Shrestha Singh, MDiv, MSW, LSW

To me, therapy is about seeking wholeness; it is a journey of more fully integrating our minds, bodies, and souls. As a trauma-informed therapist (and former spiritual director), I take into consideration the whole person or system, noting that past or ongoing traumas, wounds, and injustices shape the way we understand and engage with ourselves and the world. For example, growing up in a dysfunctional family or experiencing oppression often shapes our ability to trust others, care for ourselves, or set boundaries, whether we know it or not. I help clients draw connections between formative past experiences and current ones in order to more clearly identify relational patterns and ongoing struggles. I like to share with clients that I am the proud beneficiary of years of trauma therapy to address my own childhood wounds and am continually on the journey of healing my inner child — I bring this understanding of the impact of adverse life experiences to our conversations.

Inner child work is a cornerstone of what I do. Unbeknownst to many of us, our inner kids are oftentimes running us, repeatedly getting us into situations that unconsciously remind us of the pain, grief, or dysfunction of the past as a way of trying to resolve it in the present. Many of us live trapped in patterns, scripts, and systems that weigh us down and that keep us from living full, authentic lives. Engaging in therapy is a way to get free from these patterns. I use talk therapy and experiential activities like letter writing and roleplays to help clients get into their bodies and have corrective, healing emotional experiences.

Ultimately, my work as a therapist is profoundly grounded in my experience as the daughter of South Asian immigrants. I know firsthand what it means to spend one’s life between multiple worlds, navigating dual identities. Because of this, I bring a liberatory and intersectional lens to therapy, focusing on addressing issues related to gender, race, culture, class, migration, sexuality, spirituality, and intergenerational and historical trauma. I believe a more just and compassionate world cannot be brought into being unless we do the work of healing ourselves. You’ll find that I have an irreverent sense of humor, love pop culture analogies, and bring a sense of playfulness and deep empathy to the hard/heart work of healing. Please reach out to me if you want to learn more about therapy or think we might be a good fit!