Mandira Srivastava (she/her/hers)

I have always been passionate about working with college students and attracted to their unique strengths and challenges. I understand that reaching out for help can be a difficult and scary step for a lot of students, so our first focus will be on building a therapeutic relationship that allows you to share, for us to hold painful emotions, and work in collaboration towards change, healing, and growth. Some of my closest and strongest-held values center around acceptance, inclusion, and empowerment, which helps me in supporting you to become who you want to be.

My multicultural background, my identity as an Asian immigrant and a member of the LGBTQIA community, along with my work with a diverse range of clients, teaches me the value of respecting a client’s culture and strengths, reflecting on my blind spots, and adapting my interventions accordingly. I pay keen attention to how client’s intersecting identities affect their life narrative, so that I can provide a space to retrieve their unheard voices and empower them to affirm their identities.

Outside of my work, I like binge-watching Netflix, exploring local restaurants/bookstores, playing murder mystery games, watching video game playthroughs, listening to true crime podcasts, and spending time with my pup and 2 cats.

Education/Licensure

• MA Clinical Psychology from Eastern Illinois University
• Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois
• Certified Trauma Professional

Areas of Interest

• Trauma and abuse - the lasting effects of such experiences
• Eating and body image
• Relationship concerns, family issues, and personality concerns
• Regulating emotions, tolerating distress, self-care, and self-compassion
• Working with students from diverse backgrounds in terms of their age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation
• LGBTQIA, first-generation immigrants, acculturation, intersecting identities