Chace Shaw, M.D.

I am a psychiatrist and psychotherapist based in Menlo Park, California. What drew me to this work was the opportunity to spend time truly getting to know people, including their histories, personalities, struggles, and aspirations, and tailoring treatment thoughtfully to each individual.

Psychiatry and psychotherapy offer a unique space to explore the complexity of human experience. Rather than focusing only on symptoms or diagnoses, I am interested in understanding how a person’s emotional life, relationships, and past experiences shape the way they move through the world today. This deeper understanding often opens the door to meaningful and lasting change.

In my work with patients, I aim to create a therapeutic environment that feels calm, thoughtful, and collaborative. Many patients experience therapy as a place where they can slow down, reflect deeply, and speak openly about aspects of their lives that may not have had space to emerge elsewhere. Over time, this process can lead to important moments of insight, emotional breakthroughs, and the discovery of new ways of relating to oneself and others.

One of the most meaningful parts of my work is witnessing patients begin to understand themselves in new ways and experience genuine growth in their lives.

Training and Education

Harvard University - B.A.

UCSF School of Medicine - M.D.

Stanford Adult Psychiatry Residency Program

San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis - Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Training Program

Barre Center / Harvard Medical School - Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy Certification

International Neuropsychoanalysis Society - Clinical Fellow

American College of Lifestyle Medicine – Training in Lifestyle Psychiatry

My Approach

My approach to treatment integrates depth-oriented psychotherapy with psychiatric care. Psychological symptoms rarely exist in isolation; they often emerge within broader emotional and relational contexts. Exploring these contexts together can help illuminate long-standing patterns and create space for new possibilities to emerge.

Many patients find that difficulties in life can become opportunities for reflection and growth. As we develop a deeper awareness of the forces shaping our inner lives, we often become less constrained by old patterns and more able to move through life with greater freedom, clarity, and authenticity.

Mindfulness also informs my work with patients. Developing a greater awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, and internal experience can be a powerful tool for understanding oneself more deeply and responding to life’s challenges with greater presence and flexibility. I also draw on principles from lifestyle psychiatry, attending to areas such as sleep, physical activity, and stress management when relevant.

As a psychiatrist, I also provide psychiatric evaluation and medication treatment when appropriate. Medication can sometimes play an important role in reducing symptoms and supporting the therapeutic process, and decisions about its use are always made thoughtfully and collaboratively.