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Ekta Hattangady
Registered Social Worker (MSW, RSW), Adv. Diploma in Child & Youth Work, trained in EMDR I, Brainspotting I and II, Somatic Therapy and CBT, 15+ years of personal yoga and meditation practice
Areas of special interest: Mindful parenting, abortion support, perimenopause, pet loss, polyamory/open relationship exploration, fat liberation/body image, healing from childhood trauma as adults, racial/cultural/religious trauma, shedding cultural baggage
I am a fun-loving human, committed to the idea that each of us has the potential to be completely free and live our best lives. We are more than the sum total of our individual, familial, and sociopolitical history. What happened to us is not our fault, but it is our responsibility to heal from it. What we do not heal, we carry and even pass on to others.
My expertise lies in helping people befriend themselves, even their most shameful parts. I teach people how to be soft and gentle when working through challenges and accountable and fierce to achieve their goals. I make healing interesting and easy to integrate in daily life.
Healing is not a destination to be reached but a mindset that we embody moment-to-moment. We can be free NOW.
Hi, I am Ekta (they/she). I am a psychotherapist with 20+ years of experience in non-profits and private practice combined.
I became a private practice therapist inspired by my struggles of finding the right blend of modalities.
Personal life: I experienced complex trauma early in life and live(d) with its impact into my early 30s. I walked around with an unconscious internalized belief that I was not good enough. While the trauma came from personal circumstances, it was reinforced by family, community, and prevalent sociocultural norms. Stigma played a huge role in preventing me from getting the help that I needed.
I lived with rage, depression, and anxiety, along with chronic pain and digestive issues, for most of my life. I had no hope. I knew I was talented but felt unlucky - like nothing good could ever happen to me. When the good things did happen, I self-sabotaged.
The Turning Point: Years later, I heard a spiritual teaching that changed my life - Suffering is a part of life.
This led me to understand that suffering was not a personal vendetta of the universe against me. Also, if suffering is a part of life, so are joy and happiness. Delving deeper into this philosophy led me to learn that there is no static pinnacle of happiness that I have to reach. Life is constantly in ebb and flow. Everything that arises naturally comes to pass. The good, the bad, and the neutral. I learned specific techniques that allow me to apply this knowledge in my daily life.
At 20, a month before my mother died, I had no hope for a future. In my mid 40s, I feel like I am just getting started. I am doing my best work, and writing a book on Buddhist meditation - something I never imagined I could do. Don't get me wrong! Life still throws its curveballs, as does perimenopause. But I can show up with gentleness for myself and the people in my life.
Here are a few things I have learned and infuse in my work:
Healing is relational. Finding the proper support is key. A therapist who matches your values and understands your personal and cultural context can help you with strategies that work for you instead of trying to shove you into a box. I have worked with diverse populations across India, USA, and Canada. My lived experience of being a trauma survivor, immigrant, "person of color", queer person socialized as a woman, and a small business owner enables me to connect with you no matter where you are in your journey.
What's in the mind is in the body. It can be hard to apply what we know to our lives, especially to change our thinking patterns. The West tends to separate the mind and body which disconnects us from our bodies. Our bodies are an anchor, we can stay present with mind patterns by relating to the body and change the trajectory of an intense experience. As an experienced yoga teacher with training in somatic therapy, I bring with me easy and effective tools to help you regain control you seek over your emotions and response patterns.
Decolonizing the tools we use is crucial. In the West, psychotherapy is all about tools. These tools are often borrowed and stolen from other cultures. They are stripped of the philosophical and cultural elements. As a result, even when we learn the tools, we may find it hard to apply them when we need them. I bring back the roots of the cultures where a lot of somatics, mindfulness and breathing techniques are taken from. For e.g. a body scan taught in DBT or mindfulness therapy is limited to emotional regulation. But it comes from Buddhist teachings and it has a specific role in allowing deeper wisdom to emerge.
Joy and pleasure are essential. Healing does not have to be boring or too serious. In our work together, expect to feel light, laugh at ourselves and even practice pleasure as a liberatory tool. Joy and pleasure both have a protective impact on our nervous systems. I am serious about getting you to approach life with ease and even fun!
Healing is a long-term process and not a goal to be reached. People often think, "I have been in therapy for so long, and I am still suffering." The reason is they view suffering and healing as polar opposites on the spectrum. But suffering is inevitable. So, what we learn is not just for the moment, but also for the future.
We are already enough. There is nothing wrong with you. Spiritually integrated therapy is not to fix us. It is to give you the tools that will allow you to see yourself for who you truly are. My vision is that each person I work with develops a wisdom praxis that allows theoretical knowledge to become embodied and realized.
You do not have to wait to heal fully to feel relief or experience happiness. It is possible today. Connect with me to find out more.
Perimenopause is real—and it’s more than just hot flashes. It can bring emotional upheaval, identity shifts, grief, rage, and deep questions about purpose and the meaning of life. In therapy with me, you’ll find a space to unpack all of it: the messy, the sacred, and everything in between.
I bring a trauma-informed, body-honoring approach that blends somatic tools, mindfulness, and nervous system care. Together, we’ll explore how this powerful life transition can be a portal—not just a problem—to deeper self-trust, liberation, and healing. All genders welcome.