All you need to know
Psychotherapy and counselling, explained plainly.
Psychotherapy and counselling are both methods to bring about a psychological change in oneself.
Psychotherapy especially helps people with psychological problems that have come to their present state over a very long time. It is a form of in-depth counselling that goes deep into one's psyche to explore and understand the root causes of some of the issues. It is a longer term process that explores deeper emotional issues. Some of the more severe psychological issues need psychotherapy.
Counselling in contrast is usually short term and seeks to identify and resolve adjustment issues and crises positively. Its focus is change of behaviour and it is a shorter term process.
Counselling and therapy provide an opening for us to look at what it is that we are experiencing in our lives. We may refer to these experiences as depression, anxiety, stress, relationship and sexuality issues, issues of meaning, addiction, conflict, spirituality, life transitions, work challenges, redundancy, separation, bereavement, adapting to a new country or location, and family issues. It also offers us the opportunity to explore new possibilities and work through how we might create more meaningful ways of living that move us forward.
An integrative approach
Drawing from several evidence-based therapies
By combining these approaches, each session is tailored to the unique needs of the client — practical tools for everyday life, alongside the deeper questions of meaning and growth.
Existential Therapy
Helping clients explore meaning, purpose, and authentic living.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Addressing unhelpful thought patterns and building healthier behaviors.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
Identifying and reframing irrational beliefs.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Fostering mindfulness, acceptance, and value-driven action.
Our way of working
Our understanding of life is that no one is an expert on living. When we work with a therapist, counsellor or coach, we work with someone we can relate to, who we can connect with, and who we can learn to trust. This, more than any particular approach, technique or ethos, has been recognised, time and again, to be the most important aspect of psychotherapy and counselling. In choosing a therapist therefore, it is imperative that clients 'shop around', and find someone that they can feel comfortable with.
The existential approach
The existential approach is a truth-seeking method of facing the challenges of living. It is concerned at a fundamental level with what it means to be human and how we could understand human existence.
…the purpose of psychotherapy is to set people free.
Common questions
What people usually want to know first
What is counselling all about?
Counselling is a helping process which, by way of talking and discussing, helps the client to find solutions and feel comfortable. It starts with the first contact between client and counsellor, and may be completed in one session or many — to be cost effective it is often limited to a maximum of ten sessions. It is a therapeutic relationship that explores an individual's concerns, a mutual endeavour to recognize and move towards the individual's goals. Through it, individuals build a better perception of their life and themselves, including repetitive patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and the ways in which these have been problematic.
How does the process usually unfold?
First, the client comes in contact with the counsellor and they develop trust and rapport. The client is helped to talk about their perceived problems and emotional reactions, encouraged to have an emotional ventilation, and assured of help in finding solutions. Second comes understanding and exploration: the factors which cause, aggravate or obstruct solutions are identified, realistic explanations worked out, and the individual's strengths and weaknesses understood. Third comes implementing the measures understood, with short term and long term goals, reducing the severity of the problem or learning to cope where no solution is possible. Where useful, referrals are made and follow ups are done.
Can I benefit from counselling?
One seeks counselling when facing developmental and life concerns. Problems with managing depression, relationship and family problems, stress, anxiety, grief and loss, poor self-esteem, identity issues and loneliness are a few of the reasons people decide to take on the counselling process. Students may seek counselling for career indecision, academic pressure, homesickness, exam anxiety, and difficulties balancing work, school and home life.
How do I know if I should seek counselling?
It may be right to seek counselling if you are experiencing feelings of powerlessness or despair; feeling low, weary, depressed or uninterested; personal concerns that hamper your sleep, work or academic performance, concentration or relationships; long-standing unhappiness or grieving; increased irritability or excessive mood swings; suicidal or self-harming thoughts, for yourself or others; consistent anxiety or panic attacks; insecurity about your life, career or relationship; or distress about the conduct or emotional state of a friend, partner, peer or family member.
Will anyone know that I am coming in for counselling?
Unless you choose to tell others that you are seeking counselling, no one will know. If a family member or acquaintance contacts the practice for information about you, we cannot and will not reveal it. Health professionals preserve strict confidentiality about clients' participation in counselling. The only exceptions are situations in which professionals are lawfully entitled to break confidentiality: ongoing ill-treatment or neglect of a child or dependent adult, and grave risk of suicide or harm to you or others.
What is the difference between a counsellor, a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
The term 'counsellor' is unregulated in India, so anyone who provides counselling, regardless of training, can use the title — do ask your provider about their credentials. Psychologists usually specialize in a single area, for example counselling or clinical practice, school psychology, or educational psychology, and typically require a minimum of a Master's degree, with some also holding a doctoral degree. Psychiatrists are physicians (medical doctors) who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness; while they may deliver counselling, their treatment approaches are usually more biologically based and they may prescribe medication.
What if I require medication?
Individuals going through certain conditions, such as severe depression or anxiety, may benefit from taking medication, with or without counselling. If you are wondering whether you might need medication, please discuss it with your psychologist; a referral to a physician or psychiatrist may be made.