Beyond the Milestones aims to create a safe and inclusive space to recognize, understand and explore milestones. We live in a world that is marked through milestones. People often are pressured to achieve these milestones at a certain age or within a certain amount of time. This can lead to various emotional and social challenges which may make one feel frustrated, angry, lonely, anxious, trapped and even ashamed.

In this support space, people can share their experiences, find support and connect with others who understand these unique challenges and lived realities. Coming together in this support group could help participants find a sense of community and coping tools to navigate through the complexities of milestones.

The support group will be led by qualified psychologists from our team. They have more than 2 years of experience in dealing with similar concerns with adults. They strive to create a safe and non-judgemental space for all clients. We want to emphasize that the support group you are joining does not aim to replace therapy. It aims to facilitate social support and a sense of belonging.

Beyond the Milestones is a support group that aims to provide a safe and inclusive space to recognize, understand and explore milestones. We live in a world that is marked through milestones. Getting married. Having a child. Career advancement. And a lot more. Society expects us to reach these milestones at particular ages as well. Things have changed for a lot of us, due to differences in priorities and other countless reasons. We can feel alone (and annoyed) in this sea of wedding stories, relocation updates and holiday parties that require a plus one! Hence, this group was born. As young mental health professionals, we also experienced a diverse set of emotions regarding our personal and professional milestones. We discovered a phenomenon called ‘the relationship escalator’ coined by Amy Gahran which further shaped the creation of this group.

Pranay Javeri is a qualified psychologist and uses a unique blend of therapeutic approaches tailored to fit the client’s needs. Bringing a trauma-informed, queer-affirmative, and intersectional lens to his practice, he strives to create a safe and inclusive space where everyone’s unique experiences are honored. His work as a therapist focuses on assisting clients in creating a diverse set of resources to not only cope but also build the hope for a better future.

The support group was founded in April, 2024. We had a good response, and the members who attended expressed a desire to come back to this group again. Our support group is relatively new, since we are going to be having our second support group in this month. We intend to create a supportive community for those going through similar struggles, in order for them to seek support and companionship amongst the group. We intend to talk about the systemic stereotypes of having rigid timelines set by society, which are not only anxiety provoking but may also compel individuals to make rushed and uninformed decisions. Empowering, supporting and creating a space to share vulnerabilities is a future intention for this support group.

It is open for anyone and everyone who has been going through the stressors of following a societal milestone in their lives. Our support group is for individuals who are 18 years of age and above. This group is for individuals who are frustrated due to the incessant reminders from society and self about achieving certain milestones.

Our group has an open-ended and eclectic approach to ensure comfort and familiarity within the group. There are elements of expressive arts such as visual art, movement, music and more that can come up. This could help in managing the repercussions of following rigid milestones, be it anxiety or any stressors and having a community of people with shared experiences to have a sense of belonging. The frustration, helplessness, and anxiety could be shared. The support group uses a psychosocial lens to facilitate people from different walks of life.

An eclectic approach to therapy serves as a foundation of our practice, recognizing the significance of individual needs and diversity in the population. We use a person-centered approach to therapy along with narrative, CBT, ACT, expressive arts, and other modalities that encourages clients to challenge dominant problem-saturated stories and construct more preferred and empowering alternatives, fostering a sense of agency and self-determination. Our counselors are specifically trained for working with a trauma-informed and queer affirmative lens. We provide an inclusive and validating space where clients can explore their identities, experiences, and challenges, free from judgment or discrimination.

Our facilitators are equipped with a thorough understanding and a practical experience of dealing with crisis concerns. Our facilitators are open to support a discussion of such concerns as a consequence of the stressors centered around milestones. The facilitators will be able to bring back the conversation if it deviates, while addressing these concerns in a one-on-one counseling session if necessary.

We have a Google Form that participants can fill to be a part of the session. The bank details of the same are given here. After filling the form, participants will receive a message on their WhatsApp/ email on their email ID (their preferred medium) as a confirmation and a link will be sent to join the session before 24-48 hours of the session.

The group typically starts with a short introduction and setting intention and disclaimers (confidentiality, non-judgement, not forcing opinions). Then there is a warm-up to help participants break ice with each other. Then comes sharing experiences, listening and holding space for each other through talking about a pre-decided theme. Prompts are provided in between by the facilitator. The group ends with a small takeaway exercise.

Our home rules include non-judgement, safety and confidentiality. We value diversity, intersectionality and autonomy. Our lens is informed by social justice and non-discriminatory notions and we aim to maintain that throughout the sessions.

We hope to give them warmth, solidarity and empathy to take back with them after a session. The group is meant to foster a sense of support and community. We hope they feel less alone in their experiences after a session. We aim to provide them with collectively created tools and strategies to deal with the repercussions surrounding milestones.