Divya Saseendranath
M.S. Counseling Psychology
DIVYA IS NOT ACCEPTING CLIENTS
Hello! I am Divya. I am from India and a licensed counselor in Maryland. I am passionate about mental health and wellness and the accessibility of mental health to everyone. I specialize in trauma-informed care, dealing with trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, anger management, and emotional dysregulation. I bring cultural and social awareness and understanding to facilitate holistic wellness in my clients.
In terms of problems, I am best positioned to serve clients experiencing trauma reactions, a history of adverse childhood experiences, anxiety, depression, grief, anger, and emotional dysregulation. Also, clients experiencing neurodivergence, such as coping with ADHD. In terms of population, I can best serve people of color, women, older adults, couples, families, Indian and other minority populations, and people seeking to have better mental health and functioning in general.
What can clients expect to happen in their first session with you and moving forward?
Clients may expect an interactive first session with me. After establishing confidentiality and boundaries, depending on their level of comfort, the first session will involve getting to know each other through sharing basic information, preferred style of communication, exploring languages, stories, current lifestyle, and if they have a specific goal they want to attain. Moving forward, clients can expect continued personal exploration and understanding of their individual, family, career, social, and cultural aspects as we work together integratively towards attaining the client’s goals and healing.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve
I am best positioned to serve clients who are underrepresented, marginalized, and navigating the impacts of systemic oppression, microaggressions, and/or racial identity development. I am invested in working with individuals involved in the criminal justice system, supporting them through the complex realities of incarceration, reentry, racial disparities, trauma, and the stigma surrounding mental health. I am particularly passionate about supporting Black women and other women of color in Maryland as they navigate the layered experiences of interpersonal relationships, workplace inequities, body image, and the internalized effects of societal stereotypes. I approach this work with humility, cultural responsiveness, and a strong commitment to creating a space that is affirming and attuned to individual experiences."
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize, and why?
Rooted in trauma-focused and multicultural awareness, I employ an eclectic approach, predominantly employing a mixture of psychodynamic and humanistic angles for client and problem understanding. I further employ Cognitive-behavioral, psychotherapy, and other evidence-based techniques to attain therapy goals. Motivational interviewing, psychological and personality assessments, the intersectionality wheel, and evidence-based activities are among the tools I would employ. I believe these tools will help me understand my clients better, and an eclectic approach will enable me to employ what works best for the client depending on who they are and the skills and level of functioning they have.
FAQ from Clients
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In the first session, clients can expect to be supported in navigating through the trepidation, anxiety, and/or excitement of meeting and collaborating with a new provider. The first session will honor the challenge of being vulnerable with a person they’ve never met before and they will be given permission to go at their pace. In acknowledging the layers of a new intimate experience, I will gather basic historical information of the client’s mental health and inquire about what’s brought them into treatment at this time. We will also explore what they need within the therapeutic alliance. Subsequent sessions will infuse mindfulness, intentionality, and affirmation of the client’s humanity. I will encourage a person-centered approach to prompt client introspection of their own lives and what is important for them to emotionally invest into within the therapeutic space.
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As a provider, it is important that my clients feel seen in all versions of their humanity and I believe that radically accepting people for where they are, allows for clients to be courageous in navigating their journey with self. I also prioritize the value of leaning into the discomfort and the challenges, so I gently confront my clients in sessions to explore difficult conversations that impact them in their life.
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Anyone who does not see us as a good fit, or simply does not want to work with me. I believe that representation matters in this work, and some clients may not feel aligned in working with me because of my identity factors or our personality factors are misaligned. In addition to this, if a client’s challenges are out of my scope of competency, it would be my ethical obligation to refer them to a clinician more suitable to accommodate their therapeutic needs.
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When the client feels as though they’ve attained success. I acknowledge progress each time they take a step to engage in our work together. Each step is success from my perspective.
If a client has completed the goals, they set out to accomplish initially coming into therapy. The therapeutic journey can be an ongoing process requiring investment in self with regard to this capacity during different seasons of life.
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I want clients to feel brave and like the purest version of themselves. I want them to feel seen and heard
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The work does not stop when they leave the collaborative therapy space together. The investment in the therapeutic journey does require accountability of ongoing implementation and generalization of skills discussed and learned in session.
Educational background and Completed Trainings.
University of Baltimore, Baltimore, United States M.S. Counseling Psychology
Aug 2022 - May 2025
(Summa cum laude)
Women’s Christian College, Chennai, India
B.Sc. Psychology
2017 - 2020
Adult Mental Health First Aid USA (MHFA)
National Society of Leadership and Success - Foundational Leader
Remedial Teacher for Dyslexic Children
Expressive Arts Therapy
GET TO KNOW DIVYA
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I enjoy a wide range of hobbies outside of work. I journal and write poems or stories, read books, watch movies and shows, cook various foods, bake, play the ukulele, play basketball, do yoga, etc. I am a jack of a lot of trades but a master of none, and I really like that. I explore new hiking and biking spots, travel when I have time, and celebrate life as much as possible - be it by eating late-night ice cream or going on a weekend picnic. I like to take care of my personal and mental well-being and spend quality time with my loved ones.
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I took one after this question. Type-8 : Challenger
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I would describe myself as a friendly, active, and goal-oriented person. I am adaptable and social and believe in the goodness of life and humanity. I am also highly self-aware and empathetic. I enjoy quietness and solitude as much as I enjoy chaos. I deeply value my life, my friends and family, and being a mental health provider.
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I would like my clients to know that I am a friendly and trustworthy individual, and I care for my profession as a therapist and myself. They can know I enjoy various hobbies, speak different languages, and enjoy learning and exploring. I will be more than happy to learn about my client’s hobbies, language, culture, history, etc, and engage appropriately. I want them to know that I see them as a whole.
