Ritu (she/he/ze) is a clinical psychologist who works with people from all backgrounds specializing in working with BIPOC and QTPOC communities. She treats a variety of general mental health concerns and specializes in healing from trauma and chronic stress on individual and collective levels. Her identities include being an American Born Confused Desi, pansexual, and gender fluid. She uses a therapeutic approach that is relational and somatic.

Ritu's method is rooted in the theory that the mind and body become physiologically and/or psychologically dissociated in order to contain unbearable pain. While these are adaptive responses, they can cause one to be in a state of dis-ease. This may be experienced as emotional intensity, negative thinking, and unhealthy behavioral patterns. Everyone heals differently, so Ritu tailors’ treatment to meet her patient’s needs.

She uses a variety of techniques that tap into their strengths. This can include semi structured exploration (developing narrative, considering relationships) or structured questioning (non-manualized cognitive-behavioral, solutions focused questioning). Her aim is to create a stable therapeutic alliance where her patients feel safe enough to examine old patterns, interrupt them, and develop a practice of feeling well.

Ritu's psychology pursuits span sixteen years. She graduated from the California School of Professional Psychology – San Francisco. In her doctoral training she worked with veterans, children, and families, and for the last five years has been in higher education. She completed her internship at the University of California at Santa Cruz and recently conducted a fellowship in somatics and social justice at the Counseling Department of Columbia University Irving Medical Center.