I am glad to learn Indra opened up a private practice. She has been my counselor at Laurel Hill Center for almost two years and I am continuing with her there. Working with Indra has saved my life more than once. She is knowledgeable, professional and ethical. Most importantly, I can tell she cares deeply about me and all her clients. She has never pushed an identity on me. Instead, she's given me the space to discover who I am and the courage to live as my authentic self.
Indra has helped me learn that I deserve a happy life, just as everyone does, and that I should not always put myself last. She uses research-based methods for her practice and stays up on the most effective treatments for whatever issues one might have. The CBT techniques she uses help me overcome self-defeating thoughts. Her guided visualizations continue to relax me and help me discover what direction I need to take next.
A word to the wise: No mental health professional can help you if you are not willing to do the often-difficult psychological work it takes to improve your own life. As frightening as it may be, you must be willing to at least try. Indra convinced me that I was worth it, that I wasn't a piece of trash who should kill herself. Then, she helped me discover how to go on living, how to thrive, how to stay resilient through new difficulties.
Another thing to note: Counselors are legally and ethically bound to maintain certain professional boundaries. As much as I'd love to go shopping for cute scarves with Indra, as much as I'd at least like to be Facebook friends, this will never be possible, not even long after treatment. It is not because Indra doesn't care. She cares very deeply. It's that violating those boundaries would not be ethical...or beneficial to my mental health. Although I wish we could be close gal pals, I am happy to have Indra as my counselor. She has truly saved my life, has led me to believe in myself, is helping me take the steps to achieve my dreams. read more