Marshneil Lal

Our deepest wounds often live beneath the surface, quietly shaping our identity, our relationships, and the ways we've learned to protect ourselves. Whether you're working through childhood wounds, the lasting impact of a toxic or high-control relationship, or a season of profound uncertainty that left you feeling unrecognizable to yourself, I offer a calm, steady space to gently begin finding your way back.

My work is grounded in Internal Family Systems — an approach built on the understanding that we are all made up of different parts, each carrying its own history, its own protective role, and its own quiet wisdom. Rather than fighting the parts of yourself that feel difficult or overwhelming, we learn to understand them, approaching them with curiosity instead of shame. That shift — from self-criticism toward self-compassion — is often where real healing begins.

I have a particular passion for supporting people through the profound transitions of pregnancy, postpartum, and new parenthood — seasons that can carry deep joy alongside grief, anxiety, identity shifts, and an intensity that is rarely spoken about honestly enough. I work with individuals navigating perinatal mood disorders, intrusive thoughts, birth trauma, fertility struggles, and pregnancy loss. For those handed a version of parenthood nothing like what they imagined, I offer care that meets the full complexity of that experience.

My practice is trauma-informed, gender-affirming, and culturally aware, with a deep commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community, first-generation individuals, and those healing from high-control environments. I draw on CBT, DBT, ACT, and IFS — always tailored to your specific needs and pace. After more than a decade in this work, what continues to move me most is simple: the moment someone finally feels truly seen.

Therapy with me begins with one simple premise: you don't have to have it figured out to show up. Whatever you're carrying — a major transition, unprocessed loss, the slow weight of daily anxiety, or questions about who you are and where you belong — I meet you exactly where you are, without an agenda for how quickly or neatly things should unfold.

I draw on CBT, DBT, ACT, and IFS, but the approach is never formulaic. What guides each session is you — your values, your history, the coping strategies you've already built, and the resilience that brought you here in the first place. We'll look not just at what's hurting, but at what's already working, and build from there.

I grew up in a collectivist culture in Fiji, which shaped everything about how I understand identity, belonging, and the particular exhaustion of feeling caught between worlds. That lived experience informs how I show up for clients navigating cultural identity, first-generation pressures, and the complex grief of not quite fitting — anywhere. I hold that space with both personal understanding and deep respect.

You can expect warmth and genuine curiosity alongside honest, thoughtful challenge. I'll listen carefully, ask questions that open things up rather than close them down, and offer perspectives you may not have considered. This isn't about fixing you — it's about creating enough space to breathe, reflect, and gradually reclaim the parts of yourself that have felt out of reach.

What you can expect from our sessions is presence and perspective in equal measure — I won't just sit back and nod. I'll ask questions that open things up, reflect what I'm noticing, and gently challenge the beliefs that may no longer be serving you. Together we'll get curious about what's happening beneath the surface, without judgment and without rushing the process.

Our work might involve boundaries, emotional regulation, self-compassion, or untangling old patterns — whatever is most alive for you. I draw on CBT, DBT, ACT, and IFS, but sessions won't feel like a worksheet. They'll feel like a conversation with purpose, shaped entirely by your values, your pace, and your life. Meaningful change is possible. I'd be honored to be part of it.