The Queer Affirming Desi Therapist — In-Person in Allen TX & Virtual Across Texas
Sanjana Iyer
Texas Licensed Professional Counselor Associate
Supervised by Parthi B. Patel, LPC Supervisor #78799
WORKS WITH
BIPOC & South Asian young adults, LGBTQIA+ & queer desis, Queer South Asian individuals, Eldest daughters, Neurodivergent clients, Teens
EDUCATION & TRAINING
M.A. in Clinical Mental Health
Northwestern University
B.S. in Journalism
University of North Texas
LANGUAGES
Tamil & Hindi (Conversational)
PROVIDES
Individual Therapy, Group Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapy, In-Person Therapy in Allen TX, Virtual Therapy across Texas
EXPERTISE
Queer Desi Identity, LGBTQIA+ Affirming Therapy, Eldest Daughter Burnout, Bicultural Identity, Intergenerational & Cultural Trauma, Anxiety & Depression, Somatic Practices, Neurodivergence, Relationship Challenges
As a South Asian, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ affirming therapist in Dallas, I understand the pressures of navigating spaces that weren't built for you — the constant balancing act, family and cultural expectations, and the weight of being 'seen but misunderstood.' I work with teens and young adults exploring their identity, managing anxiety, processing intergenerational and cultural trauma, or seeking to reconnect with their creativity and authentic self.
I am the queer desi therapist — because that's exactly who my clients need and who I am. If you're South Asian and queer, you already know that most therapy spaces ask you to leave part of yourself at the door. Your desi identity or your queer identity gets treated as the 'issue' to be managed. Here, both are welcome, whole, and understood.
I specialize in working with queer desis navigating the specific grief of not being fully accepted in either community — too queer for some South Asian spaces, too desi for some queer spaces. That in-between place is exhausting. It's also where some of the most powerful healing work happens.
As an expressive arts therapist, I bring creativity into the room as a tool for healing. For clients who have spent their lives performing, achieving, and shrinking — art, writing, movement, and creative expression can access what words alone sometimes can't reach. You don't need to be an artist. You just need to be willing to show up.
I also hold dedicated space for eldest daughters — the ones who have been managing everyone else's emotional lives for so long they've forgotten what their own needs even feel like. Whether you're South Asian, BIPOC, or both, that particular exhaustion is something I understand deeply.
With a background in journalism from University of North Texas and clinical training from Northwestern University, I bring both the art of storytelling and the science of mental health to my work. Your story matters here — all of it.
As a conversational Tamil and Hindi speaker, I am able to connect with South Indian and Hindi-speaking clients in a way that honors their language and cultural roots.
I offer both in-person sessions at our Allen, TX office and virtual therapy across Texas — so whether you want the grounding of a dedicated physical space or the flexibility of online sessions, culturally affirming care meets you where you are.