Get to know Vidya.

City & Background

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

They're 27 years old, identify as Queer, and have been practicing since 4 years.

English, and Malayalam are some of the languages they know, and hourly fee is (₹) 2,000 - 2,500.

Education

They have the following qualifications: M.Sc In Clinical Psychology.

Additional qualifications:Diploma in Narrative Therapy, Certification in Trauma Therapy Wise Mind.

Why they became a therapist.

"Growing up I was always an emotionally sensitive kid who felt her emotions very deeply and often found it overwhelming to navigate them. Looking back, I definitely would have benefitted from seeing an MHP. However, this also helped me understand myself and others very differently from those around me. It helped me tune into my inner world with ease and also helped me connect with people very easily. I was also very fascinated by stories of …"

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

"My first session is a consultation space which provides the client with a sneak peek into what our journey would look like if they choose to continue working with me. I have a couple of enquiry questions to help me get to know the client better and I would hope for the client to go back feeling safe, acknowledged and heard. "

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

"From my very early days of being a therapist, I have had the opportunities to work with mentors who are from queer spaces and were subsequently trained extensively by them to make my workspace queer affirmative. I am also constantly part of queer learning circles which gives me opportunities to keep myself updated and sensitized in this space. In addition to this, my own readings as well as a long history of working with queer clients have also …"

Areas of concern they address in counselling.

"I usually work with young adults between 21 and 40 years old in my work. I have worked with a range of concerns in my career so far. However, in the recent past I have narrowed down some of the areas I work with in terms of my skills, knowledge and interest and these include anxiety, neurodivergence, complex trauma, gender, sexuality, life transitions (career, marriage, education, moving to new countries, relationships etc), and depression. …"

A Quote Vidya Resonates With.

"“Queer not as being about who you're having sex with (that can be a dimension of it); but queer as being about the self that is at odds with everything around it and that has to invent and create and find a place to speak and to thrive and to live.” ~ Bell Hooks"