Hi there! I’m Tracy…
…I am the daughter of two hardworking immigrants and I was raised in an Indian and Catholic household. One of the most difficult things I had to deal with growing up was balancing my interests and choices with those of my family and my culture. If I did what I wanted to do, I was “whitewashed”. If I didn’t, I was unmotivated, sad, down, tense, and on edge. I knew something did not quite feel right. Part of my journey meant unpacking this negative belief that all adult children of immigrants have: If I honor my needs, I am disgracing my culture.
I have survived and witnessed family members survive cultural and religious trauma. I learned that I don’t need to endure pain to prove my loyalty to my heritage. We can break the curses.
There is more to me than just my culture! Here’s some boring info: I received my Bachelor of Arts in Gender and Women's Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago, a program that fundamentally changed my understanding of race, gender, and sexuality. After working for sexual assault advocacy centers and in residence life, I pursued my Master of Arts and Education in Psychological Counseling at Columbia University.
Since graduating, I've worked with Black, African, Latinx, and Caribbean families in homes across Manhattan and Queens, incarcerated men at Rikers Island, and millennial women of color in Brooklyn. Up until February 2021, I was also an essential worker during the COVID-19 pandemic!
Some fun stuff: when I'm not in my virtual "office", I enjoy writing, reading, and watching Never Have I Ever, Bridgerton, The Bachelor, and Real Housewives (currently watching Potomac)! I am also a huge Beyoncé fan and listen to Renaissance. I have a dachshund named Bugaboo (yes, like the Destiny’s Child song) and he is my little therapy assistant.