I grew up in Portland, as the child of immigrants from India. Which means I went to mostly white schools where folks couldn’t say or didn’t bother learning how to say my name (it’s KUL-pun-ah. No worries, we’ll work on it). I am deeply familiar with being the “only one”—whether it’s because of your race, ethnicity, immigrant family, or other identities.

I spent most of my career in community organizing. I loved working with BIPOC folks and the LGBTQ+ community to push for change so that our families could thrive.

After 25 years, I decided to change directions and go to school to become a therapist.  So, you’ll always get some organizing flavor in my therapy because I believe that much of the suffering we face is because the systems around us (like schools, housing, or workplaces) weren’t built for us. Therapy can’t solve that–but our work can be a place of individual healing, connection, and radical understanding of your experience(s).

Some identities that matter to me—and that might matter to you as you look for a therapist—include being South Asian, a cisgender woman, straight, and a parent.

Other things to know about me? I’m a mom to two teenagers, my family includes a cat named Whisper, I love to cook, I’m an unabashed lover of romance novels, I adore travel, and I am a knitter. I volunteer with a number of organizations including being a self-defense instructor with Rose City Self-Defense and teaching at my local Hindu temple.

Important note about potential shared community: I became a therapist in part to help serve the Indian and broader South Asian community, as well as BIPOC folks in Portland. At the same time: the Portland South Asian and BIPOC community are small. If we do discover that we have shared relationships, we will discuss how this might affect our work together. Many dual relationships can be managed appropriately without compromising our therapeutic work. We'll work together to find a solution that prioritizes your well-being and confidentiality.