Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT):

CBT is a “talk-therapy” that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. Most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, I also employ it successfully for other mental and physical health problems.

CBT is based on the concept that your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap you in a vicious cycle. Using CBT, I will help you deal with overwhelming problems in a more positive way by breaking them down into smaller parts. I will work with you to change these negative patterns and improve the way you feel.

In contrast to other forms of psychotherapy, cognitive therapy is usually more focused on the present and takes a problem-solving approach. You will learn specific skills you can use for the rest of their lives. These skills involve identifying distorted thinking, modifying beliefs, relating to others in different ways, and changing behaviours.

CBT training is still nascent in India. I have trained at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy in Philadelphia, USA. CBT was developed by Dr Aaron Beck and his daughter Dr Judith Beck, both of whom are profoundly influential teachers.

I have also trained under Dr Amy Wenzel and Dr Judith Beck and am fluent in CBT techniques for conditions such as social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, OCD and generalised anxiety disorder. I have also trained under Dr Amy Cunningham and Dr Judith Beck to manage complex conditions such as borderline personality disorder (BPD).

Although BPD is one of the most widespread mental health conditions affecting our country and the most misdiagnosed, few therapists work with this complex condition. My training and experience have helped me work successfully with BPD clients. A recent article I wrote about BPD was widely appreciated because it came from my experiences as a clinical practitioner.

Read more about CBT and what to expect at a typical session.

Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR):

The mind can often heal itself naturally, in much the same way as the body does. Much of this natural coping mechanism occurs during sleep, particularly during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Francine Shapiro developed eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) in 1987, utilising this natural process to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) successfully. Since then, EMDR has been used to treat a wide range of mental health problems effectively.

I trained in EMDR in 1999 with the first batch of EMDR practitioners in India. I have since then used this therapy extensively in my practice. I am a facilitator and supervisor with the EMDR Association of India. I have also been part of an EMDR team working on mass scale natural disasters – first during the 2001 Bhuj earthquakes of Gujarat, and later during the 2014 Kashmir floods.

I have extensively presented about EMDR therapy at several national and international conferences. I have also co-authored a chapter titled ‘Establishing EMDR connections with Earthquake survivors of Gujarat, Western India’, which is part of the book ‘Implementing EMDR Early Mental Health Interventions for Man-Made and Natural Disasters‘.

My research, ‘EMDR in the treatment of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia‘, is the first case study on EMDR from an Indian practitioner published in the Journal of EMDR Practice and Research in November 2016.

Read more about EMDR and what to expect at a typical session.