Coming from a space of understanding that all individuals have their own ways of perceiving different situations and circumstances, I acknowledge that each of us have their own ways of coping, adapting with and accommodating to them. However, it is only natural for a lot of us to not be able to identify the ideal measure for us in the first go! I find it to be an empowering journey to explore the potential of a situation impacting us, what it is bringing up for us and how we desire to work with it. To be able to aid that journey for another individual by holding a safe space and enabling them to introspect, has been one of my main reasons to become a therapist.

Every next therapy session is a journey yet to be taken on. The conversations that the client(s) and I hold, the themes we uncover, their obstacles and concerns, and the ever developing self-image of the person sitting in front of me, intrigues me to a huge extent. Through the journey the client and I get to see how a multiverse of identities exists within each one of us, while none of them is necessarily a constant- and this entire process thoroughly engages me!

I see the first session as an integral part of a person’s therapy experience. The safety, trust, validation that one receives from a therapist can be a make or break point for their bond. However important it is, we must acknowledge that it is a continuous and extensive work-in-progress for the most part. The first impressions, the responses and the clients’ perception of the therapist and an idea of how they are being perceived by the professional, happen to be the key moments of the first therapy sessions. I hope that after the first sessions with me, my clients make room for watching themselves be seen, heard and respected in a space. After all, being the most raw version of yourselves is not only wanted but also much appreciated here!

Starting therapy might not be the easiest decision that you have had to make, and that’s perfectly alright. The thought of therapy, of sitting with another person and getting a close look at what has been concerning you, can be a daunting and overwhelming experience. I firmly believe that your comfort pace matters a lot to the decision. At all points in the process, you hold full authority over pausing for some time. Understanding your concerns and working through or with them, takes time and comes with a lot of active breaks too.

When you feel distressed by your decision, you pause, and when you feel it is the right time, we begin.

Therapy is a two-way process. It is not only the therapist facilitating the session but also the way in which the client shows up for themselves that adds an equal amount of essence to the sessions. The only thing I expect from my clients is for them to be the most unfiltered version of themselves possible. Let’s observe what happens for you when you let the pressure of being your ideal self be on the minimal.

With every new session I get the opportunity to know a little bit more about my clients and see their world from their perspectives. I feel observing a different framework play out through decisions made by a wholly different individual can be a learning in its own. Through the ups and downs in therapy, I appreciate and value how the individuality of each of my clients comes out. Getting the opportunity to see their resilience, ability to make decisions to safeguard their needs and to make efforts to remove obstacles from their way, have always been learnings which I takeaway from the sessions.

I bring to the table grounding work, reflections, analogies and useful humour as and when needed. All in all, I do carry the ability to build healthy connections with my clients which allow the sessions to take place smoothly and for any feedback to flow through without hesitation from either end. No matter how much experience I gain, there will always be some concern that I might not be equipped to tackle, and I acknowledge that. However, acknowledging what I lack does not do much for the therapy process. Thus, I ensure that I continue to read up and upskill, thereby doing justice to my clients who are regularly confiding in me.

I love going for a walk after my work is done and I like exploring new recipes to cook and new shows to watch. Spending quality time with friends helps me connect and unwind after hectic days. Finding out new (and random) things through YouTube definitely fills up a lot of my free time!

I use more of an eclectic approach, which means that I borrow from a lot of modalities that I am trained in and tailor my sessions with each of my clients after assessing what might be the most suitable for them. That said, I am trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Gestalt Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). However, I believe in having an eclectic approach because the “one size fits all” might be restrictive for a lot of clients.

Through my therapy sessions I build a safe, inclusive and non-judgemental space for my clients to explore their thoughts, feelings and even incidents with regards to their gender identities and sexual orientation. I try to keep myself updated with resources building in our mental health community and I bring it to our sessions, in case any of my clients need help with resourcing. Every person’s journey is different in its own way and comes with difficulties and obstacles which are not equatable to that of another person. In the therapy sessions, we make space for each of them to unfold at their own pace.