Type: Therapist, Therapy, Psychologist (Currently on leave):
Nishi Ravi Picture

Nishi (She/Her) is a mental health counsellor from Chennai who practices online.

Not taking sessions.Accepts Enquiries via Email.

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  • Age: 27
  • Practicing Privately Since: 5 years
  • Appointments Via: Phone Call, Email, WhatsApp
  • City: Chennai
  • Medium:
    β€’ 🌐 Online
  • Qualifications:
    β€’ Master of Counselling (Interpersonal Dialogue) + COSCA-validated Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling, University of Edinburgh
    β€’ B.A Psychology (Hons.), Christ University
  • Additional Qualifications:
    β€’ Certificate Course in Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice, Mariwala Health Initiative
  • Languages Known: English
  • Hourly Fee (β‚Ή): 2,800 - 4,000
  • Payments Via: Bank Transfer, Cash
  • Available On: Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
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  • Why did you choose to become a counsellor?
    I often say, psychotherapy was a field I entered into by chance and remain in by choice. My own personal journey(s), my genuine hope to better understand people, and my need to enter a field where personal and professional engagement is an intertwined symbiosis all led me to pursue psychotherapy on a more professional and specialized level. Therapy chose me, and I choose it every day!
  • What excites you about your work as a counsellor?

    The therapeutic space is one I deeply honour and cherish. Gaining the privilege of working with individuals who actively seek to embrace all parts of themselves, witnessing the courage and curiosity they exhibit when challenged, and being a small part of their healing and growth processes is indescribably precious to me.

    Being able to witness the innermost world of my clients is one of the most humbling and priceless parts of being a therapist. I love the work I do, and I’m often asked “Don’t you get tired of working on people’s problems all day?” My response is simply that I don’t simply work on problems, I work with you!

