Akshaya Gopalan

ASSOCIATE MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST

Life can be a mystery! Have you ever wondered where certain unconscious patterns and behaviors come from and how they affect our life? Are they inherited traits? Were they influenced by societal norms? Or were they learned as a way to adapt to different situations? Understanding the core of where our patterns originate can help us make the change needed to lead a fuller life. 

It was this self-introspection that drove me to challenge my own patterns, which in turn helped me solve my mystery. We can look within ourselves and identify thoughts, patterns and behaviors that are sometimes detrimental to our wellbeing. Allow me to assist you in decoding your mystery and helping you gain a deeper understanding of yourself, your relationships and how you perceive the world around you. 

In an effort to unravel facts and truths about yourself, you might have to challenge a lot of your beliefs, values and attitudes. At times, this can be intense or uncomfortable, but it can potentially result in a range of benefits. These include: learning about the basis of your identity, arriving at solutions to specific issues, better relationships, and a significant reduction in feelings of distress or other difficult emotions. I vow to provide you with a safe space, extend an empathetic ear, and guide you at a pace that you feel comfortable with during the therapeutic process.

I have a primary psychodynamic lens that focuses on enabling you to gain more self-awareness and understanding of your own actions by identifying and exploring unconscious emotions and motivations that influence behavior. That said, I am eclectic in my approach and will incorporate other therapeutic modalities in a culturally sensitive manner to help achieve your goals.

In recent years, my alliance, education and knowledge have helped in serving the mental health needs of children and teens in both the neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ spectrums. I believe that an affirming and nonjudgmental space helps young people develop authenticity and acceptance of self. I strive to create a safe space, and recognize the marginalization that LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent children may have faced. I advocate cultural humility, and aim to create a developmentally appropriate conceptualization by using an affirmative approach tailored to suit the needs of each child, emphasizing empowerment, acceptance and self-love. 

Qualifications

School: Santa Clara University

Year Graduated: 2021

License: AMFT 127922 California

Supervisor: Vidhi Sharma, LMFT 86972