Alex Subbaraman, LICSW
She/her/hers
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I am a biracial and cisgendered woman. I was born to a South Indian (Malayali) father and white (Welsh) mother who moved to the US in the late 80’s. I grew up becoming familiar with the in-betweens of culture, place, and belonging. I spent my childhood & adolescence in Michigan, Kerala, and the UK.
I moved to the Twin Cities after finishing my bachelors degree and began working in the social services field. My work experiences in early childhood & supportive housing settings led me to pursue a Master of Social Work degree to expand my ability to work in mental health and structural advocacy fields. While allowing me the credentials to pursue clinical licensure as a healthcare provider, my time in social work school emboldened me to delve deeper into critiques of power structures and participation in direct action.
I have practiced in a variety of settings such as hospitals, schools, and reproductive health centers. Some of my roles have included school-based therapist, early childhood specialist, social policy researcher, clinical supervisor, and abortion social worker. You are welcome to ask more questions about my work history, values, and navigation of moral & ethical concerns in the fields of behavioral healthcare or beyond.
After almost a decade in the Twin Cities, I moved back to Michigan to be closer to family. I currently provide services to individuals based in MN or MI via telehealth.
Education
University of Minnesota, Master of Social Work (Clinical Mental Health, Health Policy)
Kalamazoo College, Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy, Neuroscience)
Licenses
Minnesota, LICSW #28554
Michigan, LMSW-Clinical #6801114813
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My area of speciality as a therapist is trauma: Complex, chronic, discrete (acute, single-event) trauma and the many ways that these experiences may be expressed across a person’s lifespan. Being a mixed race woman is a very important aspect of who I am, and through much personal and professional identity development I have also focused my therapeutic practice in exploration of racial & cultural identities: Multiracial, mixed, and biracial identity formation; Multiracial family dynamics; Navigating being first-generation or being raised in a culture separate from the generation(s) before you, and so on.
I primarily work with other people of color and often work with individuals who are Asian, multiracial, queer, and/or first generation on resolving dilemmas unique to experiences such as assimilation, isolation, identity formation, and more. I enjoy working with people who may be navigating transitions, exploring their identities, and looking to understand themselves in the contexts of the systems & relationships we live within. Thoughtful consideration of structural traumas and adverse experiences is integral to my approach regardless of whether you initially seek therapy to engage in re-processing or “remembering” work.
My approach to therapy is rooted in the belief that healing is only as fruitful as the trust between those involved. I also believe that individual healing and collective liberation go hand-in-hand. This is why I'm passionate about exploring how systems of power function & impact us. In therapy, I invite inquiry of how these systems have shaped our values and lived experiences as we envision your hopes for the future. I am committed to fielding your questions/concerns and leaning into systemic critique throughout the therapeutic process.
I have advanced training in trauma treatment modalities such as TF-CBT, EMDR, and Narrative Exposure Therapy. I pull from an array of modalities and frameworks in my work as a therapist. You can expect our work together to be collaborative, reflective, and responsive to your preferences and readiness.
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My work is informed by conceptualizations & therapeutic orientations related to human connection, systems of power, and liberation. A selection of works that influence my perspective as a therapist is below.
Social & developmental contexts for trauma recovery
Trauma and Recovery, Judith Herman
Developmental Repair, Anne Gearity
My Grandmothers Hands, Resmaa Menakem
Healing the Soul Wound, Eduardo Duran
Liberation & healing
Healing Justice Lineages, Cara Page and Erica Woodland
Women, Race & Class, Angela Davis
Medicine Stories: Essays for Radicals, Aurora Levins Morales
Neurodiversity
The Secret Life of a Black Aspie, Anand Prahlad
Exploration of love, loss, & desire