about human connection—why love can feel so natural at first, and so confusing over time. I was always drawn to the emotional undercurrents in relationships: what people say versus what they feel, what they long for but struggle to articulate. Psychology offered me a way to sit with that complexity rather than reduce it.

Living and working in Los Angeles has deeply influenced my perspective. LA is a city full of ambition, reinvention, and high expectations—not just for careers, but for love. Many of the couples I work with are thoughtful, driven people who have done “everything right,” yet feel unprepared for the emotional realities of long-term intimacy. That tension between aspiration and vulnerability became central to my work.

I’m now a licensed psychologist and the founder of Couple Therapy LA, where I specialize in couples navigating intimacy, attachment, and life transitions like parenthood. My approach blends evidence-based models with a deep respect for the emotional and erotic lives of the people I work with. I’m interested in helping clients move beyond idealized versions of love and toward relationships that are intentional, alive, and deeply human.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the ongoing challenges in my work has been learning how to slow things down—in a culture, and a city, that often values speed, optimization, and image. Many people come to therapy hoping for a solution that will quickly fix their relationship. Helping clients tolerate discomfort, uncertainty, and emotional exposure requires patience, trust, and often a fundamental shift in how they understand growth and change.

Navigating the transition to parenthood with my husband has also profoundly shaped both my identity and my work. Like many couples, we faced real challenges during that transition—times of exhaustion, disconnection, and recalibration. Learning how to grow through that period together, rather than simply survive it, deepened my understanding of intimacy as something that must be actively tended, especially when life becomes more demanding. Integrating those lessons into my clinical work has strengthened it, and in many ways, strengthened me as well—both personally and professionally.

Building a practice in Los Angeles has also meant defining myself against a backdrop of constant self-reinvention. In a space saturated with advice, wellness language, and curated versions of healing, staying grounded in research, clinical rigor, and lived emotional reality has required intention. Resisting the pull to package or simplify human experience has been one of the most meaningful challenges of my career—and one that continues to shape not just how I work, but who I am.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At the heart of my work is the belief that love is not something we discover—it’s something we do. Intimacy, trust, and desire are maintained through daily actions, not just chemistry or compatibility.

In my practice, I work with couples to uncover the patterns beneath their conflicts and help them understand each other with more clarity and compassion. I integrate attachment theory, neuroscience, and structured therapeutic tools while making space for each couple’s unique emotional and erotic dynamic. Much of my work focuses on helping partners navigate the collision between modern expectations of love and the realities of long-term commitment—especially during transitions like parenthood.

I also work with couples who want to understand their relational patterns more deeply, whether they’re partnered, dating, or redefining what intimacy means to them. My goal is not to eliminate struggle, but to help people build relationships that can hold both desire and difficulty.

What are your plans for the future?
Looking ahead, I’m focused on expanding my work beyond the therapy room. I’m developing writing and educational projects that challenge soulmate culture and explore the often-unspoken actions required for lasting intimacy. I want to contribute a more grounded, adult conversation about love—one that acknowledges effort, responsibility, and change without losing warmth or hope.

I also plan to continue growing Couple Therapy LA as a thoughtful, values-driven practice rooted in depth rather than performance. Long-term, I see my work spanning clinical practice, writing, teaching, and public dialogue—offering people language and frameworks that make relationships feel less mysterious and more workable, especially in a city where both love and ambition run high.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.coupletherapyla.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coupletherapyla
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoupleTherapyLA
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coupletherapyla
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/couple-therapy-la-los-angeles
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/224965