Individual Psychotherapy
I work with children, adolescents, and adults in individual therapy. Although trained as a generalist, prior to becoming a psychologist, I had advanced training in issues related to gender, sexuality, and race, and I encourage those I work with to understand themselves from the different lenses of their experience and identity.
I have particular clinical experience in working with people who have experienced trauma, particularly sexual assault and sexual abuse. I also have advanced clinical training in working with those who may experience symptoms that have thus far been resistant to prior treatment or therapy. Related to this, I have focused much of my training on understanding the ways in which chronic stresses in one's early life may result in symptoms analogous to acute traumatic experiences; my interest in this area grew as I met patients who felt frustrated believing there was no single "event" that had occurred, yet they experienced persistent and sometimes severe symptoms and difficulties. Because the effects of early stress date back to one's childhood, many people believe that their symptoms or efforts to cope with symptoms are just "who they are," and they are "stuck" with it, though that is not true.
An important part of my practice is working with patients who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual. I also identify as a gender-affirming therapist for and specialize in working with those who identify as gender-queer, gender-non-conforming, gender-fluid, or transgender.
Lastly, I have pursued education and training that has given me a strong foundation in understanding issues of immigration and acculturation, particularly as it relates to those of South Asian ethnicity.
Couples
Couples therapy can be a meaningful way to gain perspective, deepen understanding, or work through a difficult moment or event within a relationship.
Sometimes, after a betrayal or a period of disconnection or mistrust, couples therapy can be a space where a couple can navigate painful feelings in a safe and containing space.
At other times, there may not be a crisis, but couples may seek therapy to improve their communication, increase intimacy, or to break negative patterns of interacting.
Couples therapy may also be useful to those who are planning a marriage, so that they may better know one another. Likewise, therapy can also help a couple determine if marriage is a shared next step.
Testing
I offer psychological and psycho-educational testing for children, adolescents, and adults. Testing can help to clarify diagnosis, plan treatment, and identify specific strategies and recommendations that may help in school and work settings, particularly as it related to an individual's cognitive, achievement, or emotional challenges.
Parenting Coordination
When couples decide to separate, it can be difficult to figure out how to come together for shared parenting responsibilities. Parenting coordination is an opportunity for separated parents to work together and develop a plan for co-parenting in a way that prioritizes the health and well-being of the children. Parenting coordination offers a way to acknowledge very real and often raw feeling of hurt, betrayal, anger, and disappointment that may exist between two separating adults, while providing guidance for how to prevent those feelings from dictating parenting decisions. Parenting coordination assists co-parents in developing a written contract that clearly outlines agreements and decisions as related to parenting practices; in some cases, parenting coordination may also include ongoing support in terms of scheduled or as-needed appointments where two parents who may not get along can come together to discuss shared parenting issues with professional support.
Supervision & Consultation
I provide licensed, clinical supervision for those in the mental health field who are looking to deepen their understanding of psycho-dynamic theory in their clinical work, who want to better understand theories of gender and sexuality, or who want support in working with patients with histories of trauma and/or severe and persistent mental illness.
