South Asian therapist, online across Illinois Therapy with a South Asian therapist
Devi Natarajan is a South Asian therapist working online with college students and young adults in Chicagoland and across Illinois. For South Asian and Asian American clients, children of immigrants, and people of color more broadly, that can mean not having to explain the basics of your family, your culture or your expectations before the real work starts.
In crisis right now? Call or text 988, or go to the nearest emergency department.
Why it can help to see someone who gets it
With a therapist who understands the nuances, you can spend the session on what you came in with, rather than on translating it.
- What you owe your parents
- Study and career choices that were never only yours
- How mental health is or is not spoken about at home
- Living between two sets of expectations
South Asian families are not all the same, and neither are the people in them. The work starts from your experience, not a stereotype of it.
What clients often bring
Pressure that has often been building quietly, with nowhere to put it.
Family expectations
About grades, careers, relationships and marriage.
Caught between worlds
Your parents' world and your own.
Guilt
About wanting something different, or not feeling grateful enough.
The model minority burden
Pressure to be the one who succeeds.
Stigma
About therapy itself, and worry about what people would say.
Identity
Culture, faith, sexuality and belonging.
Anxiety, low mood, burnout
Often the reason people finally reach out.
Children of immigrants
Growing up as the child of immigrants often means taking on roles early.
- The translator
- The paperwork handler
- The proof that the move was worth it
It can also mean carrying your parents' stress without words for it. Therapy is a place to look at what you took on, what you want to keep, and what you would like to put down, without anyone being cast as the villain.
Culturally responsive therapy for people of color
Race, culture, migration and family are part of the picture, not background.
Being the only one
In the classroom, the lab or the office.
Discrimination
And what it takes out of a week.
Code-switching
Between settings, all day.
Clients of color from any background are welcome, and the approach is evidence-based, drawing on CBT, interpersonal and psychodynamic therapy as fits the person.
How sessions work
Weekly virtual sessions, anywhere in Illinois.
Insurance
In network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, including NU-SHIP and U-SHIP.
Self-pay
$200 to $250 per session.
Confidential
Everything you share stays private, including from your family.
Who you will work with
Devi Natarajan, LCPC
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with over 15 years in behavioural health and an MA in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern University.
- LCPC
- ADHD-CCSP
- MBSR
- Northwestern
Common questions
Is Devi Natarajan a South Asian therapist?
Yes. Devi Natarajan, LCPC, is a South Asian therapist and the founder of Mindtude, working with college students and young adults in Chicagoland and online across Illinois.
Do I have to be South Asian to work with Devi?
No. Clients of every background are welcome. Many people simply value a therapist who takes culture and family seriously.
Will my family find out I am in therapy?
Not from us. Therapy is confidential, with the standard legal exceptions such as a serious risk of harm, which are explained at the start. One thing to know: if you are on a parent's insurance plan, the insurer usually mails claim statements to the policyholder, so ask us about your options before you book.
Can sessions be online?
Yes. All sessions are online, by secure video, anywhere in Illinois.
Start with a free consultation
A short call, no charge, to see whether this is a fit. Send your insurance details with it and we will confirm your coverage before you commit to anything.