My journey of becoming a counsellor has been quite exploratory, reflective, personal and unique. I was introduced to psychology quiet later in my life, after I had completed my graduation from a completely different field, engineering!
Getting introduced to this subject for the first time brought in a lot of curiosity and a sense of resonance, and that led me to exploring it further. Understanding human experiences- the diversities, the uniqueness, the social-cultural-historical contexts has always intrigued me, and this inclination played a big part in my exploration of mental health as a career field. Witnessing a close friend’s story of very difficult life experiences, greatly influenced me at a personal level in wanting to create safer and compassionate spaces of support. These, along with many other factors and influences have shaped my career choice of entering the field of mental health.

The most exciting part of my work as a counsellor is the opportunity to witness the unique know-hows, skills, hopes, values and resilience in each client’s experiences. I deeply cherish and value the therapeutic relationship I share with my clients, as it brings so much meaning and hope to my own life.

I hope that my clients feel safe, comfortable, heard, empowered and hopeful after their first session.

Seeking counselling might not be an easy step. For anybody who is thinking about seeking counselling, I want you to know that I see so much courage, strength and self-compassion in this first step that you have taken. I am also curious, if you could name this action of ’thinking about seeking counselling’ what would you call it ?

I want you to know that counselling/ therapy is a safe, non-judgmental and confidential space. You may have various questions/ concerns about starting therapy and it’s completely ok to ask therapists questions about the process, their qualifications, fees, or any other question you may have that could help you make an informed choice.

Therapy is a collaborative process and throughout the therapy journey, you retain control over your decisions and experiences. Your therapist will be by your side to guide you and to explore possibilities with you, but will not make or impose decisions on you. It’s perfectly okay to provide feedback to your therapist about what is working and what is not working for you.

I’d just want you to pat your back for taking this first step and I’d want you to know that you are not alone in this journey!

I believe that the client is the expert of their lives and that they know the best. As a therapist, my role is to walk along with my clients in their journey of navigating the different territories of their lives- the challenges, the hopes, the values, the skills. In therapy, I take the position of a co-traveler in the passenger seat, guiding the client as they steer the wheel and navigate their life from the driver’s seat.
Guided by ‘de-centered yet influential’ position, I always strive to center the client’s experiences and invite myself in witnessing client stories through lens of curiosity. Some standard practices that I have found helpful in making the process collaborative include: Seeking feedback, Asking and prioritizing client’s take (e.g. asking clients how they would want to name the experience as opposed to giving labels, asking if they’d consider something as ‘problematic’ and exploring that together).
Being aware of the power and privilege that comes with sitting in the ’therapist’s chair’ has helped me remain mindful of not perpetuating this power dynamic and finding small ways to bridge the power hierarchy.

My clients have taught me that no one is a passive recipient of hardships or trauma, people are always responding, even in the face of most difficult circumstances. I am always moved and inspired by my client’s stories of resilience, resistance and hope. Furthermore, they have reaffirmed that every relationship involves a two-way contribution- each client has influenced and contributed to my life in significant and meaningful ways.

I consider compassion, curiosity, self-awareness and reflection as my greatest strengths. I bring my true self into the therapy sessions with genuineness and authenticity. I understand that my own experiences, values, and beliefs shape how I connect with and help my clients. I’m also open to feedback, willing to acknowledge my mistakes and shortcomings, and committed to continually learning, unlearning, and relearning.

In my free time, I watch (or binge watch) Movies/ TV Shows, catch up with my family and close ones, sleep, day dream, play Sudoku, paint my nails or engage in other random fun activities.

I draw from a mix of various approaches, and integrate different approaches while holding on to the principles of post-modernism and trauma informed care. Some of the key ideas that guide my work are :
1) Problems are not experienced in isolation; they are experienced within a context influenced by systems, cultures, histories, norms, and power structures of which people are a part.
2) People know their lives the best and they are the experts of their lives.
3) People are not the problem, and problems need to be seen as separate from people.
4) Problems are not the only stories of people’s lives. People’s lives are also so much about stories of hopes, dreams, values, skills, commitments that people cherish and give importance to.
5) Even through the toughest circumstances, people are always responding to the problems.
6) Small steps, actions, efforts create meaningful and fulfilling impacts.

I take conscious efforts to create a queer affirmative space for my clients which includes:
1) Respecting and honoring people’s diversities (in and outside therapy)
2) Being mindful of the language I use
3) Staying away from assumptions- asking and directly checking with my clients rather than assuming
4) Using an intersectional lens to recognize that queer individuals may face multiple, overlapping forms of oppression related to their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, class, and other aspects of their identity.
5) Taking steps to build my awareness and knowledge on concerns experienced by the queer community through trainings and readings.
6) Being mindful of and increasing my awareness of my own social location, biases, privilege and shortcomings as a cis-gendered, heterosexual therapist through self-reflection and supervision.