About
When between two worlds, the path forward is not obvious.
You know what it’s like to feel tugged between two very different worlds. The only connection between those worlds seems to be you.
Where do you fit? Everyone expects you to know the answer. While your family expects you to succeed in this world, you are still trying to figure it out.
There’s no time for you to depend on others. Ultimately, you must figure out your path forward by yourself.
It feels like you’re wearing a mask.
No one knows what’s happening in your mind and heart.
You feel like you must put on a happy face for everyone around you.
That way, people won’t worry about you or think you can’t handle the pressure.
Finding your true self is the goal.
Eventually, we find a place that feels like home – within our hearts.
We feel safe, secure, understood, and loved in this place.
Integration of all our experiences helps make us into our unique selves. Every one of us has gifts to share with the world. What are yours?
Find a space to unpack how you feel.
Let’s be curious, open, and nonjudgmental about where you are at this exact time.
Is anxiety, depression, or stress stopping you in your tracks? Are you feeling stuck and unfulfilled? Maybe all external markers of “success” are there, but you still feel unhappy or empty.
Let’s unpack the pressure to perform and allow you the space to heal. In this space, I meet you where you are.
I am on this path with you.
I am a first-generation American woman of South Asian descent. I was born in Massachusetts and have lived here my whole life. Here, I attended public schools as a child, graduated high school, attended college and graduate school, met my husband, and had my two children (now teenagers).
Immigrant parents shaped me in ways I am still working on unpacking. Being “other,” misunderstood, and a receiver of microaggressions and racism are all experiences I’ve had growing up as a brown girl in white-dominated spaces.
Ideas about race when I was growing up in the 1980s centered around “color blindness,” a construct that deeply impacted my relationship with my own identity.
With each stage of life – adolescence, young adulthood, marriage, parenting – I’ve learned new things about myself and let go of beliefs that no longer serve me. I am on this path with you!
About Me
My journey…
People have always wanted to tell me their story – on the subway, in a coffee shop, at the lunch table.
My goal has always been to learn how to be part of the solution and truly help.
In my early adult days, I worked in the restaurant business to make ends meet. Here I met some great friends and those who struggled with substance abuse. Some have recovered, but others I’ve lost. Each one of them has taught me a great deal about life. Most importantly, they taught me that pain is part of every person’s life.
I’m passionate about working with teenagers because once adolescents feel seen and understood, they find the motivation and drive to seek their dreams. Some of my experiences with school-aged children included those abused and neglected. These experiences taught me the importance of structure, boundaries, and predictability for our basic need for safety and security.
While working in inpatient psychiatric settings with adults, adolescents, and children, I learned about the critical importance of family and social support to make even the best treatment plan effective. My experience conducting home visits with adults suffering from chronic mental illness taught me the limitations of institutionalized care and the power of kindness.
Personal and professional experiences influenced my choices.
Experiencing my struggles and those of others led me to obtain my Master’s in Social Work from Simmons College and become a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. I also received a certificate in Urban Leadership, supporting my passion for helping BIPOC communities.
I trained as a Substance Abuse Counselor, a School Social Worker, a Clinical Social Worker in multiple hospital settings, and a Case Coordinator in a Department of Mental Health-funded community-based program.
I spent 14 years of my career in a biotech case management setting. I understand the pull of the corporate world and the difficulties of maintaining balance in a fast-paced business environment. I’ve dealt with my own burnout and the climb back to health, which required tending to my physical, emotional, and spiritual health. I had to re-evaluate my values and boundaries to adjust my path and live out my true purpose.
I look forward to the opportunity to help you find your way “home” – to the place within you that combines all your life experiences and accepts all parts of you.
Some of the clinical experiences that shape my approach include:
- Assistant Special Education Teacher – Home for Little Wanderers
- School for children with emotional and behavioral disabilities
- Clinical Social Work Intern – Veterans Administration Hospital, REACH (Responsibility, Ethics, Attitude, Choices, Health) Program
- Residential program for veterans with substance abuse issues
- Clinical Social Work Intern – Comprehensive School-Age Parenting Program, West Roxbury High School
- Therapeutic support program for at-risk, pregnant, and parenting teens
- Urban Leadership Project Lead – Healthy Connection Program, West Roxbury High School
- Peer mentoring program for Haitian immigrant high school students
- Case Coordinator – North Suffolk Mental Health Association, CRS (Community Rehabilitation and Support) Program
- Community-based support for adults with chronic mental illness
- Clinical Social Worker – Cambridge Health Alliance and McLean Hospital
- Inpatient psychiatric care for adults, teens, and children
- Certified Clinical Trauma Professional
- Evergreen Certifications: 117318 / 2023
- Certified Child and Anxiety Treatment Professional
- Evergreen Certifications: 155798 / 2023
…and my community work, past and present:
- Facilitator, Selfish Women’s Group
- Self-care group for women of BIPOC descent
- Facilitator, Listen to Your Body Group
- Support group for breast cancer survivors of BIPOC descent
- Editor, What’s Up Magazine
- Social justice-focused magazine distributed by homeless vendors
When I’m not at work…
… you’ll find me hiking with my husband, driving around my two teens, or lounging with our two cats (Elijah and Grogu).
As a busy parent, I must stay grounded! I love going on mindfulness walks and observing the natural beauty around me. Meditation and yoga are my favorite ways to stay centered.
I also really love to laugh! I’m the person who will tell a joke to a stranger in the grocery line to lighten the mood. I believe there’s beauty in every moment if we take the time to be present and notice.