Get to know Pati Patni Aur Patriarchy (relationship support group).

Basic Information

• Fees Type: Paid
• City: Online Only
• Facilitated By: A Mental Health Professional
• Languages: English, and Hindi
• Address: We meet on Google Meet.
• Meets: Monthly
• Participant Limit: This is currently a small, intentionally held group. The aim is to keep the size limited so that participants feel seen and heard rather than overwhelmed. Typically, I expect between 8-10 participants in a session.
• Navigating Relationships

What is the group about?

"Pati Pati aur Patriarchy is a peer support group for anyone navigating the idea of marriage and long-term partnership in today’s India. The group is open to those thinking about marriage, engaged, or married. It’s a space to pause and reflect on how our personal values, relationships, and everyday choices collide with cultural expectations and patriarchal norms. \n\nThe focus of our group is on slowing down, sharing lived experiences, and making …"

What is your founding story?

"This group grew out of conversations I kept having in both my personal and professional life, where some version “i am confident in my life partner, but i’m not ready for this” came up again and again. “This” usually referred to the institution of marriage, especially the patriarchal nature of it. The expectations, the roles, the silent rules, the families, the compromises that were assumed rather than discussed. The parts of marriage that no one …"

Who is your group for?

"This support group is for anyone who finds themselves thinking about marriage in today’s India – whether you’re considering it, engaged, newly married, or have been married for a while and finding yourself with questions you didn’t quite expect. Maybe your values feel modern, but the expectations around you don’t. Maybe you want equality, but keep bumping into roles that feel quietly pre-decided. Maybe you’re clear about your partner, but unsure …"

How does one sign up? What’s the coordination process like?

"To join, interested participants fill out a short sign-up form. Once registered, they’re added to the WhatsApp community, which is the main space for ongoing connection and coordination. Dates and timings for the monthly live session are decided collectively through polls so that it works for most people. The group is ongoing, and participants are free to join or leave based on what feels right for them."

Walk us through the average format of your group session.

"Each live session is held online and is designed to feel conversational and grounded rather than structured or instructional. We usually begin by settling into the space and checking in with how people are feeling. From there, the conversation unfolds based on what’s coming up for the group. There’s no pressure to speak and no expectation to arrive with something prepared. The session closes with a gentle wrap-up, allowing people to leave feeling …"

What do you hope for participants in your group to take back with them after a session?

"We hope participants leave feeling a little less alone in what they’re carrying after a session. Maybe with a sense of relief, or the comfort of having been heard without being judged or rushed. Perhaps with a new perspective, a question to sit with, or simply the reassurance that their confusion or ambivalence makes sense. More than clarity or answers, the hope is that people leave feeling more connected – to themselves, to others, and to the …"