Gurpreet Chahil
Reaching out for therapy can feel vulnerable, especially if you were taught to handle things on your own, prioritize your family, or keep difficult emotions to yourself. Maybe you’ve spent a lot of time being the “strong one,” trying to meet expectations, or figuring out how to balance who you are with who you’re expected to be. Therapy can offer a space to slow down, make sense of those experiences, and reconnect with yourself. I’m a Punjabi-American Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist providing virtual therapy throughout California. I believe healing begins when we feel genuinely seen, heard, and understood. My goal is to create a warm, collaborative space where you can show up as you are, without judgment or pressure to have everything figured out.
As a Punjabi Marriage & Family Therapist, I understand how cultural expectations, family roles, and stigma can make it hard to ask for support.
I’m especially passionate about supporting adult children of immigrants as they navigate cultural identity, family expectations, relationships, boundaries, and major life transitions. I also work with adolescents (13+), adults, couples, and families from all backgrounds who are navigating anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, family dynamics, and life stressors. As a Punjabi-American therapist, I understand how culture, family values, and generational experiences can shape the way we understand ourselves and our relationships. I approach this work with curiosity rather than blame, helping you explore the patterns and beliefs that have shaped you while identifying what you want to carry forward, and what you may want to do differently. You don’t have to know exactly what you need before starting therapy. Sometimes, the first step is simply giving yourself permission to explore what’s been weighing on you. Wherever you are in that process, I’m here to meet you there.
First session
Your first session is a chance to slow down and talk about what’s been going on in your life. We’ll explore what brought you to therapy, what you’ve been experiencing, and what you hope might feel different. You don’t need to arrive with clear goals or the right words, I’ll help guide the conversation. I’ll also take time to learn about your background, relationships, and experiences so we can understand the bigger picture. We’ll talk about how I approach therapy and begin identifying areas you may want to explore together. You can expect a conversation rather than an interrogation. My goal is for you to leave with a better sense of what therapy with me can look like, what you’d like to work toward, and a few possible next steps. Most importantly, you can come as you are, you don’t have to have it all figured out before you begin.
Strengths
I bring curiosity, cultural awareness, and a willingness to have the conversations that can be difficult to have elsewhere. I’m especially mindful of the ways family roles, cultural expectations, and generational experiences can shape our beliefs about ourselves, our relationships, and what we think our lives are supposed to look like. I’m interested in understanding the bigger picture, where your patterns come from, what they may have helped you navigate, and whether they still fit the person you are becoming. We can hold compassion for the people and experiences that shaped you while also making room to question what you’ve always assumed was true. I also bring a balance of insight and practicality to sessions. We may spend time understanding a recurring relationship pattern or unpacking a belief you’ve carried for years, and then turn that insight into something you can actually use in your day-to-day life. This might mean practicing communication, setting boundaries, challenging unhelpful thoughts, strengthening emotional awareness, or learning to respond differently when familiar patterns show up. I don’t believe growth requires rejecting your culture, distancing yourself from your family, or becoming someone you’re not. Sometimes it means learning what is yours to carry, what belongs to previous generations, what is within your control, and what you want to define for yourself. I adapt therapy to the person in front of me rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all formula. My goal is to help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself while building the clarity, skills, and confidence to make choices that feel intentional and aligned with your values.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who may look like they’re doing fine on the outside but feels stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected internally. You may be navigating anxiety, relationship challenges, family expectations, identity questions, or a major life transition while trying to balance what you want with what others expect of you. I especially enjoy working with adult children of immigrants who are exploring who they are beyond the roles and expectations they grew up with. Maybe you’re questioning beliefs you’ve always accepted, struggling with boundaries or guilt, navigating relationships or marriage, or wondering how to honor your culture while also making choices that feel true to you. You don’t have to come to therapy knowing exactly what you need to change. You may simply know that something doesn’t feel right anymore. You’re curious about yourself, open to reflection, and ready to better understand the patterns shaping your relationships and your life. Together, we can make space for both where you come from and where you want to go.
