Meet Ria Sarkar

Therapy, as I practice it, is more than a path toward addressing challenges. It’s an invitation to reconnect with the parts of yourself that have been overlooked, silenced, or pushed aside. 

For many of my clients, especially those navigating PTSD or complex PTSD, the work becomes a gentle integration of mind, body, and spirit that helps them feel more grounded, more themselves, and more at home in their own story.

My approach blends talk therapy and CBT with modalities like Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, Narrative Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. I love helping people explore the emotional layers beneath the surface, especially those who tend to intellectualize or feel unsure about opening up. Together, we follow the threads of your experience with curiosity, compassion, and enough structure to support you. 

Alongside my work in private practice, I also serve full-time as a forensic social worker, supporting court-involved individuals as they navigate emotionally heavy and often overwhelming systems. That experience has shaped how I show up as a therapist: steady, nonjudgmental, trauma-informed, and deeply aware of the bigger forces that impact a person’s inner world. I’ve worked extensively with trauma survivors, including those who have experienced sexual trauma and domestic violence, and I hold space with the care and clarity that this work deserves.

As a Desi, Indian American therapist, I have a special passion for supporting South Asian, East Asian, first-generation, and other POC clients who are carrying multiple identities at once. Many of my clients are high-achievers who feel pressure from all sides—family expectations, cultural narratives, and long histories of putting themselves last. Others are LGBTQ+ community members who want a therapist who “gets it,” even if sexuality isn’t the focus of their therapy. For many of us, mental health support was never modeled or encouraged, and I work hard to create a space where you can settle in, exhale, and show up as your full self.

My style is warm, direct, and intuitive. I use metaphors, analogies, visualizations, and real-life language to help make things feel clearer and more relatable. Whether we’re grounding your nervous system, reframing an old belief, or finally giving words to something you’ve held inside for years, my goal is to help you feel seen, understood, and empowered in the process.

Although I’ve lived all over the country, Upstate New York is home. Outside of work, you’ll usually find me doing Pilates, making pottery, spending time with my dogs, or diving into astrology—things that help me stay connected to my own mind-body balance. I also offer a limited number of sliding-scale slots; feel free to reach out if that would support your access to therapy.

If you’re navigating cultural identity, trauma, or the quiet weight of expectations that have gone unaddressed for far too long, I’m here to help you reconnect with the parts of yourself you’ve been carrying alone.