Meet Dr. Alisha Desai
For over a decade, Dr. Desai has worked with individuals across healthcare, criminal justice, finance, tech, and global non-profit organizations to drive meaningful change.​
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She is expertly trained in a number of evidence-based therapies: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Exposure Therapy.
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In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Desai has developed initiatives for staff well-being and has contributed to cutting-edge clinical research being conducted by mental health tech start-ups. She has published over 25 peer-reviewed scientific articles and multiple books, and has presented at national conferences.
Values & Guiding Principles
Life is lived equally in the joy & the pain, in our successes & failures,
in the highs & lows, and all of the in-betweens.
The Most Challenging Parts of Ourselves Thrive in the Darkness
As achievement-driven people, we feel pressure to hide our struggles and present only the confident and composed versions of ourselves. In our highlight-reel society, this approach is often lauded, even rewarded.
While this approach has its merits - in the boardroom or on first dates, for example - fear, anxiety, self-doubt and shame grow stronger the more we avoid or hide them.
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In therapy, we'll shine a light on these darker parts of life
in service of reclaiming what's been lost.​​
We All Have the Capacity to Truly Understand Ourselves
When we begin to understand why our minds do the
things they do, we're able to stop being bystanders
in our own lives and to start taking action.
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Too often we think of therapists as pulling invisible
strings behind the scenes. This can get in the way of
building personal agency, resilience, and confidence.
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In therapy, you'll develop expertise in the science behind
your mind, feelings, and behaviors.
Insights Offer Explanations,
Not Excuses
Our growth and capacity for change lie in our ability
to face the hardest truths about ourselves. . .
and then do something about it.
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There is a tremendous amount of compassion, validation, and normalization to be had in understanding why our lives look the way they do, but the work doesn't stop there.
Unlike the stereotypes of traditional "talk therapy," my active approach to therapy takes insight a step further,
helping you get unstuck and propelling you forward.