I created Paskay with one objective – providing accessible and affordable mental health services for everyone. I strongly believe that such services should be as accessible as any other type of service. Unfortunately, there are several barriers such as insufficient insurance coverage, long waiting lists, high cost of private services, lack of mental health professionals, and lack of mental health awareness.

My Professional Values
Cultural competence
I am not an expert in other people’s cultures, but I show respect to different people through being open to and being curious about them. Having lived abroad all my adult life, I studied and worked with people from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, I am aware of the many struggles people face due to discrimination and oppression. Consequently, I try making an effort to apply this understanding into my work.
Proactiveness
I have a very proactive mindset and dynamic skills thanks to my social work training. Talking to a counselor non-stop and not receiving any feedback except the reminder that your time is up is the worse feeling. I have been there. Merely listening is not enough. Learning about you, asking the right questions, providing feedback, and using different tools are as important as active listening.
Critical thinking
I have the ability to question what is working and what is not. I do not believe one-size-fits-all. Trusting you can handle short-term discomfort, I am unafraid to ask tough questions or have you do things that might feel counterintuitive. I like to find out what is below the surface, so I can support and guide you better.

My Personal Style
We are equal regardless of our backgrounds
We learn from each other. I am not above you by any means. I might be an expert in what I do, but you are an expert in you, and I want to learn about you and from you. I teach tools – how to take care of yourself, practice self-love, connect with others, improve your self-esteem, and how to live according to your values. My clients teach me about strength, resilience, perseverance, creativity, forgiveness, compassion, and acceptance.
The power of labels
There seems to be a large emphasis on diagnosis. If you are severely mentally ill, a diagnosis is crucial as it can lead to the proper treatment and support. However, if you are not, I believe a diagnosis will only get in the way and can potentially damage our therapeutic relationship. Therefore, I do not diagnose. Labels are very powerful. The last thing I want is to make you feel paralyzed by one.
Psychological process
Nobody is free from feeling down, anxious or isolated. I do not view these as symptoms but rather as psychological processes, processes that require your attention, so you can obtain the proper care and make the necessary changes.

Counseling does not have to be a dull and awkward experience. If my professional values and working style align with what you are looking for, contact me.