About Therapy
The right support makes a difference.
The stigma about therapy is changing, but is still prevalent, especially in many cultural contexts and high-achieving environments.
Often, we may not realize just how deeply we carry shame about asking for support. The reality is that everyone, including the most capable, driven, and put-together person, thrives with support.
You’re probably here because your usual coping strategies have not been working. Therapy can offer tools and skills that address your unique pain points, with the added benefit of troubleshooting and adjusting what is not working.
Therapy with me typically involves stages:
First, we address your question:
“Why is this happening?” We will begin by gaining an understanding, without judgment (which is much more complicated than it sounds), about what has been happening. The problems can be pain points, triggers, causes, or recurring patterns. Theories, beliefs, and deep dives into intellectual topics can provide valuable clues here.
Next, we address what needs to change…
both internally and externally, so you can better align with your values. At this stage, we begin to practice nonjudgment more easily, making it easier to clearly leverage self-awareness and self-compassion simultaneously.
Then, we address your question.
“How do I make these changes?” Through evidence-based tools and strategies, we can help you make those changes. Most importantly, we encourage accountability and provide nonjudgmental support and a space to be human. I use interventions from culturally oriented CBT, ACT, Emotion-Focused Therapy, feminist theory, and interpersonal theory to curate the right strategy for you.
Finally…,
…we help you maintain these changes through nonjudgmental feedback and systems that support your goals. At this stage, clients often feel confident about how they make changes but may need continued support with troubleshooting to sustain their progress.
About Dr. Dhriti Folmsbee
Hearing people’s stories motivates me.
I moved 14 times and lived in several countries, including India, Singapore, and Jordan, before moving to the U.S. I encountered a wide range of people early on and became interested in people’s stories. Transitions, flexibility, and adapting became second nature and sparked an intellectual interest.
I knew that learning was important to me, and I took the scenic route to arrive at psychology. I enjoyed STEM, literature, and humanities, and even considered degrees in art and business. Ultimately, I went with a BA in Psychology, English, and Creative Writing because I could not pick just one!
Before my Ph.D., I received my Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I first developed my skills for doing therapy. I knew I wanted to continue my learning journey, which led me to pursue my PhD in Counseling Psychology at the University of Denver, where I sharpened my research and teaching skills and received advanced training in assessment and therapy.
I have worked at several university counseling centers, including UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UW-Madison, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and Miami University. Across these different locations, I often saw how similar people’s stories are in their resilience and strengths. I am a licensed psychologist in California (PSY33918) and have been in virtual practice since 2023.
What’s life like outside of therapy?
Having a virtual practice has allowed me time and capacity for all things I value, which include time with my family, my husband and two dogs, and my hobbies, writing, painting, exploring new cities, and swimming.
