What is your approach to therapy?

There are so many ways to answer the question of how I approach therapy, but I think it’s important to start with being able to recognize how my identity plays into what I hope to do and what I hope to give in my therapeutic space. Growing up as a Hindu Indian American in the US of A has shaped me and how I approach my work as a psychologist providing telehealth in Maryland in many, many ways. These experiences have contributed to my growth and my stance as an open and grounded therapist. My identity has both afforded me privilege at times and has made me the subject of discrimination at others. Given these layers, and the difficulty fitting into any prescribed experience, I’ve felt misunderstood at many important points. As difficult as that’s been, I’ve also learned that this is an experience that resonates with many. I have come to feel that this complicated experience is what helps me understand the importance of listening fully to my clients and appreciating the nuance in everyone’s story. It often feels like we’re in a point of time of divisiveness, where people are more interested in fitting people into black and white boxes that fit an established narrative, than grappling with how complicated people can be. While there is a bigger embrace of diversity in so many wonderful ways, the experience of feeling judged and misunderstood remains a universal one - one that can bring a lot of pain. We’ve probably all had a moment where we’ve felt afraid to say something, of felt confusion about our own feelings, because the judgment we encounter in the world seeps into how we talk to ourselves. The distress of feeling unable to be true to ourselves can range from feeling mildly annoying to devastating, and every level merits processing and healing. That’s why my goal in therapy is to create a space for you that pushes back on that sense of judgment, and offers you an authentic chance to be seen and heard in all of your layers. Not just by me as your therapist, but by yourself as well. My hope is for the space we create to free you to be seen holistically. This is a term used widely, for me, it means being able to pay attention to all aspects of your life. To start with, I’m not a nutritionist, but it is important to me to understand how you are nourishing your body. I’m not going to turn into your trainer, but we’re definitely going to talk about your physical health, and how it is impacting your mood (and vice versa!). I have a lot of curiosity about your relationships and your functioning across different spheres of your life that I’d like to explore with you. And of course, I want to explore how spirituality is a part of the equation, if it is. For me, holistic is just another way of saying that I want to understand all of you, as you come to understand all of yourself. I want to understand how each facet of your life is touched by your distress, as well as your strength and resiliency. I want to understand what is missing from bringing the choices you’re making in line with the outcomes you want in your life. Quite simply, I want to help you understand yourself intimately, so you can wholly be a whole you.