Hello and welcome! I am so glad you are taking the first step of your mental health journey by looking for a therapist. I'm a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) based in California and provide telehealth therapy. I received my Master's Degree from California State University, Fresno and have been working with individuals with mental health for six years. I often integrate different modalities such as CBT, DBT, mindfulness, psychoanalytic, and motivational interviewing into therapy to ensure clients meet their therapeutic goals and become the version of themselves they hope for. I work with adults who experience anxiety, depression, trauma-related disorders, Bipolar disorders, relationship issues, self-esteem issues, and multicultural issues. As an Indian and Middle Eastern American, I emphasize the importance of accessing mental health services for BIPOC communities. I strongly encourage my clients to practice self-care every week and maintain a strong work-life balance. I believe self-care should be practiced daily, but weekly is a good place to start for clients who have the tendency to put themselves last. I ask my clients to try mindfulness to be present in the here and now. Mindfulness can look different for everyone- I often use the Calm app to listen to meditations and sleep stories when I am falling asleep. Therapy can be life-changing for most and often is not an easy road. I provide my clients with warmth and empathy and use a non-judgmental stance in every session. I help clients promote the changes they want to see in themselves so they can learn how to make life-lasting changes independently. Therapy with me is helpful, meaningful, warm, and easy-going. I take the stance as a cheerleader for my clients and encourage clients to put in extra effort to achieve their goals.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
During the first session, we will get to know each other so we can start therapy on a strong foundation. It is so important for a client and therapist to have a good connection with each other so the client can make the progress they are looking for. I review intake paperwork with clients and get more of a sense of what their therapeutic needs are. We discuss short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals the client may have and develop a plan of action to meet those goals. Following sessions are much less structured (unless the client prefers the structure!) and much more easy-going than the first session. I encourage clients to use therapy as a way to find tools and skills that work for them so they can find their strength and reach inner peace. Depending on the length of time clients are in therapy, we review and assess the goals they have to ensure we are heading in the right direction and what we have been doing in sessions has been helpful. I strive to make therapy fun while also getting some great work done in each session. The ultimate goal for my clients is to have them reach a point in their lives where they don't need me anymore, which is always bittersweet.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I have worked with a diverse population for the past six years, which has helped me become a better therapist. I am an open-minded, caring, and motivational therapist to best serve my clients. I make sure to be present for all of my clients and help them navigate their journey while in therapy. My strong passion for equality for all drives me to not only provide support for clients in marginalized populations, but also empower them to advocate for themselves and ultimate place the power back into their hands.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I work with adults who are looking to make a change in their lives, but don't know where to begin. Clients often feel their mental health is disrupting their day-to-day, which impacts all areas of their lives. A person's mental health can be so overwhelming to handle alone, which is why I ensure my clients feel supported every step of the way. The changes a client wants to see in themselves can be big or small and we will celebrate every win together. I deeply value clients who are motivated for therapy, are engaged every step of the way, and are committed to making positive strides on their healing journey.
About Simi Bhaurla
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers practical, life-changing tools that directly address mental health challenges by targeting the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Through structured techniques like mood tracking and thought journaling, CBT helps individuals identify harmful thinking patterns, challenge distorted thoughts, and develop healthier responses to difficult situations. For individuals from all backgrounds, including BIPOC and marginalized communities, CBT provides a framework to examine how negative core beliefs affect daily life and self-worth. By systematically identifying and challenging these beliefs while acknowledging real-world stressors and inequities, CBT creates pathways to increased resilience, improved coping abilities, and greater self-compassion. The practical, solution-focused nature of CBT makes it especially effective for addressing specific symptoms while empowering clients with concrete strategies for managing anxiety, depression, trauma responses, and other mental health concerns.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers clients struggling with anxiety, depression, and interpersonal difficulties a structured path to emotional stability through four essential pillars. In therapy sessions, I guide clients to build mindfulness skills that interrupt anxious rumination, while teaching distress tolerance techniques for immediate emotional crisis management. Emotion regulation work involves identifying triggers and creating personalized response plans to understand and transform emotional patterns. For clients whose relationships amplify their distress, we practice interpersonal effectiveness skills through guided exercises that enhance communication, assertiveness, and boundary-setting while balancing self-respect with relationship maintenance. Throughout treatment, clients track their progress and identify growth areas, gradually building confidence as they apply these practical tools to real-life challenges, ultimately transforming their relationship with emotions and creating more stable connections with others.
Racial trauma treatment
Racial Trauma-Informed Care provides essential healing for BIPOC clients experiencing the cumulative effects of racism, discrimination, and historical trauma. In therapy sessions, I create a culturally affirming space that validates lived experiences of racial trauma while recognizing how systemic factors influence mental health presentation. We work together to identify racial stressors and their impact on the body, emotions, and relationships, helping clients connect current struggles with broader contexts of oppression without pathologizing normal responses to abnormal circumstances. With BIPOC clients, I emphasize cultural strengths and resilience factors as central to the healing process, incorporating ancestral wisdom, community resources, and cultural practices that support wellbeing. Our therapeutic work balances processing painful experiences with building practical coping strategies for navigating ongoing racial stressors, fostering critical consciousness, and reclaiming narrative power. This approach helps clients move from internalized oppression toward liberation and self-determination, creating pathways for authentic self-expression and collective healing that honors their full humanity and cultural identity.
Eclectic
In my therapeutic approach, I embrace an eclectic methodology that recognizes each client's unique needs, preferences, and healing journey. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all treatment model, I collaborate closely with clients to develop a personalized therapeutic experience that draws from various evidence-based modalities. This process begins with careful assessment and continues through ongoing dialogue about what resonates and creates meaningful change for each individual. Together, we explore and integrate techniques from cognitive-behavioral approaches for practical skill-building, psychodynamic insights for deeper understanding of patterns, somatic practices for accessing embodied wisdom, and mindfulness strategies for present-moment awareness—all tailored to address your specific concerns and goals. This collaborative process empowers clients as active participants in their healing journey, allowing us to remain flexible and responsive as needs evolve over time. By thoughtfully integrating diverse therapeutic tools rather than rigidly adhering to a single framework, we create a dynamic therapeutic experience that honors your complexity and adapts to support your growth in ways that feel authentic and sustainable.