BIPOC Licensed Social Worker with a focus on sex therapy, identity and self-discovery, religious trauma, and adult adoptee experiences.
For Indiana residents (individuals and couples) virtually and in-person in North Indianapolis.
Brainspotting trained. LGBTQIPA+, kink/BDSM, and ethical non-monogamy/polyamory affirming.
I take: Indiana Medicaid (traditional, MHS, HIP, Ambetter, Hoosier Healthwise, and MDwise), Aetna, Cigna, IU Health (Narrow and Premier plans), as well as self-pay.
You deserve a therapy experience built on collaboration and comfort where you feel safe, secure, and accepted.
In working with people from all walks of life, I learned that it is important to meet clients where they are at, which means creating an environment where you can feel empowered and in control of your own therapy experience. My job is to walk with you on your journey of self-discovery and through the healing process. The goal of therapy with me is to support and promote change that helps you in developing healthy and fulfilling relationships and in fostering a greater sense of personal wellbeing, whether that is discovering yourself for the first time or learning to be comfortable in your own skin.
Intercountry and transracial adoptee.
Licensed Social Worker.
Sex Therapist.
My passion is helping people discover who they are and how they want to interact in the world, even if the world has made it difficult for them to be authentic or successful. Many of those around me—including myself—struggled to find therapists who understand their unique experiences and needs, with a preference for therapists who have their own lived experiences that foster understanding. Specifically, there is a lack of representation among therapists of adoptees of color, of people who not only understand but are closely aligned with the polyamory and BDSM/kink communities, and those who understand religious trauma and choosing to leave religion from a similar background. My hope is to help fill the void of minority clinicians and that my lived experience can help me offer nonjudgmental understanding and comfort to clients who are seeking a therapist who “gets it.”
Here’s how I help
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Sex Therapy
Sex therapy is a specialty psychotherapy where the clinician is comfortable focusing on issues related to sex, sexuality, gender, and relationships. Whether you are working through your own sexual identity, are escaping shame from family or religion, need help in your marriage or other relationships, or you want to process your sexual trauma, these things can be addressed by a trained and experienced sex therapist. I am training through the Sexual Health Alliance program and working toward AASECT certification. I am most comfortable with LGBTQIPA+, issues with purity culture, kink/BDSM, and ethical nonmonogamy/polyamory, and I can offer intervention for sexual trauma (see Brainspotting). If you are seeking therapy in a nonjudgmental, knowledgeable, and inclusive environment, please set up a session to see if we fit.
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Adult Adoptees
As an intercountry (India) and transracial adoptee myself, I know firsthand how difficult it is to find a therapist who understands feelings of abandonment, of not fitting in, of not having racial or ethnic mirrors growing up, of not knowing who we are, of losing language and culture, and issues with attachment we may experience throughout a lifetime. I work with adolescent and adult adoptees to process emotions and work on developing a sense of self that is authentic and yours, not what others expect of you. I am also knowledgeable about the parts of adoption that is not “rainbows and unicorns” and how complicated relationships can be, whether you had a “good” adoption or a “bad” one, whether you are in reunion or reunion is impossible. If you are seeking an adoptee of color therapist with lived experience, please reach out.
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Religious Trauma
No matter your religious background, if you were subjected to controlling belief systems, forced rituals and behaviors, financial or labor exploitation, fear of punishment, restricted relationships, removal from society, low self-worth, or sexual, physical, emotional and/or psychological abuse, you may have religious trauma. Additional trauma can occur when leaving religious community due to increased isolation, abuse and retaliation, and fear of divine punishment, as well as acculturation with the outside world and existential crisis. It can be difficult to work through the emotions from recognizing religious abuse and choosing to leave the community. I am prepared to work with you to redefine thoughts about yourself and your place in the world and to help you find who you are outside of the beliefs and practices that harmed you.
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Brainspotting
Brainspotting is a trauma intervention that utilizes the visual field to help access the subcortical brain. In plain speak: your eyes can help you find the best spot of your brain to process memories and feelings. In David Grand’s words, creator of Brainspotting: “Where you look affects how you feel.” A brainspotting therapist will help you learn to find certain eye positions and perform body scanning to help you locate, focus, and process your emotions — good and bad. Brainspotting can alleviate how certain thoughts or memories make you feel and to build resilience and resources. Brainspotting can be used with other therapeutic tools, so if you had a good experience with other modalities, this can supplement the work you have already done. It is also a tool that can help when other talk therapy models have not produced the results you want.
‘i love myself.’
the
quietest.
simplest.
most
powerful.
revolution
ever.
— ism
nayyirah waheed
Interested in working with me?
Set up a consultation or schedule a session to see if we are a good fit!