About Me
Training & Background
I am a registered psychology associate providing psychological and therapeutic services under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. I earned my Master’s degree in Clinical Psychological Science at the University of Maryland. I have over 10 years of experience working with children, adolescents, teens, young adults, and families in clinical, research, school, and community-based settings. I integrate socio-cultural perspectives to my clinical work focusing on the use of anti-capitalist and anti-racist frameworks along with minority stress theory to treat mental health symptoms in individuals belonging to marginalized racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. My primary goal is to practice from a culturally affirming stance such that clients’ identities are supported and validated and a sense of satisfaction and harmony can be attained.
I specialize in working with adolescents, young adults, and working professionals with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and trauma. My work centers on utilizing psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral interventions while incorporating a holistic, strengths-based, mind-body approach to mental health and well-being. I aim to support clients in growing into their authentic selves and facilitating self-awareness, self-discovery, self-acceptance, and self-empowerment in a judgment-free space. I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional currently trained in third-wave cognitive-behavioral therapy modalities including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (MB-CBT) along with trauma-focused interventions such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) and somatic experiencing (SE). I also have extensive training in motivational interviewing and executive function coaching.
Who Am I?
In my free time, I love to cook and I especially love to eat! Trying new cuisines is always fun and exciting for me and as a vegetarian, I love the challenge of incorporating new flavors into my meals. I greatly enjoy traveling and visiting new places and sights in order to learn about cultures around the world. I’ve lived in four different states and two different countries and look forward to taking in a lot more of what the world has to offer.
Being raised as a South Asian woman in both America and India, I’ve been exposed to holistic ways of living since I was young. This has contributed to my interest in learning about a variety of whole-health practices and techniques. Along with that, I am on a personal journey of finding ways to live more sustainably. When the pandemic first hit, I bought several grow kits to learn how to grow my own herbs, fruits, and vegetables and now consider myself a novice gardener. As a recently trained and certified yoga instructor through Yoga Alliance (RYT-200), I enjoy expanding upon my yoga practice and sharing the ancient tradition of yoga with others. Tying this all together, I believe change and growth are core facets of being and often refer to myself as a lifelong learner, hoping to expand and develop over time through personal experience.