I was about 7 years old when I fell down and bruised my knee. I remember sitting at the doctors table, really scared of the pain, almost about to cry. That’s when the doctor looked up and asked me to count backwards from 20. As I closed my eyes and finished counting, the doctor informed me that I was all set and could leave. This incident later became a pivotal moment in my life. I became fascinated with the human brain and our bodies and how it is designed to heal, to always protect us from pain and suffering. I was astonished by how our brain functioned and how we perceive pain and pleasure.

When I took up psychology in undergrad, I was curious about understanding the human mind. Today I enjoy and find passion in my work because I am curious about understanding and being with the human beings that show up to therapy, work hard on themselves, and display immense resilience and strength.

Being in the here and now with my clients. For clients to show up, share stories of pain and grief, and having the capacity to slow down, be in the here and now to let their bodies process the emotions, is my favourite part about working as a counsellor.

I hope that the client feels safe, seen, and understood. I would like my clients to be comfortable to be their authentic self and find value in our interaction. Additionally, I would also like them to understand a little bit about my process and way of working, and some important aspects about therapy itself.

It is completely ok to not be ok, and ok to seek help. It may be a scary, vulnerable, and sometimes uncomfortable process to show up to therapy, but just show up every week. It is a slow process, a lot like gardening. Once the seeds are rooted in Earth, a lot of love, care, and nurture goes into helping the plant grow.

It is also ok to ask all the questions you may have about therapy to your therapist. It is so important to make an informed choice, for therapy to be a safe space.

I understand therapy as a collaborative process, one where therapist and client work together to move towards a place of safety and understanding. A relationship that is built on trust and empathy.

That people are more that what happened to them. It is such a privilege to listen to clients strength stories and witness their resilience and growth.

My ability to be curious, empathetic and gentle. I am very aware of my own experience in the therapeutic room, and am to build a connection based on mutual trust and respect.

In my free time, you will find me reading a book, watching a cheesy action movie, or working out. At the end of each day, I pause and reflect on my day, engage in breath practice, or do a sinful activity like cooking or painting. I absolutely love to travel and meet new people, and enjoy new cultures.

My clinical framework is very eclectic. I find myself drawing inspiration from different schools of thoughts and am very open to understanding and learning about the many ways we I can help my clients.I work with clients to not only hold space to narrate their stories, but also understand how the story impacts them in the present and focus on creating a safe space for them to process all these experiences.

My approach is trauma-informed, queer affirmative, and relational. I also use mindfulness based approaches in my work, and work with the experience of the presence. I’m very passionate in integrating an intersectional, feminist, and social justice lens into the way we look at our psychological well-being.

I also love the idea of thinking of oneself in terms of parts. it’s such a beautiful way of holding our reality and at the same time being aware of our existence. Thinking in terms of parts has helped me understand how stuck we can get in our narratives sometimes.

My language is inclusive every step of the way, where I make space for the clients personal pronouns, and also state mine. I am constantly educating myself in understanding queer and trans folkx’s concerns.

I am mindful of my own privilege in the world and in the therapeutic room, and strive to create a safe, non-judgemental, and compassionate space for the individual to be seen and heard for who they are.