About

You crave balance and joy in your career and your family. You worry about whether you are “doing it right,” this balancing act of motherhood, relationships, and career growth. Expectations of yourself and others sometimes create unbearable stress and pressure.

What are some of the dreams my clients explore in our work together?

“I want to start a family and I need help overcoming barriers.”

“ As a woman, I struggle against expectations of others defining my life. This might be coming from community or family culture, expectations about gender roles and identity, sexuality, spirituality, or all of the above.”

“I have a dream of starting a business… Am I ready??”

“Everyone says “find work/family balance” like it really exists… Is that even possible? How can I find it??”

“I’m not happy in my relationships but I feel stuck in how to make changes.”

“I kind of know what I need to change but I feel so stuck and down on myself that it’s hard to get started.”

Hi, I’m Leena

As your psychologist, I am committed to helping you bring more joy and self-compassion into your relationships and career, and to learn to trust your wisdom in the journey. Together we can work to help you heal your losses, let go of self-criticism and aloneness, and reconnect with your true self.

About Me

I can’t imagine a career different from the one I’ve chosen. I’ve always known I wanted to work as a Psychologist. When I think about my own identity, three strong descriptors come to mind:

I grew up in Texas, as the daughter of Indian immigrants. As an Indian American student, I didn’t fit the traditional expectations of either my Indian immigrant community or many of my classmates. This experience of being different from others through much of my childhood and young adult years helped me to develop a strong sense of my own identity and community, as well as a deep empathy for others on the same journey of discovering the authentic self. Though our life stories and experiences may be different, all of us ultimately have the task of finding our true self among the expectations of others.

After finishing my doctorate and getting settled into my career, I began the long journey of becoming a solo mom through adoption in India. The beginnings of the dream of solo motherhood started with a trip to India to visit family in 2002. While I was there, I shared my dreams about building a nontraditional family. My extended family was incredibly supportive and sustained me through the 2-year long process of adopting my daughter. Now I’m privileged to witness the incredible young adult my daughter is growing into, as we both start the next stage of our lives, together and apart.

Values I bring to our sessions together

I believe you are motivated by a deep inner call to finding your true self. This call can present itself as a crisis or deep longing. What do you need to discover or uncover right now?

What Is Integrative Psychotherapy?

Integrative Therapy involves selecting models and methods from across orientations to best suit your unique needs and contexts. Research shows that tailoring therapy to the individual client enhances treatment effectiveness.

In our work together, we will integrate talk therapy, music, art, mindfulness and self-compassion techniques, and an exploration of creating your own spiritual practice to increase resilience and joy.

“Ask yourself what makes you come alive”

~ Harold Thurman

Training & Experience

I’m credentialed in Texas as a Licensed Psychologist (34217). I earned a Doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in 2001, a Master’s degree in Counselor Education from the University of North Texas in 1988, and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism at North Texas State University in 1986.
After completing my Master’s degree, I worked for several years as a

Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas, in managed care settings and hospitals. I returned to graduate school in 1995 to earn my doctorate in Counseling Psychology.

Before starting my private practice, I worked for 17 years in college mental health. This included the University of Texas in Austin and Miami University of Ohio. I completed my internship year at Texas A&M in College Station.

I’m a member of the American Psychological Association, Texas Psychological Association, and Austin Group Psychotherapy Society. I serve as the Practice Representative for the Capital Area Psychological Association.