Pursuing a career in psychology was suggested to me early on in my career journey, and I simply followed suit. But, after going through therapy for my own mental health issues and experiencing the life-changing impact it had on my life, I decided that I would truly like to provide mental health support to others and make a meaningful difference in someone’s life. As a result, I am now a mental health professional.

The ability to bring about change, igniting hope, new perspectives, the feeling of safety, and acceptance of one’s true self excites me in my work as a counsellor.

In the initial session, I want my clients to feel heard and comfortable. They can anticipate a safe environment for them to bring up anything that feels right at that moment. All their thoughts, feelings, and emotions are welcome.

The counselling process is a slow-paced yet goal-oriented journey. I would aim for a day when my clients would be ready to take on their journey independently and reflect on the resources, insights, and learnings that counselling experience has helped them gain. Nevertheless, a client is more than welcome to get in touch again if they feel the need to.

I like to build a relationship based on trust and transparency, where the clients don’t feel that they need to hold back. A place where they feel like being their true selves without any fear or judgment. I build such a relationship by mirroring the values of being non-judgmental and displaying empathy. As I view the counselling journey as the one where the client reaches where they aim to, I set up shared goals for us to work on during this journey.

I feel inspired by the tremendous courage clients display by just coming to the session and talking about their vulnerabilities. All of them have unique and innate strengths that they beautifully utilise to navigate challenging situations in life. Their playful selves encourage me to explore different types of play that I would like to attempt or return to, and this adds to my toolkit for self-care.

I look at my sensitivity, humbleness, and curiosity as some of my strengths that inform the counselling journey. I truly appreciate my ethical values of striving to provide my best for my clients and engaging in reflective practice post-sessions to look back at what emerged and how it can be better facilitated during the therapy session.

I enjoy taking a walk on my terrace and breathing in the fresh air while I listen to some music or reconnect with my loved ones over a phone call. At times, you can find me doodling. The creative patterns that emerge allow me to express myself in the present moment.

My therapeutic approach is humanistic in nature, with an emphasis on personal growth. I help my client notice their existing patterns and open up opportunities for us to bring about shifts in these ways of being that may not be serving them anymore. I incorporate detailed exploration and meaning-making to identify these unhelpful narratives. Elements from various therapeutic modalities that I engage in are person-centered therapy, gestalt therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and narrative therapy.

My values of a non-discriminatory therapy space, irrespective of one’s gender or sexual identity, inform my practice. The Course on Queer Affirmative Practices by MHI has helped me gain an understanding of how a therapist can make their practice affirming. Conversations and interactions with individuals belonging to different gender and sexual identities outside of therapy space help me build and sharpen my perspective and worldview.