I am a Toronto-based social worker and therapist providing a space to rest, to be seen, to renew oneself and mend one’s broken dignity. Emotional pain and distress can illuminate a path to self-discovery, healing and transformation. Yet too often we suffer in silence. Therapy is a powerful act of self-affirmation and I endeavor to provide a warm, compassionate and non-judgmental space to gain clarity, tap into your inner wisdom and develop tools and strategies to realize a fulfilling life.

While the therapeutic process will necessarily vary from one person to the next, I integrate a range of insights and techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy, narrative therapy, and mindfulness approaches to therapy and stress reduction. I also bring to my practice an abiding commitment to social justice and to providing a non-pathologizing space that respects the dignity and agency of all my clients in the entire spectrum of their diversity.

I hold a Masters of Social Work from the University of Toronto, a MPhil in International Development from the University of Oxford and a BA in Psychology from York University. I have worked with a wide-range of clients including students, academics and professionals experiencing depression, anxiety, loneliness, low-esteem, relationship issues, stress and racial trauma.

A BIT ABOUT ME

A child of immigrants from India, from a young age I was captivated by questions about the meaning of existence and justice: what is the good life? And how can we create the conditions that enable every human being to flourish and realize a life they value? I sought answers to these questions in literature, in the sacred texts of the world’s religious and mystical traditions, and I studied psychology, social work, and international development – all disciplines that were fundamentally concerned with human suffering and how we might ease it. I also worked with poor and culturally diverse communities in Canada, Tanzania, India, Vietnam and the UK. Despite achieving some measure of outward success, I struggled with anxiety and bouts of sadness. I also felt disconnected from the values of the consumerist, profit-driven society of which I was a part; and like so many other people of colour, I experienced how subtle forms of racial bias could damage one’s dignity and sense of self-worth. Yet I also discovered that one of the marvels of the mind is that it is possible to train it to relate to disturbing thoughts and emotions in a more gentle and wise way. While we often cannot control the circumstances in which we find ourselves or the turns in fortune to which life subjects us, we can with patience and self-compassion cultivate the skills to face the inevitable vicissitudes of life with greater equanimity and calm.