Saleha Qureshi

Psychotherapy, LMFT

Saleha Qureshi is a bilingual licensed marriage and family therapist with a Southeast Asian background and a passion for working with a diverse clientele. She treats adults dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, relational issues, and domestic violence. She is trained in eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR), which helps clients heal from chronic or acute trauma.

Specialties

General Mental Health

General relationship challenges (family, friends, co-workers)

Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Finances

$ $ $ $ $

UnitedHealthcare

Oxford Health Plans

Cigna

UMR

Oscar

UHC Student Resources

Beacon Health Options

Harvard Pilgrim

CT Medicaid

Anthem

Out-of-pocket

Locations

Teletherapy

Licensed in

Connecticut

“I am a warm, authentic, and nurturing person by nature and my ability to absorb people's energies intuitively, listen reflectively, and relate to their pain and suffering with empathy and compassion played a big role in choosing this career.”

What was your path to becoming a therapist?

I am a warm, authentic, and nurturing person by nature and my ability to absorb people's energies intuitively, listen reflectively, and relate to their pain and suffering with empathy and compassion played a big role in choosing this career. My experience working in a couple of agency settings helped shape my ability to relate to adults dealing with mental health, substance abuse, poverty, lack of education, and intergenerational trauma while feeling alienated by the larger society. I have specialized training in EMDR, an evidence-based modality that helps people heal from trauma. My training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy has helped me offer a practical approach to improving relational issues in couples.

What should someone know about working with you?

My intake process is a fairly simple procedure and includes two steps. The first step involves 15 minutes of paperwork (to be filled out prior to intake). The second step is the first face-to-face encounter with a client. This involves a 45-minute to 60-minute interview to make a thorough assessment of the presenting problems, identify personality style, and gauge if we are a good fit. Together, we will make a structured treatment plan as a way of measuring progress and working toward goals identified in treatment. I do assign homework as needed. I like working with clients who can verbalize readily, who are open-minded and flexible, who have a good sense of humor, who are curious and resilient, and who enjoy a mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral approach in therapy.

How do your own core values shape your approach to therapy?

As a Southeast Asian woman, I was born and raised in India in a middle-class Muslim family. My parents instilled good values early on and I learned my first lessons on being a good human within the framework of a religion that promoted these things. My own first-generation experiences help me relate very closely to my clients of color who are dealing with issues such as immigration, acculturation, poverty, domestic violence, lack of education, and the challenges of raising kids in a different culture.

What are you most excited about within the evolving mental health landscape?

I like the convenience of telehealth. I find that a video session can come close to giving the good feeling of connection that one needs in psychotherapy. I love reading about mindfulness and its applications in promoting overall health and wellness while reducing the need for psychiatric medications. I believe in the healing aspect of meditation, guided visualizations, affirmations, gratitude, and compassion toward self and others.

“I like working with clients who can verbalize readily, who are open-minded and flexible, who have a good sense of humor, who are curious and resilient, and who enjoy a mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral approach in therapy.”

Interested in speaking with Saleha?