I especially enjoy working with...

LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Folks • Children of Immigrants • Artists/Creatives • Undergraduate + Graduate Students • Care Workers

What therapy with me is like

My goal is to be a compassionate listener and create a space where you feel seen, heard, and supported as you face your challenges. I offer a relational approach to therapy and ask questions that help you gain a fuller understanding of your own values and lived experiences. Together, we will deconstruct stories of perfectionism and shame so you can experience more confidence in your daily life. Many of the clients I work with describe feeling more capable to initiate hard conversations, self-advocate, and begin to prioritize their own joy. 

I provide opportunities for trauma-informed breathwork, meditation, or gentle movement. This often helps clients in slowing down and feeling more connected to their breath and body. I also discuss ways you can strengthen your relationships with meaningful individuals + communities outside of therapy to have robust support in life. 

Things we might explore together

Impact of racial, class, and gender identity  • Relationship dynamics • Family and societal expectations • Friendship and community building • Body image • How to navigate racing critical thoughts • Creative practices for self-care

My approach to Narrative Therapy

I’m interested in how the stories we carry are influenced by culture, language, and larger systems of power. How do these stories impact thoughts, relationships, and imagination? I see you as the expert on your own life and will be a compassionate listener as you question stories that no longer serve you and strengthen the ones that more closely reflect your values and preferred ways of living. I often draw on metaphors from the natural world and yoga philosophy. I prioritize personal meaning-making and finding creative ways to embody new stories through art, letter-writing, and visualization. One of my favorite parts of narrative therapy is outsider-witnessing and re-membering. I love hearing about the people, communities, and more-than-human beings that you’re in relationship with and their significance. 

A little about me

I am a queer Indian-American social worker, artist, and yoga teacher. I was born in Chennai and grew up in Chicago. I was deeply politicized by my experiences growing up working-class, the Chicago art + poetry community, and being a daughter of immigrant parents. Prior to working at Mountain View, I worked in college access supporting first-generation students and as a counselor for survivors of sexual and power-based violence. 

Education

Master of Social Work, Boston College

Yoga Teacher Training 200, Ignite Institute: Yogic Leadership and Social Change

Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and Gender Studies, Oberlin College

Outside of Work

I enjoy dancing with friends, going to the movies, obsessing over cute animals, and spending time in nature. You can also find me in my artist studio painting and blasting Dolly Parton, Shakira, or Big Thief in my headphones. 

Working with Deborah

Clients: Individuals & Couples

Format: Virtual Therapy
Location: Massachusetts
Approach: Narrative Therapy, Decolonial Somatic Practices, Trauma-Informed Therapy, Feminist-Relational, Liberational Health
Availability: Limited Openings

Interested in working with Deborah?

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