  • What do you hope for your clients to experience after their first session with you?
    Initial appointments are a great opportunity for us to get to know each other and assess if we are a good fit together. We evaluate your hopes from counselling, clearly outline what therapeutic boundaries and limitations would look like, and address any concerns that you may be harbouring. I also offer a free 15-minute phone call prior to setting up the initial appointment for any questions you want clarified. I hope to leave you with the freedom and space to make an informed decision about how you would like to proceed after you better understand what our therapy process might look like. Trust building is a slow and gentle process and there is no pressure to commit to anything you don’t want to. I hope you experience our shared space to be safe and ethical enough, so you can eventually grow comfortable enough to bring all the emotions and layers of yourself, including the unmet, unheard, unseen, repressed, or neglected parts.
  • What would you wish to tell a client who is thinking about seeking counselling?
    The taboo attached to experiencing mental health vulnerabilities as well as seeking help for the same is an awful catch-22 dilemma. I can’t guarantee that the world will come around right away, but we can work towards breaking free from this trap. Most parts of our life are closely intertwined: our childhoods, familial and intimate relationships, romantic and other interpersonal relationships, physical health, work and professional lives, the way we view ourselves and relate to the world around us. Helping you untangle these threads in a transparent and ethical manner by sitting with you and wondering, musing, and reflecting is my role as your therapist. We work at a slow and steady pace for you to look at the tapestry of your life, and meet and reconnect with all the parts of your vast and diverse emotional landscape.
  • Describe the relationship that you would wish to build with your client in counselling.
    This is a space for us to explore even the hardest and unspeakable fragments in a safe, accepting, and non-judgmental space to make way for restorative growth. I hold you at heart of the work we do, and this is not something I take lightly. I don’t adhere to a ‘one-size-fits all’ mechanistic method. This means no generic guidance, arbitrary ‘homework’, perfunctory worksheets, or monotonous activities. In the first session, I encourage you to share your hobbies with me so that we can incorporate it into the work we do. Engaging in activities you enjoy can help us facilitate deeper self-reflection and understand how you relate to the world and yourself. Through this, we can fully embrace grief, pain, humour, awkwardness, frustration, hope, and joy as we journey together!
  • In your counselling work so far, what has been your greatest learning from your clients?
    Their resilience! Even when they don’t see it themselves, my clients continue to amaze me with the way they channel their vulnerability and strength to commit themselves to their healing. Their relentless quest to be their most authentic selves, meeting all of life’s challenges as best they can, and their consistent efforts to create space for healing and growth are treasure-troves of learning for me. I am forever grateful to have the opportunity to welcome all my clients’ lived experiences in sessions, and bolster my own growth personally and professionally.
  • What are some of your strengths as a counsellor that you value and appreciate?
    Working with me, you get a fully invested, sensitive human being, with whom you can dynamically engage with! Individually tailored, non-prescriptive, active, and authentic engagement with each other is an uncompromising hallmark of my practice. Not only do I strictly uphold your confidentiality, but I also abide by COSCA and BACP’s counsellor code of ethics. I engage in regular personal therapy and clinical supervision to constantly ensure that I am doing my best to be a good enough therapist to specifically cater to you and your needs.
  • What are some of the things you like to do in your free time?
    I spend a lot of time in academic pursuits: research, studying, and writing. As a qualitative researcher, I attend, conduct, and contribute to conferences, symposiums, seminars, workshops, and classes. I also immerse myself in literature, both relevant fictional works and academic texts. I compulsively hoard books (given my love of reading), enjoy stand-up comedy, and sometimes dabble in amateur drama and improv theatre.
  • What are the areas of concern you address in counselling? Do you work with specific populations?
    I have a vast and varied experience of working with several psychological vulnerabilities with individuals from different communities from all over the world. Some of the issues I work with include complex trauma and recovery, anxiety, depression, identity exploration, interpersonal relationships, grief and loss, sex, kinks, and intimacy, career, academic, and work related stress, self-esteem and confidence, and your personal growth and individual development.
  • What is the therapeutic approach you use? How would you describe it to someone who wants to consult you for therapy?
    My approach to therapy lies within the interpersonal dialogue between person-centred and relational psychodynamic psychotherapy. My specialised training in person-centred work aids me to stay attuned with the ‘here-and-now’ you bring to the session, and grounds our work in empathy and acceptance. My experience of working psychodynamically allows us to explore the conscious and unconscious layers of longstanding patterns. It also helps us uncover how our past can impact our present, and how we can better address your current concerns by drawing on the richness of your contextual experience. My work is non-directive and collaborative to empower and enable you to rewrite your self-narrative as you see fit and pave new paths for your future. I resolutely steer clear of appropriating your experiences and viewing you and your issues in disconnected isolation from the world. Rooted in queer-affirmative, feminist ideologies, my practice is always a work in progress. I actively integrate trauma-informed approaches to help heal systemic and intergenerational injuries caused by discriminatory and inequitable ​socio-cultural/political underpinnings.
  • How do you make your therapeutic practice a safe and affirmative space for queer and trans* folx?

    As a queer-affirmative therapist, I take great care to consciously ask you how you would like me to address you and what your pronouns are, ensure I acknowledge and make space to discuss the unique life stressors you face, and work with you to see how we can make therapy as safe as possible. My focus is dual: ensuring both equality and equity. I facilitate sessions with gentle curiosity to draw attention towards any internalised shame, unconscious biases, and heteronormative stances (both mine and my clients’). We would work towards challenging any harmful inner dialogues unjustly entrenched by social conditioning and external systemic failures (capitalism, casteism, racism and colourism, accessibility and ablesim, patriarchy, social and legal exclusion, and neglect to name a few.)

    I continually work towards compiling and verifying resources that you may require, and actively work towards being an ally to the queer and marginalized communities. Over time, I hope to co-create a space where all parts of your identity can be nurtured - not just accepted, but celebrated!

  • The Quote Nishi Resonates With

    β€œI'm not perfect... but I'm enough.”

    Carl R. Rogers

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