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Frequently asked Questions

FAQ

FAQ

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Whenever you feel you need to. If you feel “I wish I could talk to someone”, “no one is understanding my problem”, “I feel stuck”, “I don’t see any way out of this situation”, “I am feeling low/anxious/stressed out” etc.
Your mental health and well-being is very important. You should visit a psychologist if you are
-going through a state of transition in life which is stressful for you
-having adjustment issues
-feeling less confident
-have feelings hopeless or worthless
-having thoughts of hurting yourself or you hurt yourself
-facing issues with your relationships
-feeling emotionally overwhelmed
-do not feel like socializing, you notice yourself withdrawing from others
-unable to work or study, difficulties in concentration, memory, learning
-experiencing Anxiety, fear, having repetitive thoughts
-dealing with trauma
-having issues with sleep or appetite
-having body image issues
-wanting to check the use of substances such as alcohol, weed etc.
-dealing with bullies, abuse or violence at the moment.
 
The sooner you seek help the better.
Mental Health Professionals in India differ in terms of their degree and mode of treatment. We are Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Counsellors, Psychologists and Special Educators.
Broadly Psychiatrists are the only professionals who provide medication. Clinical Psychologist treat a wide variety of mental illnesses, provide diagnosis, put together treatment plans, works in conjunction with hospitals and inpatient wards. Provide tips, tricks and tools for everyday life for overall well-being.
Mental health Professionals work as a team and guide you if you need to visit the specific professional depending on your problem and its severity. 
Clinical Psychologists are mental health professionals who after completion of Masters for 2 years in Psychology have pursued M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology. Only after which they will be registered under the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) as Clinical Psychologists.
 
How confidential are the sessions?
Sessions with adults who are seeking help themselves are 100% confidential.  The necessary times when confidentiality needs to be broken in case of self harm, suicidal thoughts, impulse to harm others will be discussed with the client first and after discussion it will be revealed to caregiver chosen by the client.
For clients below age 18 years of age, some instances might occur that must involve parents (ideas of self harm, suicide, impulsive harmful decisions).In such cases the problem will be discussed with the parents but only after discussing with clients.
Number of sessions depend upon the problem, the amount of time the person has been suffering and other factors. After the first session the therapist can tell you the amount of time that can be required.
Across problems, 50% of clients in studies get to “meaningful change” after 9 sessions and recovery after 13 to 18 sessions. Acute symptoms can take about 5 sessions to change but chronic symptoms can take 14 or more. Similarly, Panic Disorder can take as few as 6 sessions, but other diagnoses take more. So the 8 to 12 sessions often offered by the NHS may not be enough.
In some occasions 1 or 2 sessions also heal the problem to a great extent.
Each session is for 50 minutes. We start and end on time.
On the day of the session it cannot be extended, you will see that the therapist will tell you that they will continue the next day. The reason being either it is time for the next client’s appointment or the therapist is done with their day’s work.  If needed a double session will be advised and it has to be pre booked.
50 minutes might not seem sufficient at first but over time it has been researched and found to be optimal for psychotherapy.
The first session is the one of the most important and interesting sessions as it is novel for both the therapist and the client. It is the session where the client can understand if they can feel the basic comfort while talking to the professional. It is new therefore it will take a few minutes for both the client and the therapist to feel at ease.
The therapist will ask you some very general questions at first and then will allow you to speak about your difficulties. Feel free to ask your questions as well. If you don’t have much to say the therapist will guide you and let you take your time. By the end of the first session the therapist will give a very brief and general idea about the problem you might be having and give you a rough idea about how the treatment will be. The therapist might also assign very basic homework for you to continue till the next session.
It is expected that you might not be able to finish saying everything in day one but please be patient and slowly the therapist will help you unravel everything in details.
Therapy is a journey which is guided. You have control over this journey. It is a path to know yourself better, to be more self aware.   The therapist will play a part in the journey so that you explore the depths of your feelings and get to experience clear insights and new energy.  You can expect to face hard truths and feel raw emotions. Some sessions will make you feel fresh some will make you feel drained out. The motive is to focus on the goals and work to have a well balanced life.
Most therapy becomes the process of finding a problem, acknowledging it, exploring it, finding the best path over or around it. Your contribution is vital at each stage, particularly between sessions, when you will need to actively practice the changes yourself to secure the progress you have made. Sometimes you will discover a new understanding of yourself or your world, at other times new skills, new attitudes or a new value. If at any time you feel uncomfortable do not hesitate to convey that to your therapist.
The relationship between a therapist and a client is professional one. Your therapist might have a friendly nature but a therapist cannot be a friend.  A therapist’s role is to help the client get stronger and more adaptable in their day to day lives. A therapist will never share details about their personal lives with you. They will let you know if boundaries are being overstepped, likewise you can also tell your therapist if they are overstepping your boundary.  Some goals are difficult to reach, with the help of a empathetic guide who respects your emotions it becomes easier, but never the less there has to be effort to face the challenges discovered together in the therapy.
Therapy helps you become more adaptable in your day to day lives. That being said there are some situational and environmental issues that are not in the power of a therapist to solve, for example, someone is living with an abusive parent. Your therapist cannot directly change the parent’s behaviour. However, your therapist can help you deal with trauma, find hope, get stronger, explore new ways to deal with the situation etc.   
Finding the right therapist is very important as it will decide how your therapy will progress.  You are looking for comfort, honestly, insight, experience, clarity, and empathy.  A therapist who seems cold, formal or unresponsive won’t form the bond you’ll need to support you if therapy gets tough. Beware if your therapist makes fun of you or makes you feel bad about yourself at any point. 
If you like the sound of a therapist, see them for two or three sessions.  You’ll find out how you are being able to connect with them.  Whether they can bring up touchy subjects, listen, empathize, offer guidance and help you feel supported.  You’ll know therapy is off to a good start when you and the therapist agree where you’re going, decide on common goals and plan to work together with kindness and understanding.
The therapist decides on a rough idea of the number of sessions that will be required. We know therapy is coming to an end when most of the goals planned are being reached. The time between each session will increase. The client and the therapist both feel that client’s well-being has improved and that they can deal with their situation better.
 Your therapist will help you prepare for what to do when therapy terminates. How to continue and generalise the things achieved though therapy.
Most therapists use an integrative approach. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is most commonly used form of psychotherapy
Facing some of the problems such as past trauma, difficult emotions, confronting embarrassing or guilt leaden situations is hard, your therapist will tell you when it might be so. But it is also the first step to heal from them. It means that therapy will not always be an easy and gentle experience.
BUT, if you are not connecting with your therapist, if your feel that your therapist is being mean, dominating, a bully, making fun of you, you need to RUN. You will feel it in the first session itself. Request to anyone seeking help, negative experiences might happen, but do not give up the idea of seeking help. Most therapists are the best people you will meet. Their work makes them like that. So, do search and connect with a new therapist once you feel you are ready. 
Sessions are held both online and offline. Both work very well.
Offline sessions are booked and the payment has to be made within a day or two. You can cancel or ask to reschedule the session 48 hours prior. In such a case total refund is made, however after that no refund is done. The reason is time. Therapists assign 50 minutes or so for a client. A cancellation would mean that an hour is wasted and anyone who could have come during that time will also not be able to make it. Payment requested after the planning of each session (including follow-ups).

For online sessions, the date and time is fixed after discussing with you. If you are unable to attend the session you have to notify before 12 hours of the time scheduled. You can request to reschedule. For cancellation within 12 hours of the session, 50% of the fee will be charged extra in the next session.
Each session require mental preparation, planning and attention. Your cooperation is very important.