I feel that all of us deserve to experience unconditional positive acceptance and compassion in our lives. We all want to feel understood, cared for, valued, and have a sense of belonging. While therapy might not suffice all these needs it offers clients an opportunity to experience it in brief moments of time, through the process. I believe that therapy has something to offer to each one of us. I have experienced the power of therapy both as a therapist and a client and it is my aim to make this accessible to as many people as I can. My work with the marginalized population was an attempt in the same direction.

Being in a position where positive change can be facilitated for others is the most rewarding part of my role as a therapist. I also derive a lot of satisfaction from learning every day from my clients; their stories of resilience, grit, clarity and self-acceptance remind me every day how glorious everyday human life is. Another exciting part of the process is how accepting and open this space is when it comes to ideas and perspectives. All the information/knowledge I have gathered over the years, be it part of my training or otherwise can be helpful for my clients at some point in time. The therapeutic space is so wide, accepting and tolerant for both the therapist and the client.

I would like them to experience warmth, non-judgment and feel validated as they talk about their experiences. This space can normalize conversations around mental health and encourage them to talk openly about the same in other safe spaces too. I would also like them to experience the dynamic without a power differential so they feel empowered to take up space and ask questions in any future therapeutic encounters.

Firstly I commend my clients for taking the brave step of finally reaching out to a professional. I understand it takes a lot of courage and effort to reach this step. My consent form highlights their rights as a client and also gives introductory information about therapy. I also enquire about their expectations from the process and often give them a realistic idea of what to expect. All their questions are welcome, even repeatedly if need be.

I like to use this analogy to explain my role as a therapist to my clients: “You are the one walking the path and making decisions about which route to take. I will be by your side holding your hand as you go on in your journey.”

I believe that the therapeutic relationship is the central essence of the therapeutic process. All schools of thought and techniques come later and only work if the therapist-client alliance is honest, transparent and can hold difficult emotions. Creating space for unpleasant emotions between the therapist-client relationship and using the space to address it often gives the client safety and unconditional positive regard which goes a long way. I value honest communication, punctuality and commitment towards the sessions. The clients are also invited to hold me accountable for the same. While the structure around the sessions are fixed, the duration of the session is open for the client to use as they wish. Because this space invites vulnerability and sensitive conversations, I believe it is also useful to have humor and amusement in the sessions.

Just your attentive listening and presence are all that is needed for clients to start their healing journey.

I have been appreciated by clients for my empathetic attunement despite virtual connection. Regular check-ins about the process and a collaborative outlook take away from the inherent power dynamic in the therapeutic relationship. I believe in empowering my clients to share their stories and facilitating that gives me immense joy. My ability to clarify their concerns and offer small doable tasks to reach our goals hastens their growth. At the same time, I try to challenge them when I see the need for it. I have also realized that sharing neuropsychological and evidence-based resources have helped clients to understand how techniques work. It also makes it more probable that they will take away this information and use it with or without the therapeutic space.

I love dancing and have always enjoyed it recreationally. I try to find time for learning new dance forms and emoting through my body. Traveling is a close second when it comes to how I like spending my free time. Exploring new cultures, peoples, languages and cuisines deepen my understanding of human life. It is very enriching to witness life blooming in different ways and forms. Apart from this, you might find me at quaint cafes enjoying some coffee as I read a book in solace.

All of us deserve warmth, care, and respect, more so when we are talking about pain and suffering. I strongly believe in the healing power of unconditional acceptance and try my best to offer that to my clients. I offer an eclectic approach that is catered to my client, their respective concerns and their needs. Regular feedback questions are posed to fine-tune my approach and work collaboratively in a way that helps the clients. I have a trauma-informed approach that equips me to deal with traumatic incidents which the clients bring in the therapeutic space. I also use tenets from Existential and Narrative schools of thought which emphasize a need for meaning and give clients the agency to narrate their subjective experiences.

I have learned Queer Affirmative Practices during my coursework at TISS. I have also had the opportunity of working with queer clients. My approach is one where non-judgment, safety, and active listening are offered to my clients. Regular check-ins about how they feel during the sessions and if they have any feedback are often useful to gauge if the therapeutic relationship is a good fit for the client. Deconstructing heteronormative narratives and validating their subjective experiences has been a helpful tool in my experience. I also try to offer other resources such as verified links to support groups, talks, courses so that they have better access to the larger queer community.