The countless hours I’d spent scouring Cosmopolitan under topics like “53 Signs He Likes You” didn’t help me realize that until I resolved the internal issues caused by my dysfunctional relationship with my father, I would only self-sabotage my romantic relationships. There was no disclaimer that the “15 Ways to Fake It Till You Make It” wasn’t feasible with crippling social anxiety. The article on “How to Pass Any Exam in a Week” failed to mention that struggling to concentrate, constant fidgeting, absent-mindedness, and forgetfulness were all symptoms of ADHD that could not be easily bypassed by organizing my study space and quizzing myself.

It was my thirst for knowledge, the yearning to truly make sense of my thoughts, feelings, and emotions, that led me to drop out of A-levels, abandoning my dream of becoming a doctor to pursue a degree in Psychology. It was here that I realized that the source of why I was the way I was stemmed from my childhood experiences. From then on, I knew that I wanted to work with children, the family system that largely contributes to childhood trauma, and individuals who had gone through childhood trauma. Learning about systemic therapy felt like finding the key to helping others sort through some of the deepest issues we all carry with us.

Career History

Over the past few years, I've had the privilege of working with an NGO dedicated to serving Kenyan youth. My role focused on enhancing the capacity of clinical caregivers to provide more competent care. Given that 80% of Kenya's population is youth, addressing their mental health needs is crucial. Research shows that depression and anxiety are the most prevalent issues among Kenyan youth. In the early stages of my career with the NGO, I worked in the programs team.

Our primary responsibility was overseeing the delivery of a four-week mental health intervention to underprivileged youth in Kenyan public high schools. Extensive research demonstrated that this intervention effectively reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety while increasing overall well-being among the participants. It was here that I learned the importance of implementing and studying contextually relevant interventions to create lasting change. It was also here that I realized that we need more competent and dedicated mental health caregivers in Kenya to address the country's mental health crisis.

My role at the NGO later evolved to senior associate in the train team, where I had the opportunity to spearhead the training of 100+ clinical supervisors and 1,000+ lay providers who were responsible for delivering the mental health intervention to students. Currently, the intervention has been delivered to over 100,000 students.

JK Therapy

All this brings us to now. Starting my private practice has been a full-circle moment for me. It feels like every step I've taken has led me to where I am today. So far, I’ve worked with clients to heal childhood trauma, reduce symptoms of mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, cope with loss and grief, and resolve relationship and family conflict. My method is both holistic and client-centered, and I am committed to equipping clients with the tools and support they need to overcome obstacles.

I use a family-systems-based approach, incorporating techniques such as solution-focused therapy, narrative therapy, experiential therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) among others. I have found that using multiple interventions and structures helps to provide what is necessary to make positive and lasting changes.

I’m excited to meet diverse personalities and help individuals on their own paths to self-actualization.

If you’re interested in learning about the stages of therapy at JK Therapy, you can read this blog post where I unveil the secrets behind therapy.

If you’d like to learn more about systemic therapy, you can explore more about it here.