Dr. Nandini Ramakrishna is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Nandini completed her bachelor’s degree in her hometown, Bangalore (India), where she also pursued a diploma in Deaf Education before immigrating to the United States. Her education in the US encompasses the fields of linguistics, speech-language pathology, and counseling which taught her that language – the stories we tell ourselves about our lives and the world we live in – plays a central role in our well-being. Dr. Ramakrishna earned her master’s degree in counseling from Northwestern University, and her doctorate in counseling from Oregon State University. Dr. Ramakrishna has experience working with children, adolescents, young adults, parents, and the elderly. Her therapeutic modalities include motivational interviewing, narrative therapy, CBT, DBT, and mindfulness. She has specialized skills working with issues around self-esteem, depression, anxiety, anger, grief and loss, and adjustment challenges. Dr. Ramakrishna’s professional memberships include the American Counseling Association, Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, and Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling. In addition to being a licensed therapist and academic clinical professor, Dr. Ramakrishna is also a parent.
I view mental well-being from a holistic standpoint that includes “the heart, the mind, and the body.” I therefore address emotional wellbeing and mood stabilization from multiple vantage points. The heart, or feelings, are central to behavior. I use a humanistic approach to first understand and validate my clients’ feelings, and then help untangle, articulate, and process them. I foster behavior changes through a strengths-based approach that emphasizes the growth mindset. Through techniques of CBT, DBT, and narrative re-storying, I engage with the mind to challenge and change thoughts and perceptions that may be the source of discomfort and unhappiness. I also focus on how the body holds onto and manifests tension. I help clients increase awareness around their own individual, bodily reactions to stress. Through breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness exercises, I teach my clients to access their own “reset button,” self-regulate, and regain a sense of equilibrium. My overarching goal as a counselor is to deeply connect with my clients in order to help them connect with themselves in authentic ways.
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