I draw my inspiration, therapeutic skills and consultation style from my upbringing, work experiences and the places I have resided. I am a British Asian Indian woman born in London, England and currently reside in San Francisco, USA. I am a therapist, educator, consultant, writer, mother and curious about life.
Education and Work
Currently I am full-time faculty, Assistant Professor in the MA Counseling Psychology Program at The Wright Institute, Berkeley. I also teach classes in the MS Counseling Program at San Francisco State University. In addition I provide counseling, therapy, clinical supervision, and national and international consultation and training services at my private practice in San Francisco, California.
My academic background is rich and diverse including business, education, sociology and counseling. In graduate school, I attained a teaching credential in the United Kingdom and California, USA. I am also a trained school counselor (PPSc), hold a Masters in Counseling and licensed Marriage Family Therapist in California, United States.
I have extensive experience of providing community mental health and school based mental health services. For further information about my work, please visit my LinkedIn profile.
My Passion: Advocating and Giving Back to the Community
In my free time, I help to create change by holding various positions on non-profit boards, volunteering my services in the community, presenting at counseling conferences, and writing articles on the subject of mental health.
I currently serve as:
- Co-Chair and Board Member, the Mental Health Board of San Francisco, advising the Behavioral Health Director and Board of Supervisors about mental health funding, policy and services.
- Training Advisory Committee Member, The American Psychological Association (APA) Minority Fellowship Program
- Board of Directors, The Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA), and Co-Chair for the Division on Practice.
- Board of Directors, San Francisco Mental Health Education Funds.
- Board Member, MySahana.
- Advisory Board Member, 3rdi, San Francisco South Asian International Film Festival.
- Past leadership roles include Communications Officer for the Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA), past Chair (2011-2012) for the Division on South Asian Americans (DoSAA) part of the AAPA, and I am on the Senior Advisory Council for the DoSAA and past professional member on the International Committee of the American Counseling Association.
Awards and Recognitions
This year, I won the 2018-2019 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Certificate in Leadership Scholarship. This competitive scholarship is offered to AAMFT members with high potential to develop as leaders in the profession. I am so excited to be joining the 2018-19 cohort so I can represent Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) minorities in my field, get leadership support so I can train future MFT leaders.
During graduate school, I was awarded the Virginia Lee Block Scholarship and the “Graduate Student Award for Distinguished Achievement, 2006” for outstanding scholarship, professional activity, and service to the community. In 2009, I was awarded a financial award by the State of California for my work in serving underrepresented communities in San Francisco. In 2010, I received an award from the Division on Women, part of the Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA) for my presentation on Post-Partum Depression Among Asian American Women: Cultural Considerations and Treatment.
Professional Organizations
Being connected and involved with numerous professional counseling and psychological associations allows me to network with other professionals in the field, stay informed on the current trends in mental health and learn ways I can better serve my clients and the community. I have presented at the majority of the professional organizations that I belong to. My professional affiliations include:
- American Psychological Association (APA)
- American Association for Marriage Family Therapy (AAMFT)
- Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA)
- Division on South Asian Americans (DoSAA) and Division on Practice, part of AAPA
- American Counseling Association (ACA)
- American School Counseling Association (ASCA)