About me:
I am a Trauma-Informed Counseling Psychologist, an Applied Behavior Therapist, a Mental Health Speaker, and a Writer.
I have always been a highly-sensitive person. I remember being receptive to others' emotions around me since I was a child. I have had my share of distress that made me realize the importance of being understood, and the role a safe, emotional space plays in developing as a healthy, authentic adult. This has been a major factor influencing my choice to study and train to be a therapist.
Furthermore, my interest in psychology and psychotherapy also stems from my curiosity about the human experience, my thirst for meaning, and an inherent drive to have a deeper purpose in life. I see facilitating a healing space for others as sacred work and I love being a witness to change and growth. I enjoy learning and I am fascinated by this field for its ever-increasing scope for learning and growing both as a therapist, and a human. This, in a nutshell, is how being a psychotherapist allows me to fulfill many of my personal and existential needs.
I am an advocate for mindfulness and a grateful outlook for living a healthy, content life. I believe these two are powerful tools for achieving long-term holistic well-being. In my downtime, I enjoy reading philosophy and spirituality, and indulging in expressive writing. Eckhart Tolle and Dr. David R Hawkins are two of my favorite authors. I also love watching feel-good tv shows and movies. I tend to go inward to re-energize myself. Indie music, spending time in nature, meditating, and being around my loved ones are my anchors.
I have immense love for words and quotes, and this is one of my favorites:
"Let me fall if I must, the one I will become will catch me.' - Bal Shem Tov
My Approach
I find myself aligned with the biopsychosocial-spiritual model. I have a humanistic approach which aims for holistic well-being by focusing on the person and not just the symptoms. I intend to explore all dimensions for a deeper understanding of both distress and healing. My aim is to help foster creativity, growth and free will to help clients develop a stronger sense of self and create meaning in their lives.
My therapeutic style is active and collaborative. I consider the unique background, past experiences/ conditioning, cultural influence, ethnicity, beliefs and personality of the individual I am working with, for the process to be effective for them. My integrative trauma-informed therapeutic approach is mainly grounded in existential and humanistic psychotherapy. I derive from many theories, techniques, and therapeutic modalities, such as, family systems, gestalt, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, positive psychology, and somatic interventions. I practice feedback-informed therapy.
Education and Professional Experience:
I have received an M.Sc. in Counseling Psychology from Christ University, India, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Behavior Science from George Brown College, Toronto. I completed my Bachelors in Applied Psychology Hons. from Amity University, India. I am also a PESI certified Clinical Trauma Professional.
I have worked as a mental health professional both in India and Canada. I have worked with individuals from diverse backgrounds and varied needs in NGOs, mental health organizations, rehabilitation centers, and schools. I am a published author of various articles on mental health and well-being online, and a published researcher in one of the Scopus indexed journals.
In my private practice, I work with people from multiple nationalities, providing them a safe, relational space, necessary skills and tools to support their healing process, help them become their most authentic selves, and improve their quality of life.