Frequently asked questions

While there are several elements common to many definitions of counseling, one notion that is most important is that counselling is aimed at helping people make choices and act on them. It focuses on how people function both personally and in their relationships at all ages. Counseling psychology addresses the emotional, social, work, school and physical health concerns people may have at different stages in their lives, focusing on typical life stresses and more severe issues with which people may struggle as individuals and as a part of families, groups and organizations. Counseling psychologists help people with physical, emotional and mental health issues improve their sense of well‐being, alleviate feelings of distress and resolve crises. They also provide assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of more severe psychological symptoms. A definition that seems most appropriate to me is that of Burks and Sterfflre. This definition is as follows: Counseling denotes a professional relationship between a trained counselor and a client. This relationship is usually person-to-person, although it may sometimes involve more than two people. It is designed to help clients to understand and clarify their views of their life space and to learn to reach their self-determined goals through meaningful, well-informed choices and through resolution of problems of an emotional or interpersonal nature.

The term psychotherapy is derived from Ancient Greek psyche (ψυχή meaning "breath; spirit; soul") and therapeia (θεραπεία "healing; medical treatment").

Psychotherapy (psychological therapy or talking therapy) is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction with adults, to help a person change behavior and overcome problems in desired ways. Psychotherapy aims to improve an individual's well-being and mental health, to resolve or mitigate troublesome behaviors, beliefs, compulsions, thoughts, or emotions, and to improve relationships and social skills. There are over a thousand different psychotherapy techniques, some being minor variations, while others are based on very different conceptions of psychology, ethics (how to behave professionally), or techniques. Most involve one-to-one sessions, between the client and therapist, but some are conducted with groups, including families.

Psychotherapy is for everybody. The process is primarily of suggestion/ direction/ facilitation. The person seeking therapy is called a client and not a patient. Anybody who is seeking help and accepts the need for therapy is suitable for psychotherapy. A minimal level of intelligence that helps in understanding problems and directions is a prerequisite. Also the client must be relatively free of any major pathologies.

Psychotherapy is a continuous process where a psychotherapist uses a psychological framework to facilitate insight and awareness to help you discover your own answers. We all are unique in our own way and so are our problems for which we may approach a place like TGL. Therefore, at TLG there is no ‘fixed’ or ‘minimum number of sessions model’ which you may be coaxed to enroll for, etc. Depending on your issues, you and I will sit together to plan and schedule a therapy kit which is best suited for you in dealing and overcoming your issue. Likewise the time of each session also depends on what therapy we are taking up on a given day. You can start by just fixing an appointment with me at TGL and we will take it over from there, together!

Absolutely yes please!! Every single piece of information that you share with me will be kept confidential. To bring to your notice, anybody who works in the area of therapy and counselling, has to follow the ethical guidelines where no information can be disclosed to another person without the client’s consent. The only exceptions in the case can be situations wherein there is an obvious threat or risk of self-harm, harm to others, child abuse, etc.

Therapy at the TGL office is conducted in a private, confidential and a professional set up, away from the buzzing commercial market noise or other crowded areas. I have personally refrained from making a set up in the market place just because I want my clients to feel calm, relaxed and absolutely themselves at the sessions. I personally feel, many people are hesitant to take up counselling/ therapy is because they feel intimidated by the concept of it. At TGL, you will hopefully not feel that way and will go back thinking, “okay, so well! Therapy isn’t that bad after all…it’s a nice gift or token of thanks that I can give my mind and soul once in a while.”

To book an appointment, go to the ‘Book an appointment’ page. You will find a form which you can fill and submit (The information provided by you is only for the purpose of therapy and will remain strictly confidential).

After booking an appointment, you will receive the first mail which will have options of time slots available for you to choose from. Once you respond to that, another confirmation mail will be sent to you with other details like the address, route map etc along with approval of the time slot chosen by you.

Same as above (question 7).

Once you have agreed to a mutually convenient slot, please try not to change or cancel it as far as possible. Please understand this slot has been given to you by denying it to others. So consider it as a personal responsibility as well. In the case of an occasional emergency where you need another slot, it is in some instances possible to change if I have a session become available, but it is not a guarantee.

A friend, parent or sibling is not allowed in the therapy sessions as the process is strictly confidential. A child may be allowed only for family therapy sessions, provided the child is above 12 years of age. Children are not allowed during couple therapy sessions. If it is a child/adolescent therapy session, parents can accompany the child/adolescent and they will be appropriately guided to be part of the session for a few minutes or in some cases, for the whole session.

Since there is no professional body or association for counselling in India yet, there is a lot of confusion between the role of a counsellor as distinct from a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist. While all of these approaches may treat similar issues, they may differ in their philosophy and focus. Counsellors and psychologists typically focus on the psychological, emotional and sociological aspects of helping a person grow. Psychiatrists typically focus on the biological aspects of a problem.

