Hi there, I'm Parag. You were not put here on this earth to suffer. You deserve to live your life with happiness and peace of mind. Mental illness and addiction can rob anyone of these precious gifts. When you turn to family and friends for support, often they don't know what to say or how to help. You can end up feeling very alone in the world. No one wants to develop mental illness or addictions. You didn't do anything wrong. Feeling emotionally numb, mentally overwhelmed, or having thoughts like "I just don't want to be on this earth anymore" are not things that people willingly choose for themselves. They are illnesses. We often get sick through no fault of our own. Just like some people get diabetes or heart disease, some people get mental illness. Working over five years in an inpatient psychiatric hospital, I have helped patients overcome symptoms of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, phobias, relationship problems, and self-esteem issues. My approach is to get to know you as a person and work on addressing what is really going on with your mind and your life right now. I know getting therapy can be scary, but I will do everything I can to help you feel heard, understood, and genuinely cared for. Give yourself a chance to have peace of mind again.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
The most important thing for therapy to work is establishing trust and a comfort level with the therapeutic process. My approach is to first take the time to get to know you as a whole person and then start identifying what things in your life (both recent and from your past) may be contributing to your current mental health struggles. I don't ever forget that you are likely in a more fragile and vulnerable state than you are used to, and I go out of my way to help you feel at ease. The key is to really listen to you - not just the words but the meaning behind what you are saying. With compassion and understanding, I then use my education and experience to help point out the power you have to change and improve your current situation.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
Some of the specific therapy types I use to help patients start feeling better include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Person-Centered Therapy, Solutions-Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness Practice. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)- understanding how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected and learning to change how you think, to change how you feel and act Person-Centered Therapy - taking the time to understand how different parts of your life interact and identifying what is most important to you Solutions- Focused Therapy - identifying short-term mental health goals and implementing specific evidence-based strategies to achieve those goals Mindfulness Practice - learning to live in the here and now rather than future-tripping or obsessing about the past.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My biggest strengths as a therapist are: that I genuinely care about my patients, I treat them as unique individuals, I know how to listen without judgment or prejudice, and I know what works in helping patients overcome their problems. 1) I became a therapist because I saw a lot of people suffering from mental illness who weren't getting high-quality help. 2) I understand that no two people are alike and a patient is not their diagnosis. I strive to get to know the real you and help you find your way back to who you really are. 3)I think letting someone talk and express themselves is at the heart of therapy. 4)I did my undergraduate degree at Stanford University and understand how to think critically and connect the dots in what a patient is telling me, to find real solutions using my education and experience.