Seeking therapy often means you’ve been holding more than anyone can see.
As a neurodivergent, second-generation South Asian American, I understand the complexity of navigating multiple identities and expectations.
I offer a warm, relational, culturally attuned space grounded in authenticity and acceptance.
Hi, I'm Sabina.
I'm a Chicago-based therapist working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. My approach is rooted in relational psychodynamic and attachment-based perspectives, with a particular interest in how our relationships, environments, and lived experiences shape the ways we understand ourselves and connect with others.
I believe meaningful change begins with feeling seen, understood, and safe enough to be yourself.
My work integrates child-centered play therapy, expressive arts, family systems, and evidence-informed approaches to support individuals navigating anxiety, emotional regulation, neurodivergence, trauma, grief, identity, and relational challenges.
I'm particularly interested in what happens when we move beyond simply trying to change behavior and begin asking what that behavior might be communicating. What needs are being expressed? What experiences have shaped the way someone responds to the world? What becomes possible when we approach those experiences with curiosity rather than judgment?
I believe therapy is a collaborative process, one that honors each person's developmental needs, cultural context, lived experiences, and capacity for growth.
Why Free Space?
Free Space grew from a simple belief: Everyone deserves a place where they can be fully themselves.
A place where you can feel what you feel, express what you need, explore what you're curious about, and exist without the pressure to meet someone else's expectations.
The idea is rooted in non-directive, child-centered play therapy, an approach that trusts children to communicate, explore, and make sense of their experiences in their own ways and at their own pace.
But I don't believe that need disappears as we grow older.
Children communicate through play. Adolescents may explore who they are by questioning the world around them. Adults carry stories, expectations, and experiences that aren't always easy to put into words.
Whatever our age, we all need room to explore without judgment, to experience our emotions without having to justify them, and to feel accepted even when we're uncertain, overwhelmed, or still figuring things out.
Free Space is built on the belief that you don't have to arrive at therapy knowing what to say, what to do, or even what you need.
You can simply begin where you are.
This is your free space.
My Therapeutic Philosophy
Therapy is not about fixing someone. It is about creating the conditions in which people can better understand themselves, develop new ways of relating, and discover what becomes possible when they feel supported.
My clinical orientation is relational, attachment-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive. I draw from psychodynamic theory, child-centered play therapy, family systems, and approaches informed by cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
I value collaborative work that respects each person's lived experience, cultural context, and individual strengths. I am especially interested in supporting neurodivergent individuals and families, and exploring how identity, intergenerational experiences, and social expectations influence emotional well-being.
Above all, I believe the therapeutic relationship itself can be a powerful source of growth.
Education and Experience
I earned my Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Roosevelt University in Chicago.
My clinical experience includes community-based mental health and outpatient psychotherapy, working with children, adolescents, and families from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
My professional background also includes years of work in writing, communication, and storytelling—experiences that continue to shape my interest in how people make meaning of their lives and experiences.
Current Professional Status
I am currently in a period of professional transition and exploring opportunities to continue my clinical work in a collaborative, supportive setting.
This website serves as a professional home where former clients, families, colleagues, and prospective employers can learn more about my therapeutic approach, background, and professional updates.
Please note: I am not currently scheduling appointments through this website. Information about future clinical affiliations and availability will be shared here as appropriate.