Healing Begins with Being Seen

Growing up, I was always curious about people and their stories, and I loved trying to understand what might be going on underneath someone’s exterior façade. That curiosity led me to take Psychology as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma while I was at boarding school.

After completing my undergraduate degree in psychology, I knew I wanted to become a therapist, so pursuing a graduate degree in Counselling in 2019 felt like the natural path.

Post-graduation, I had the opportunity to work with people experiencing complex trauma, and I found the work incredibly meaningful and profound. For me, that is one of the most rewarding things about this work.

It constantly challenges me, gives me fresh perspectives, and deepens my compassion for both myself and for others.

Academically, studying in Australia proved to be quite the challenge in the beginning because the learning style and academic expectations were very different from what I was used to in Thailand.

I would say my undergraduate training in Thailand prepared me quite well for my clinical training at The University of Queensland, although it was still a steep learning curve. It meant learning to be more independent, to hold myself accountable, to stay on track, and to figure things out for myself.

It definitely taught me to be more resourceful, but it also taught me the importance of supporting one another because everyone was navigating the same transition.

Personally, the move was quite exciting. I have always been curious about what the world has to offer, so I was excited to be living in a new city abroad. It ended up teaching me so much about myself and life.

I didn’t even know how to use a washing machine until I came to Australia!

What I never imagined, however, was that I would still be here ten years later. If you had told the little girl from Fang, a rural town in Chiang Mai, that one day she would be an Australian citizen living in Brisbane and working as a therapist—I would have never believed you.

There were definitely quite a few! I remember being so surprised to see people walking around barefoot in Australia, even to the grocery store or the zoo!

The lifestyle was also very different. It took me a while to adjust to the slower pace of Brisbane compared with the hustle and bustle of Bangkok.

Even the shopping centres here close at 5 PM! While jarring, I also found the pace very refreshing. People are incredibly friendly, and I love seeing people say “thank you” to the bus driver every time they get on or off the bus.

There was something lovely about seeing people being so content with simple things: the grass, the sunshine, the ocean, a good barbecue with friends.

It was a very different way of life but one I gradually came to really appreciate.

I spent the first five years of my career working mainly with children as young as four through to young adults in their mid-twenties. Over the past year, my practice has shifted towards primarily working with adults aged 20 and above.

I don’t believe trauma can always be fully processed by simply talking about it. Trauma can affect many aspects of a person. So regardless of age, I tend to work quite holistically by incorporating the mind, the body, the senses, and the more symbolic aspects of a person’s experience.

There are definitely differences in how I approach trauma healing across different age groups because people are at very different developmental stages and have different ways of understanding as well as expressing their experiences.

For example, younger children may not yet have the words or developmental capacity to explain complex experiences, and they often communicate through play such as Play Therapy, Sandplay Therapy, and Art Therapy.

With teenagers, having a shared activity can make therapy feel less confronting and give them more space to open up at their own pace.

With adults, there is naturally often more verbal processing, but I still invite clients to explore symbols, sandplay, art and somatic movement when it feels appropriate.

In the first few years of my career, I really enjoyed learning from other people within the NGO setting. However, there came a time where I felt like I wanted more freedom in the way I worked.

Seeing as my family lives in Bangkok, I thought it would give me more flexibility if I had my own practice to visit home more often. This was mainly what inspired me to start my private practice, SEEN.

It was scary at first, but through the process, I started to feel excited by the various ways I can grow my business while simultaneously having the privilege of working at the NGO.

Being the daughter of a businessman, it also felt quite natural to have this trajectory in my career!

Being culturally aware means being mindful of how someone’s background can influence how they think, feel, see themselves, and relate to other people.

When working with someone from a South Asian background, for example, I don’t only focus on the individual sitting in front of me. I explore the different roles they hold within their family and community because these relationships can have a powerful influence on how they experience themselves.

At the same time, I think it’s important not to make assumptions based on someone’s culture. Two people can come from the same cultural background and have completely unique experiences.

When clients feel that their whole context is understood, they can feel more comfortable, seen, and safe enough to be vulnerable and authentic during their sessions.

This work can be emotionally taxing, and sometimes I come home feeling completely drained and carrying a lot of heavy emotions that might not even be mine.

I have a clinical supervisor I can reach out to, and I also see my own therapist from time to time—which I find really helpful.

I think it’s important to recognise that even when your job is helping others with their emotions, you still need your own space to process yours.

I also try to be intentional about self-care when I have time to myself. Whether that’s taking a long walk, journalling, getting a massage, or dancing my heart out in my living room to the latest Bollywood releases!

It would definitely have to be my family. They are incredibly important to me, and I give them a lot of the credit for shaping me into who I am today.

Papa has worked incredibly hard throughout his life to support me through my education and help me pursue my dreams. He taught me what hard work looks like and inspired me to be driven and ambitious but also to remember to have fun along the way.

Anyone who knows him is aware he’s often the life of the party wherever he goes!

My mom is the most loving and supportive person I could have asked to have by my side. No matter how near or far we are, I always know she’s ready to give me a hug or pick up my FaceTime call—even if she’s literally sitting in front of a bank teller!

I also wouldn’t be who I am today without her. She has taught me patience, care, understanding, empathy, and emotional intelligence. She is always helping me to grow into a better person.

And lastly, my brother Saagar is someone I know will always have my back no matter what. He’s like my best friend and has helped me through countless spirals of stress and self-doubt throughout my life.

Good question. Yes.

Anything that has been historically associated with shame can be difficult to talk about because people naturally feel uncomfortable discussing them.

Anxiety and depression were also sometimes viewed as things that weren’t “real”, or as something you should simply “push through”. That can create a lot of shame around perfectly real and difficult experiences, and make people feel like they have to suffer quietly rather than seek support.

I would really encourage families to notice the topics that make them uncomfortable and try to push through the discomfort to speak on them.

It can make such a difference because ultimately, just because someone’s struggles are less visible than another person’s doesn’t mean they are carrying any less suffering.