Social Worker

Mallika (she/her) is a South Indian woman living on unceded Wurundjeri Country. Mallika grew up living between Naarm and Bangalore. 

Mallika is a culturally responsive social worker, with six years experience working in youth mental health, employment, community services, peer support, schools and digital mental health. Mallika also has experience in delivering training and developing content around culturally responsive and anti-racist mental health care. 

Mallika is committed to understanding the person in their context and unpacking how histories of systemic injustices can impact an individual’s experience. She acknowledges the importance of building trust and safety in the therapeutic relationship and is guided by what people want to get out of therapy.

Malllika combines her lived experience and clinical knowledge to flexibly provide support based on multiple therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), narrative therapy, and  peer-support,  as well as trauma-informed, strengths-based, decolonial, single session and person-centered approaches.  

Mallika has experience in working with a variety of concerns including anxiety, depression, workplace difficulties, relationship difficulties and migration, particularly in the context of navigating cultural identity and racism, queer identities and other intersectional identities

Education:

DIPLOMA OF NARRATIVE PRACTICES I NARRATIVE PRACTICES INDIA COLLECTIVE I CURRENT

MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK I THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE I 2017

BACHELOR OF ARTS I THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE I 2015