Treatment methods
Eclectic
You may feel overwhelmed, stuck in familiar patterns, or tired of trying to figure everything out on your own. My eclectic approach means therapy isn’t limited to one way of understanding your experience. I draw from CBT, ACT, Psychodynamic, mindfulness, and systems-oriented approaches based on your needs. Some sessions may focus on practical tools for managing anxiety, stress, or difficult emotions. Other times, we may explore the experiences, beliefs, relationships, and family patterns underneath what you’re experiencing. We may also explore what matters most to you and how to make intentional choices that feel aligned with the person you want to be. I consider culture and context throughout this process, recognizing that family expectations, cultural values, and generational patterns can influence how you understand yourself and your choices. My goal is to help you develop both insight and practical tools you can carry with you beyond therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
You may notice the same struggles showing up again and again, in your relationships, at work, or in the way you talk to yourself. You might find yourself overthinking, expecting the worst, or reacting in ways that leave you wondering, “Why did I respond that way?” Using CBT, we’ll explore the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors and how these patterns may be affecting your daily life. Together, we’ll identify unhelpful thought patterns, question beliefs that may be keeping you stuck, and practice new ways of responding. The goal isn’t to simply “think positive.” It’s about developing a more balanced and flexible way of understanding yourself and your experiences, so you can respond with greater awareness and intention.
Psychodynamic
Psychodynamic therapy gives us space to look beyond what’s happening on the surface and explore the experiences that may be shaping how you think, feel, and relate to others today. Together, we may notice recurring emotional themes, relationship patterns, or beliefs that feel familiar but difficult to change. We’ll explore how past experiences, family dynamics, and relationships may have influenced the way you understand yourself and navigate the world. Not to blame the past, but to develop a deeper understanding of yourself and recognize patterns that may no longer serve you. I approach this work with curiosity and care, allowing us to slow down rather than rush toward a quick solution. With greater awareness often comes more choice, creating space to respond differently, build healthier relationships, and move forward with greater clarity and self-understanding.
Narrative
We all develop stories about who we are, sometimes shaped by family, culture, relationships, and experiences we’ve had along the way. You may have learned to see yourself as “too sensitive,” “the responsible one,” “a disappointment,” or someone who has to keep everyone happy. Over time, these stories can begin to feel like facts. Narrative therapy gives us an opportunity to step back and examine those stories with curiosity. Together, we’ll explore where they came from, how they’ve influenced your choices and relationships, and whether they still reflect who you are today. Rather than defining you by anxiety, depression, past experiences, or other challenges, we’ll separate you from the problem and make space for the parts of your story that may have been overlooked, your strengths, values, resilience, and moments of agency. You don’t have to erase your past to create something different. Therapy can help you develop a fuller story, one that honors where you’ve been while making room for who you’re becoming.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Sometimes the harder we try to control anxiety, uncertainty, difficult emotions, or uncomfortable thoughts, the more space they seem to take up. ACT helps us shift from trying to eliminate every uncomfortable feeling to learning how to make room for what’s here while still moving toward what matters to you. Together, we’ll explore your values, notice the thoughts and emotions that may be pulling you away from them, and practice responding with greater flexibility. This may mean learning to sit with uncertainty, stepping out of old patterns, or making choices that reflect what you want rather than what fear or expectations tell you to do. ACT isn’t about accepting that things can’t change. It’s about recognizing what is within your control, letting go of the struggle with what isn’t, and creating space to live more intentionally.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Asian / Asian American
Woman
Top specialties
Attachment Issues
Childhood / Intergenerational Trauma
Life Transitions
Other specialties
Burnout
Codependency
Coping Skills
Emotional Regulation
Family Conflict
Grief
Parenting
Self Esteem
Serves
Adults (18 to 64)
Elders (65 and above)
Individual Therapy
Teenagers (13 to 17)
Licensed in
CaliforniaLicense 156144