Who am I?

Originally from Arizona, I am the third child born to immigrant parents from Sri Lanka. I felt isolated from the mostly white community I grew up in, and longed for the sense of belonging that I witnessed in other communities of color. Feeling invisible and isolated, I formed a strong internalized belief that I didn’t really belong anywhere! This belief created my own struggles with mental health for years to come.

My experiences in seeking mental health care as an adolescent created a desire to initially become a Psychiatrist, specializing in working with adolescents. While pursuing my undergraduate degree in Biopsychology, I began an internship at a residential facility in Santa Barbara working with adults with chronic mental health issues. Here I started facilitating support groups, which involved using creativity in the healing process. Even though I never considered myself an artist, I saw the transformative powers of art-making, and knew that I wanted to learn how to help others through the creative process. This internship experience prompted me to shift gears away from studying Psychiatry, to pursuing a career path in Mental Health Counseling and Art Therapy at Antioch University. 

My theoretical orientation is grounded in humanistic psychology with an anti-oppressive lens. As a therapist I believe the therapeutic relationship is key to an individual’s growth and change can only 

happen when someone feels empowered to exist. In my work I use a combination of Art Therapy and verbal therapy techniques based on the specific needs of the client. My counseling approach is warm, supportive, and encourages clients to connect with their inner child to unlearn the internalized oppressive messages that result from life, on a micro and macro level; with the belief that unlearning these messages can empower folx into moving forward and reclaiming their lives. 

Who I work with...

As an Art Therapist and Mental Health Counselor, who identifies as Queer and POC, I prioritize working with people of color (because the field of mental health is overwhelmingly white), as well as working with other folx holding marginalized identities (including, but not limited to: queer, non-binary and trans).
I specialize in working with folx around experiences related to:

• Attachment

• Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

• BIPOC folx

• BDSM & Kink

• Creativity development and blocks

• Cumulative Trauma (C-PTSD)

• Gender Identity/Exploration

• Historical Racial Trauma

• Internalized Oppression

• LGBTQIA+ Issues

• Mood Disorders

• Polyamory & ENM

• Sexual Trauma

• Social Justice and Anti-Oppression

• Transgender care, including letters of support 

I am a Nationally Board-Certified Art Therapist and Licensed Mental Health Counselor in WA state, who provides individual art therapy and verbal therapy, as well as clinical supervision. 

WA State License #LH60523778

Board Certified Art Therapist License #17-062