Get to know Puja.

City & Background

Puja Dedhia (She/Her) is a mental health counsellor from Mumbai who practices online and offline. They practice in Grant Road.

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

English, Gujarati, Hindi, and Kutchi are some of the languages they know, and hourly fee is (₹) 1,000 - 1,500.

Education

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

Additional qualifications:Queer Affirmative Counselling Practices Course, MHI,30 Hours Experiential Course on Gestalt Therapy, PsychPhoenix,Foundational Course on Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy by Anaahat Psychotherapy.

Why they became a therapist.

"Pursuing the field of psychology began as something that happened by chance. But as I stayed with it, I gradually found a space that felt like mine. I’ve personally experienced the life changing impact of a supportive therapeutic relationship and how things shifted for me in various ways in my own journey. Over time, I’ve come to recognize the quiet yet powerful ripple effect that a counsellor can create - in the lives they touch, and through …"

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

"After the initial session, I hope you feel held and safe. A sense of nonjudgmental space, where you can bring all parts of yourself. Most of all, I hope you leave with a feeling of hope - that together, we can slowly begin to move toward the shift you’re longing for."

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

"My values of a non-discriminatory therapy space, irrespective of one’s gender or sexual identity, inform my practice. The Course on Queer Affirmative Practices by MHI has helped me gain an understanding of how a therapist can make their practice affirming. Conversations and interactions with individuals belonging to different gender and sexual identities outside of therapy space help me build and sharpen my perspective and worldview."

Areas of concern they address in counselling.

"I work with adult clients navigating anxiety, panic, depression, stress, trauma, and experiences of abuse. I also support individuals dealing with difficulties in their interpersonal relationships-whether with family, friends, or intimate partners-as well as those struggling with work-life balance, self-esteem, confidence, life transitions, and queer identities & life."

A Quote Puja Resonates With.

"I know a girl from an island, she stands apart from the crowd. She loves the sea and her people, she makes her whole family proud. Sometimes the world seems against you. The journey may leave a scar. But scars can heal and reveal just where you are. The people you love will change you. The things you have learned will guide you. And nothing on Earth can silence, the quiet voice inside you. ~ I am Moana (Song of the Ancestors) by Rachel House"