South Asian Therapy

Looking For A Therapist Who Truly Understands Where You Come From?

Do you find yourself exhausted by the gap between who you are expected to be and who you actually are? Are you caught between honoring your family's values and building a life — or a relationship — that feels genuinely yours? Maybe you are struggling with the weight of expectations that were never spoken out loud but have always been there, shaping every decision you make.

Perhaps you have thought about therapy before, but hesitated. Mental health was not something openly discussed in your family growing up — and the idea of talking to a stranger about private family matters may feel uncomfortable, even disloyal. Or maybe you have tried therapy and spent half the session explaining your family structure, your parents' expectations, or why you cannot simply set a boundary and move on. You left feeling more drained than when you arrived.

You deserve a therapist who already understands that context — one who can meet you where you are without requiring you to justify it first.

The Tension You Feel Is Real — And You Are Not Alone

Growing up in a South Asian family means growing up inside a deeply relational culture — one where family bonds are a source of profound love and strength, and also, at times, immense pressure. These two things are not mutually exclusive, even when they feel impossible to hold at once.

Many South Asian individuals and couples carry a specific set of stressors that mainstream therapy often overlooks or oversimplifies. Intergenerational patterns passed down without anyone choosing them. Enmeshment with family of origin that makes it hard to know where your parents end and you begin. The unspoken rules around marriage — who you should partner with, when, and what a good marriage should look like from the outside. The particular shame of struggling in ways your family might see as a reflection on them.

These struggles are far more common than they appear, precisely because the cultural pressure to appear functional is so strong. If you are carrying this quietly, you are not weak — you are navigating something genuinely difficult. And you do not have to keep doing it alone.

A Therapist Who Understands From the Inside

As a South Asian therapist myself, I bring more than clinical training to this work. I understand the texture of the dynamics you are navigating — not just conceptually, but personally. I know what it means to hold family loyalty and individual desire in tension. I understand the particular bind of loving your family deeply and also recognizing that some of what you inherited is quietly costing you.

This shared cultural understanding means you do not have to spend your sessions educating me. We can get to the actual work faster — with more depth, more honesty, and fewer detours. At the same time, I hold this work with nuance. I do not assume your experience mirrors mine, or that all South Asian families operate the same way. Your story is yours. My cultural fluency simply means I can follow it without getting lost.

I have been working with South Asian individuals and couples in Manhattan since 2019. My clinical approach is grounded in Relational Life Therapy (RLT), a highly directive, skill-based method that goes beyond processing feelings to actually teaching you new ways of relating — to your partner, your family, and yourself. I am fully certified in RLT, one of a relatively small number of therapists in New York to hold that certification.

Whether you are coming for individual therapy or couples counseling, the work is tailored specifically to you. I do not apply a generic template. I work with what you bring — the specific family history, the particular relationship dynamics, the cultural context that shapes all of it — and help you find a way forward that feels true to who you are.

How I Can Help

For Individuals

Individual therapy can help you untangle the intergenerational patterns you have inherited and begin to understand how they are shaping your relationships, your sense of self, and your choices. We can work on developing healthier boundaries with family — not by rejecting your roots, but by learning to engage with them in ways that no longer cost you your wellbeing. Many clients come in feeling like they are failing at being both a good South Asian child and a fully realized adult. The goal is to help you hold both, on your own terms.

For Couples

Couples therapy for South Asian partners often involves exploring the unspoken expectations each person brought into the relationship — about gender roles, family involvement, communication, and what a good marriage should look like. Using RLT, I help couples identify the patterns keeping them stuck, understand where those patterns came from, and build new ways of relating that honor both partners. This work is particularly valuable for couples navigating arranged or semi-arranged marriages, cross-cultural partnerships, or significant in-law pressure from one or both sides.

Learn more about Couples Therapy Learn more about Individual Therapy

You May Still Have Questions…

My family would never understand why I am in therapy. Does that matter?

It is very common for South Asian clients to keep their therapy private, at least at first. You do not owe anyone an explanation for taking care of yourself. What matters is that you are here. Many clients find that as the work progresses and they begin to feel better, the stigma they feared starts to feel smaller — and some even find themselves opening conversations with family members they never thought possible. Your therapy is yours. We go at your pace.

I love my family. I do not want therapy to push me away from them.

This is one of the most common fears South Asian clients bring to therapy, and it deserves a direct answer: the goal is never to sever family bonds or ask you to choose between your culture and your wellbeing. The goal is to help you engage with your family in ways that are sustainable — with clearer communication, healthier limits, and less resentment. Many clients find that doing this work actually improves their family relationships over time, not the reverse.

My partner is not South Asian. Can we still work together?

Absolutely. Cross-cultural couples often face unique challenges around family expectations, communication styles, and different assumptions about what a relationship should look like. Having a therapist who understands the South Asian side of that dynamic — without dismissing or pathologizing it — can make a significant difference. I work with many mixed-culture couples and find this work especially meaningful.

You Do Not Have to Keep Carrying This Alone

Whether you are struggling in your relationship, navigating a painful family dynamic, or simply trying to understand yourself better, you deserve support from someone who truly gets where you are coming from.

As a South Asian therapist serving individuals and couples in Midtown Manhattan and via telehealth across New York and New Jersey, I am here to help you build a life and a relationship that feels genuinely yours.

I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation — a low-pressure way to ask questions and get a sense of whether we are a good fit. Reach out today to get started.