Biography
Sangida Akter, M.A., is a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. She has experience providing crisis intervention, psychological assessments, and psychotherapy to adolescents and adults in diverse settings (e.g. college counseling center, community mental health clinic, non-profit organization, justice system involved youth).
Sangida believes therapy is a space like no other where clients can safely examine their inner and outer world, be accepted for who they are, and supported in becoming who they wish to be. Sangida aims to approach her clients with a genuine attitude, listen attentively, and honor their identities and lived experiences. In therapy, clients can expect that she will walk alongside them in exploring and achieving the goals they set, while cheering them on for their strengths and everyday wins. In her work, she integrates Humanistic, Psychodynamic, Multicultural, and Interpersonal theoretical orientations and draws on specialized training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Her therapeutic approach is also informed by her research on how systems of oppression (e.g., Islamophobia, classism, and racism) affect people with marginalized identities. Her research has also focused on improving access to culturally competent mental health services and graduate training for BIPOC individuals, as well as exploring the mechanisms through which psychotherapy works.
Clinical Focus
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma
Adjustment Problems (grief, loss, stress management etc.)
Interpersonal Relationship Concerns
Academic and career stress
Identity related stress (discrimination, microaggressions, etc.)
Justice system involved youth
Modalities
Individual (Adolescents & Adults)
Group Therapy
Psychological & Cognitive Evaluation
Languages Spoken
English
Bengali