Get to know Ankita.

City & Background

Ankita Banerjee (She/Her) is a mental health counsellor from Kolkata who practices online.

They're 29 years old and have been practicing since 4 years.

English, Bengali, and Hindi are some of the languages they know, and hourly fee is (₹) 1,500.

Education

They have the following qualifications: MA in Applied Psychology with specialization in Clinical Psychology.

Additional qualifications:Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice Online Certificate Course - Mariwala Health Initiative,Anantaraa Arts Based Therapy – Art Therapy With Visual Art, Music and Drama,HEAL Foundation.

Why they became a therapist.

"As I was growing up, mental health was never a topic of discussion. It only was a topic of prejudice, sometimes pity and was used to label people. I often wondered what these people were being labelled for. For not fitting in like the others? These questions existed within me and got amplified through my own experiences. That is what prompted me to enter the field of mental health and become a counsellor. To understand what mental health is and …"

What they'd like a client's first session to be like.

"I hope for my clients to feel heard and seen in a space that is safe, collaborative and attuned to understanding their stories."

How they make their practice a safe and affirmative space for queer and trans* folx.

"I am trained in queer affirmative work and continue to keep myself informed about the knowledge being shared by queer and trans* persons about their experiences. I make sure to be vocal about my stance, use inclusive language in my work and keep resources ready that I can share with my clients."

Areas of concern they address in counselling.

"I work across various populations (adolescents, young adults and older adults). In my work so far, I have worked with concerns around anxiety, depression, interpersonal relationships, and trauma. I am also queer affirmative and neurodiversity affirmative in my practice and have worked with clients exploring their gender and sexuality and neurodiversity."

A Quote Ankita Resonates With.

"They say a song can be a bridge, Ma. But I say its also the ground we stand on. And maybe we sing to keep ourselves from falling. Maybe we sing to keep ourselves. ~ Ocean Vuong"