When I went through my own struggles with mental health and witnessed the same in people around, it became a driving force to starting my journey in this field.

I consider it a privilege to be such a close part of someone’s journey and to create, mutually, a space that can be called safe. I think we often assume that its only the therapist who impacts the client’s life, but in reality there is so much that changes within me in my journey with my clients.

To get an idea of the way I work, to clarify any queries that they have and experience some level of comfort with me. I want my clients to show up as they are and know that all the range of emotions that they are experiencing in the first session is understandable and that they are not alone in this. I like to demystify the process as much as possible.

1. Firstly, I am glad that you are considering seeking therapy.
2. It is your right to ask questions and be well-informed about your therapist and the process.
3. I see therapy as a process where you are in the driving seat and the steering wheel is in your hand. I sit in the seat beside you. I bring my skills, understanding of theories, and personhood to the session but in no way claim to be the expert of your life. We will work collaboratively.
4. If you have inhibitions about something not working out in the process, please bring it up, so that we can address it together.

I check in with the clients about the direction in which they want to head so that we can set goals together. I let them know that they can bring up concerns and give feedback at any point. I ensure that when I say something, it’s not an expert opinion, and it’s their right to disagree. Even when strategies are suggested, I ask if they have tried or if they want to try, I don’t assume that just because it has worked for others it will work for them.

Clients have been living and dealing with their concerns in ways that they know. Before I introduce strategies, they have taught me to curiously explore what they have already been doing and then to build on/add to it.

I don’t just work with clients at an individual level but view the impact of external systems on mental health. While skills and theories are important, I place a lot more importance on my personhood in sessions that help build a trusting relationship. Clients’ lived experiences are given the utmost importance.

I enjoy binging on reality shows, painting, dancing, park walks and spending time with my fellow humans.

I don’t believe that one size fits all and hence the choice of therapeutic approaches is made based on the needs of each client. Having said that, I incline more towards narrative therapy and incorporate an intersectional, queer affirmative, and trauma-informed lens. These imply that in therapy we view the problem as the problem and consider the impact of different psycho-social-political systems on mental health.

I do not go in with an assumption of gender, pronouns, and sexual orientation in my sessions. I execute this through the language I use. The intake forms have spaces for each of these information that clients can fill in or choose not to. I seek supervision and engage in self-work to keep my biases in check. The space explores the experience of queer and trans folx within the context of the systems we live in.