Get to know Shaivi.

City & Background

Shaivi Srivastava (She/Her) is a mental health counsellor from Mumbai who practices online.

They're 24 years old and have been practicing since 2 years.

English, and Hindi are some of the languages they know, and hourly fee is (₹) 800 - 1,400.

Education

They have the following qualifications: Masters in Applied Psychology.

Why they became a therapist.

"When I finally started to see my own pain, fears and turmoil, I was surprisingly able to make more room for hopefulness, change and acceptance to exist alongside it. Therapy was a part of that journey for me, and that emotional work felt extremely meaningful and transformative. I wanted to learn to create and hold a similar space for others, so they can explore their mental health journeys and find their own balance of all the difficulties of …"

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

"I hope that the client feels at least a small sense of relief, where some of the mystery and scariness of the space subsides. I hope they experience some safety and feel reassured and heard. Maybe replacing some of those fears and doubts, a tiny bit curiosity comes in about the possibilities of therapy helping them in their healing journey. "

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

"Being mindful of the language I use, and recognising the power that it holds. To make sure it is felt and understood that this is a safe space for exploration of any kind with regards to their identity. I think it's important to let the client decide what it is they want to explore about their gender and sexuality within this space. Do they want to delve deeper into their identity, its impact on other parts of their life, other identities …"

Areas of concern they address in counselling.

"Trauma, relationship issues, grief, work stress, anger, understanding gender and sexuality, anxiety, depression, relationship with our bodies are the areas I have addressed in my work so far. I work with clients who are above 18."

A Quote Shaivi Resonates With.

"The present moment is a pretty vulnerable place and this can be completely unnerving and completely tender at the same time. ~ Pema Chodron"