PSYCHOTHERAPY IS AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR NEGATIVE MENTAL ISSUES THAT HAVE BUILT UP OVER MANY YEARS. One major advantage of psychotherapy is that clients are able to better understand their feelings of anxiety and learn how to turn negative feelings into a positive and productive outlook. Psychotherapy treatment is not only counselling and talking, rather it involves many more modalities and types of communication to get to the root of an emotional issue and can include expression through music, painting, writing, acting, meditation etc. The fact that psychotherapy is a treatment that causes very little side effects due to lack of chemically changing medications used, makes this method of treatment very attractive to many people.

Lying on a couch is no longer required! Instead, clients come into the office, find a comfortable place for themselves, sit and relax. Whenever you are ready, we then start talking. Sometimes I may have a plan for what to talk about during the session; at other times, you may drive the conversation. The session starts with the client telling me about what has been happening for them since our last meeting. We check in on any homework that was suggested. I ask the client if there is anything they want to talk about. This is your therapy, so again you get to choose!

Everyone is different. However, when you feel comfortable with your therapist, and the right treatment approaches are used, there is a very good chance that you will see improvement. Please understand the outcome or result of therapy is intangible. It’s a feeling you will have within you and hopefully it will be a positive one! Also, it is a process. A change, that you wish to achieve in your life…changes take place with time and under a process. Patience and will power are important.

Clients come to us with wide-ranging problems, including:

• anxiety (generalized anxiety problems, panic attacks, agoraphobia, social anxiety, claustrophobia)
• workplace issues (stress, work-life imbalances)
• relationship issues (breakups, divorce, affairs, choosing inappropriate partners, loneliness, life adjustments, marital problems, arguments, jealousy, wedding and premarital issues)
• depression (including suicidal thoughts, low mood, social withdrawal)
• low self-esteem and lack of confidence
• sexual problems (impotence, internet/pornography/sex addiction, loss of desire, infertility)
• trauma (including post-traumatic stress disorder from accidents, rape and other attacks/incidents)
• obsessive-compulsive disorder
• eating problems (including bulimia, binge eating, negative body image)
• phobias and fears
• addiction and substance misuse
• abuse (including physical, verbal, and sexual abuse)
• bereavement/grief/loss.

Hypnotherapy is a type of complementary medicine in which hypnosis is used to create a state of focused attention and increased suggestibility during which positive suggestions and guided imagery are used to help individuals deal with a variety of concerns and issues.

The word “hypnosis” comes from the Greek word “hypnos,” which simply means, “sleep.” Hypnosis is the act of guiding someone into the trance state. Different experts define the trance state differently, but they almost always refer to:

• A deep state of relaxation.
• Hyperfocus and concentration.
• Increased suggestibility.

To understand the difference between hypnosis and hypnotherapy, think of hypnosis as a tool and hypnotherapy as the use of a tool. The definition of hypnotherapy is clear from the word itself. Hypnotherapy is the practice of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes.

The idea that hypnotists can take over the minds of their subjects and control their actions is, of course, an entirely media-driven myth. In the trance state, you control all of your actions, you can hear everything around you, and you cannot be forced to do something against your will.

The idea that hypnotists can take over the minds of their subjects and control their actions is, of course, an entirely media-driven myth. In the trance state, you control all of your actions, you can hear everything around you, and you cannot be forced to do something against your will.

The most powerful feature of the trance state is how it connects our conscious minds to our subconscious minds. In the relaxed, hyper-focused state of hypnosis — under the guidance of a hypnotherapist — we can run a Google search on our subconscious, pulling up the repressed memories and buried emotions at the root of our mental health challenges.

• PTSD
• Depression
• Migraines
• Performance anxiety
• Addictions
• Weight problems
• Anxiety and stress
• OCD
• Grief
• Cancer
• Childbirth
• Sleep
• Dementia

During hypnosis, a trained hypnotherapist or psychologist uses guided relaxation techniques to elicit feelings of extreme relaxation, focus, and concentration in the individual with the goal of helping him/her achieve a heightened state of consciousness.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.

Pranic Healing is an ancient science and art of healing that utilizes prana or ki or life energy to heal the whole physical body.

Negative thoughts and feelings apparently have adverse effects on the body. Pranic psychotherapy is simply pranic healing applied in preventing, alleviating and treating psychological ailments.

Reiki is a form of alternative medicine called energy healing. It emerged in Japan in the late 1800’s and is said to involve the transfer of universal energy from the practitioner’s palms to their patient.

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a pseudoscientific approach to communication, personal development, and psychotherapy created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in California, United States, in the 1970s

Prayer therapy teaches you how prayers can directly implant a certain thought pattern or mental imagine in the mind, which will accept whatever you subconsciously believe to be true. Inspired by the work of Dr. Joseph Murphy, you can learn the techniques of how to heal through prayer therapy merely by changing the conditions in your own mind.