Why I Became a Therapist

Growing up in a South Asian household, mental health was not something we talked about. Not at the dinner table, not with friends, and certainly not with extended family. When someone was struggling, the response was often the same: pray harder, work harder, keep going. Feelings were pushed aside. Vulnerability was treated like weakness.

I saw what that silence did to the people I loved. I saw how trauma passed from one generation to the next, unnamed and unaddressed. I watched people carry impossible burdens with no permission to set them down.

That is why I became a therapist. Not because I had all the answers, but because I knew what it felt like to need a space where you could finally be honest — and I wanted to create that space for others.

My Approach

I believe therapy should feel like a conversation with someone who genuinely understands your world — not a clinical exercise where you are reduced to a checklist of symptoms. My style is warm, direct, and grounded in evidence-based methods that actually work.

My primary therapeutic modalities include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — Identifying and reshaping the thought patterns that keep you stuck in cycles of anxiety, self-doubt, or avoidance
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) — A specialized approach for processing trauma and PTSD that helps the brain heal without requiring you to relive every detail
• Internal Family Systems (IFS) — Working with the different parts of yourself — the protector, the critic, the wounded child — to build internal harmony and self-compassion

I pull from each of these depending on what you need in the moment. Therapy is not one-size-fits-all, and I tailor my approach to fit your goals, your pace, and your comfort level.

What I Specialize In

I work with adults across Illinois who are navigating:

• PTSD and Trauma — Whether from a single event, childhood experiences, or complex relational trauma
• Anxiety — The kind that keeps your mind racing at 2 a.m. or makes everyday decisions feel overwhelming
• ADHD — Not just the diagnosis, but the shame, frustration, and self-criticism that often come with it
• Stress and Burnout — Especially for high-achieving individuals who feel like they can never do enough
• Self-Esteem — Rebuilding your sense of worth after years of being told you are too much or not enough
• South Asian and Multicultural Therapy — Navigating identity, family expectations, immigration stress, intergenerational trauma, and the weight of living between cultures
• EMDR Therapy — Processing trauma that lives in the body, beyond what words can reach
• Grief Counseling — For loss of all kinds – people, relationships, identity, and the life you thought you would have
• Postpartum & Perinatal — Support for new and expecting mothers navigating PPD, anxiety, and the identity shift of motherhood

If you are a first-generation American, an immigrant, or someone from a culturally diverse background, I see you. I understand the specific pressures you carry — the code-switching, the guilt, the unspoken family rules. You do not have to explain your culture to me before we can get to the real work.

Education and Credentials

I hold a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, both from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I have been in clinical practice since 2019, working with individuals across a wide range of backgrounds and presenting concerns.

My Practice: POM Therapy Collective

Being fully virtual means you can attend sessions from wherever you feel most comfortable — your living room, your car during a lunch break, or a quiet corner of your home after the kids are in bed. No commute, no waiting rooms, no awkward small talk in a lobby.

I accept insurance through Headway, which means many clients pay little to nothing out of pocket. If you are unsure whether your insurance is accepted, the easiest way to find out is to check through the booking link below.

What Working With Me Looks Like

The first step is a free 15-minute consultation call. This is not therapy — it is a chance for us to connect, for you to ask questions, and for both of us to see if we are a good fit. There is no pressure and no commitment.

If we decide to move forward, we will schedule regular sessions (typically weekly) where we will work together on the goals that matter most to you. Some clients come in with a clear idea of what they want to work on. Others just know something feels off. Both are completely fine.

What I can promise you is this: you will be heard. You will not be judged. And you will never be pushed faster than you are ready to go.