Lakshmi Kalluri
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
MFT#127372
650-297-3400 x 17
Location: Online
Fee: $250
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Specialties:
Languages: English, Hindi, Telugu
Adults: Trauma, Complex Trauma, Early Childhood Trauma, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), Medical Trauma, Coping with Challenging Medical Diagnoses, Chronic Pain, Chronic Illness, Misophonia, Tinnitus, Anxiety (Hypervigilence, Worry, Panic, Performance Anxiety / Perfectionism, Social Anxiety, Postpartum Anxiety), Depression / Postpartum Depression, Parenting, Motherhood, Attachment, Relationships, Life Transitions, Divorce, Career Path, Job Stress / Burnout, AI-Related Job Insecurity / Career Anxiety / Optimal Performance / Identity & Acculturation
Teens: Trauma, Complex Trauma, Medical Trauma, Chronic Pain, Chronic Illness, Misophonia, Emotion Regulation, Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Performance Anxiety / Perfectionism, Academic Stress, Peer Challenges, Self Esteem, Depression, Identity & Acculturation Issues
Modalities:
Trauma Informed, EMDR, Mindfulness Based, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), IFS Informed, Pain Reprocessing Therapy
Lakshmi has training in CBT, DBT, EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS)-Informed Therapy, and Pain Reprocessing Therapy, allowing her to help clients heal from trauma, attachment wounds, chronic pain, and nervous system dysregulation using evidence-based, compassionate care.
Introduction and therapeutic Philosophy:
Many of the people I work with have spent a long time carrying burdens that others cannot easily see. Perhaps you've lived through trauma, are coping with chronic pain or illness, feel constantly on edge with anxiety, or find yourself stuck in patterns that no longer make sense, despite your best efforts to change them. You may even wonder why your mind and body continue to react the way they do.
As both a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a physician trained in the United Kingdom, I bring a unique perspective that bridges neuroscience, medicine, and psychotherapy. I enjoy helping teens and adults understand how trauma, stress, attachment experiences, and the nervous system shape our emotions, relationships, and even physical symptoms. My goal is not simply to reduce symptoms, but to help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself while creating lasting healing.
Clients often describe me as warm, compassionate, calming, and deeply nonjudgmental. I believe healing begins when we feel emotionally safe enough to share our story without fear of being criticized or rushed. Whether you're navigating trauma, anxiety, chronic pain, medical challenges, relationship difficulties, or major life transitions, I strive to create a space where you feel genuinely seen, understood, and supported.
Much of my work centers around helping people heal from experiences that continue to live inside the nervous system. These may include early childhood experiences, attachment wounds, relational trauma, medical trauma, or more recent difficult events. Together, we'll gently explore these experiences at a pace that feels right for you while building the internal resources needed to move toward greater resilience, confidence, and emotional freedom.
I also have specialized training in Pain Reprocessing Therapy, an evidence-based approach for chronic pain and certain persistent physical symptoms. Many people are surprised to learn that the brain and nervous system can become caught in cycles of pain, fear, hypervigilance, and protective responses. By combining Pain Reprocessing Therapy with mindfulness, trauma-informed care, and emotional processing, I help clients gradually retrain these patterns so they can return to living fuller, more meaningful lives.
Above all, I believe every person already possesses tremendous strength and wisdom. My role is to help you reconnect with those inner resources so that you can move through life with greater self-compassion, resilience, and confidence.
Therapy Session - What To Expect:
No two people heal in exactly the same way, which is why I don't believe therapy should follow a one-size-fits-all approach. Together, we'll begin by understanding your experiences, identifying your goals, and creating a treatment plan that reflects what matters most to you.
As therapy unfolds, we'll regularly check in about what's working and adjust our approach as your needs evolve. I value collaboration and welcome your feedback throughout the process because your experience in therapy matters.
Depending on your goals, our work may include EMDR to process traumatic memories, Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed work to better understand different parts of yourself, mindfulness practices to regulate the nervous system, Pain Reprocessing Therapy for chronic pain, or cognitive and behavioral strategies to help you develop new skills and perspectives.
My hope is that each session leaves you feeling not only supported and understood, but also with greater clarity, self-awareness, and confidence in your ability to navigate life's challenges.
Theoretical orientation:
I integrate several evidence-based approaches to create therapy that is individualized, compassionate, and grounded in current neuroscience research. Rather than relying on a single modality, I thoughtfully blend approaches based on your unique goals, history, and what feels most supportive for you.
My work is especially informed by:
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) — EMDR is one of the most extensively researched treatments for trauma and PTSD. It helps the brain process experiences that may feel "stuck," allowing painful memories to become less emotionally overwhelming while reducing symptoms such as anxiety, hypervigilance, and emotional reactivity.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)-Informed Therapy — IFS views each of us as having different "parts" that developed to protect us throughout life. Rather than judging these protective patterns, we learn to understand them with curiosity and compassion. This approach can be especially powerful for healing attachment wounds, childhood trauma, shame, perfectionism, and longstanding relationship patterns.
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) — Chronic pain and persistent physical symptoms are often influenced by the nervous system's protective responses. Pain Reprocessing Therapy helps retrain the brain to interpret physical sensations more accurately, interrupting the cycle of pain, fear, and hypervigilance. This approach can be particularly effective for people whose pain has persisted despite medical treatment, especially when stress, anxiety, or trauma may also be contributing factors.
In addition to these specialties, I am passionate about offering mindfulness-based therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), emotion-focused therapy, solution-focused therapy, strength-based approaches, and culturally responsive care.
My background in medicine, combined with additional training in Harvard Lifestyle and Wellness Coaching, allows me to thoughtfully consider the connection between physical health, lifestyle, emotional wellbeing, and the nervous system. Whenever appropriate, we can also explore practical lifestyle strategies that support your overall health and resilience.
Self-compassion and forgiveness are important concepts I include in my work with my clients. The following quote resonates deeply with me.
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete” - Jack Kornfield
Above all, I believe therapy should honor your whole person—including your cultural identity, family experiences, values, spirituality, and lived experiences. Together, we'll choose the approaches that best fit your goals while creating a path toward healing that feels authentic to you.
Education:
Additional Trainings:
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) Training with Philip Mansfield
Internal Family Systems IFS Course - with Bonnie Weiss
Pain Reprocessing Therapy Training
Harvard Lifestyle and Wellness Coaching - Harvard University
Passion Coaching Certification
What Clients are Saying:
"Our family has been very fortunate to have the help of L. Kalluri. Our teenager has connected very well with Ms. Kalluri; and she has in her parent follow-ups given us parents really actionable help. I always feel that Ms. Kalluri sees and knows our daughter. Her counseling is very grounded in strong SEL. It is not easy to make a connection purely virtually, but she has with our family. She is very responsive, and we highly recommend her, and appreciate and trust her expertise." - Client feedback via Yelp Review