Sanjana Iyer (she/her)

My expertise addresses the unique challenges of navigating queer identity while managing family expectations, religious pressure, and cultural values. I provide gender-affirming care, support for those coming out or questioning, and help clients develop resilience against homophobia, transphobia, and familial rejection. This work honors both your authentic identity and the complexity of cultural/family relationships.

As a South Asian therapist fluent in Tamil and conversational Hindi, I specialize in the unique family dynamics, intergenerational trauma, and cultural expectations within South Asian communities. My work addresses eldest daughter syndrome, family honor expectations, arranged marriage pressure, academic/career expectations, and the challenge of navigating traditional values while developing individual identity. I understand code-switching, the pressure of being "the first".

My approach uses creativity, movement, and body-based interventions to process trauma, anxiety, and identity exploration when traditional talk therapy feels limiting. I work with clients who think differently, feel deeply, and express themselves creatively—helping them reconnect with their authentic selves through art, movement, and embodied practices. This specialty is particularly effective for processing intergenerational trauma, childhood wounds, and cultural expectations.

I specialize in expressive arts therapy and somatic (body-based) interventions that go beyond traditional talk therapy. This approach uses creativity—art, movement, writing, music—and body awareness to process emotions, trauma, and identity exploration. Expressive arts and somatic work are particularly effective for clients who are neurodivergent, highly creative, or find traditional therapy too linear or intellectualized.

y practice creates a safe, celebratory space for exploring gender, sexuality, and identity—particularly for South Asian, BIPOC, and immigrant youth navigating cultural conservatism. I provide affirming support for coming out, transition processes, managing family responses, developing chosen family, and building resilience against discrimination. This approach recognizes that your identity is not a problem to fix—it's a truth to honor and celebrate.

My approach integrates trauma-informed care with deep cultural responsiveness for South Asian, BIPOC, and immigrant clients. I understand how intergenerational trauma, migration experiences, cultural displacement, and systemic oppression affect mental health across generations. My trauma work addresses childhood trauma, family wounds, cultural expectations, and identity-based trauma (racism, homophobia, transphobia) while honoring collectivist values and cultural identity.