Gitika Talwar, PhD
Psychotherapist
Hi there! I’m Gitika and my pronouns are she/they/we. The ‘we’ pronoun is a reflection of my abiding belief that we are all deeply interconnected. Our struggles are not the same but they are also not separate.
As a Psychotherapist, my goal is to facilitate a collaborative conversation that allows your expertise about your experience to meet my understanding of mind-body-spiritual wellness. Using a mix of reflection, gentle prompts, I invite us into a space of non-judgemental curiosity about your stress and suffering so we can understand the lessons this experience could offer you.
My therapeutic approach is deeply influenced by a mix of personal and professional experiences as a user of therapy, psychotherapist and immigration activist. I am also deeply connected to my land, blood, spirit and wisdom ancestors in India and the U.S. I use decolonial and liberatory values as my North Star while drawing upon my exposure to Brief solution-focussed therapy, CBT, Narrative approaches, DBT, Motivational Interviewing and Feedback-informed care. My personal and professional experience with the mental health systems in India and the U.S. have made me particularly attuned to the importance of cultural humility while working with all the folks I meet.
My educational background is a Masters in Social Psychology from the University of Mumbai (India) and a PhD in Community-Clinical Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (United States). My clinical experience draws upon my time working in mental health advocacy in India, an LGBTQ+ affirming counselor with a support group in India, community agency devoted to asylum seekers and refugees in Maryland, justice-involved men in Maryland, a diverse student community at University Counseling centers in Washington state, and a tribal health agency in the Puget Sound region
I enjoy working with folks who are new to therapy and also folks who may be interested in single-session/ brief/ short-term therapy approaches.
Given that a lot of our suffering is collective, I am committed to healing approaches that can happen within a collective. My life goal is to build more therapist-initiated, people-powered healing communities for all of us who are trying to heal and liberate from systemic harm (including colonization, apartheid and genocide). So definitely talk to me if you may be interested in being part of a community like that!
Areas of Focus
Cross-cultural adaptation
Burnout/exhaustion
Immigration
Life transitions
Complex trauma
Systemic trauma
Anxiety
Depression
Fees
$200, currently not offering sliding scale. Payment via credit card or bank transfer.
Insurance
Out of network, offers superbills.
If you need assistance in paying for therapy using your insurance’s out-of-network benefits, I am happy to support you through my partnership with Thrizer.
Location
Virtual only
Scheduling Information
To schedule your first session, visit my website.
“May I listen to help you suffer less”
— Thich Nhat Hanh