conversations

counselling services facilitated by mental health professionals

artwork by yuvashree haridoss, lived experience expert

what are conversations at sumunum like?

you are the centre of our conversations.

you are our priority..

the space is yours.

we will… …

ensure that you know you are being heard & that you are not alone

create a space that is filled with warmth so that you can express yourself

freely & without inhibition or fear or judgement

do our best to ensure that you feel safe & comfortable

not pressure you to share if you are not ready to

always be honest with you - even if it is hard to hear

never offer platitudes or say something just because it may be something you want to hear

validate your experiences and encourage you to explore the boundaries of your comfort zone

we may have a lot of questions to ask, but we will also give you space and honour the need for silences

together, we will

laugh… cry… feel rage…

feel heartbroken…

feel uncomfortable…

we will try to lean into the discomfort & try to work our way through it together

we will support you in the way that you need it & towards where you want to go to the best of our ability.

we offer counselling services for adolescents, adults & the elderly, facilitated by mental health professionals - psychologists and/or social workers.

we call them conversations.

we strive to create an enabling, non-judgemental & accepting space, embedded in principles of compassion, empathy & trust. our approach is eclectic, holistic, participatory & collaboratively led by the therapist and client. our conversations are directed towards improved management of mental health concerns & towards enhancing overall wellbeing for

individuals - our approach is systemic & we work with individual clients in tandem with their care providers, social network & ecosystem.

groups - we also offer support through group interventions. groups have the power to unify experiences & narratives. they provide a safe space to strengthen critical life skills & enable individuals to support each other.

some of the many concerns that we tackle and work through are:

common and severe mental disorders (anxiety, depression, psychosis, neurotic disorders, eating disorders, ADHD etc.)
critical life transitions (eg - separation, loss &/or grief)
challenging behavioural patterns
relationship issues
workplace challenges

building resilience
emotional awareness
self-compassion
perspective-management
communication
finding narratives - for self and the world around us

what the journey with us looks like

comfort sessions - four introductory conversations where we

facilitate a safe and non-judgemental space
ensure mutual comfort & understanding
get to know each other
set the intent and motivations
goal setting

engagement sessions - where we move along in our journey together towards

deeper awareness of thought & behaviour patterns
coping mechanisms
arts engagements
self-care & management plans
future road-maps & timelines

meet our mental health professionals!

kamala easwaran

i’m kamala. i am a mental health & development professional. i am also an individual with a passion for stories. listening. sharing. creating. i believe we are all a work in progress. we all need greater self-acceptance, compassion & forgiveness rather than perfectionism & self-criticism. i believe strongly in the power of creating and sustaining connection. our connection will help us push through obstacles. it will help us get creative & push boundaries with care plans. i believe in the sacred space that we share together during each conversation, and respect it profoundly. my journey in mental health began serendipitously during my school days. i was quite certain of the kind of career paths that i did not want. i knew for certain that i wanted to work with people - as in, be around them, with them, talking to them, learning from them - constantly. i have also always had a fondness for conversations, and for picking up on little nuances. i was fascinated by the unpredictability, fortitude and sheer perseverance of human behaviour. this interest coupled with a personal experience of loss spurred me to explore psychology as a career pathway. i studied psychology, and then went on to do a master’s in development from King’s College London. i chose development because of a firm belief in the fact that i wanted to move away from a solely ‘medical’ perspective into a more holistic, ecological systems & social justice-oriented lens to mental health. my training in psychology, coupled with a strong understanding of our local context, structural barriers to care such as gender, caste, class, sexual orientation makes me strongly equipped to work not only with an individual -- but in tandem with the ecosystem. this dual orientation enables me to be aware of the systemic and social factors contributing to the mental health, wellbeing & illness continuum. my approach is collaborative, holistic and integrated. i draw from several schools of thought and weave together tools & aspects from diverse interventions. care planning is personalised and will be driven by the both of us together. through a collaborative and holistic approach, i aim to support people in tackling challenging life transitions and complex problems such as bereavement, loss, chronic ill-health / pain, depression, anxiety, caregiver fatigue, personality disorders and other mental health conditions as well. in addition, i also work to support individuals in developing greater self-awareness and understanding and help them access inner and outer resources to better manage stressors and challenges of daily life. i bring my heart, my whole self, and all the resources i can muster, into the conversations that we have. i aspire to support each individual i engage with to embrace their rough edges, build resilience & find greater compassion for themselves. we will work together to make way for the duality in life - to remind ourselves that we can find and experience joy, connectedness, resilience and hope in our distress / challenges.

dimple melwani

i'm dimple manoj melwani. i'm an RCI-registered and licensed clinical psychologist. ever since i was little, i've been fascinated by how our minds work. now, i'm turning that lifelong curiosity into my dream career! i've always wondered why everyone is ready to help a blind person cross the road or show kindness to someone suffering from a physical illness, but no one seems to stay kind and compassionate to those going through emotional struggles. maybe it's because we can't see the emotional pain one is experiencing. that's why i refer to mental health issues as the "invisible discomfort". i aspire to support individuals going through this invisible discomfort. it's been about 8 years of dreaming, working, studying, breaking down, trying, failing, and finally arriving here. as i've journeyed toward becoming a clinical psychologist, i've grown not only professionally but personally too. i work with various mental health-related issues, ranging from common mental illnesses to severe mental disorders and with clients across all ages- from children to adults and even our golden-oldies! when it comes to languages, i can be the most therapist-y in english, hindi, sindhi, and a bit of tamil too! i am passionate about working with caregivers of individuals with mental health concerns. i use an eclectic approach that is usually client-centric. as a clinician, i practice counselling, behavior therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, brief therapy, and trauma-informed care. also, i'm a proud plant momma- sunflowers and money plants are my babies! and nothing gets me going like a good cup of coffee (seriously, it's like my magic potion!). oh, and don't even get me started on cooking and baking – talk about therapeutic! a little nugget of wisdom that i live by- "stay away from the bad vibes, go only where there are good vibes." and speaking of good vibes, at the end of every session, i always leave my clients with a sprinkle of ‘happy healing’!

hari dharshini balaji

i am hari dharshini. i am an emerging psychologist and psychotherapist with a master's in clinical psychology fortified by hospital-based training. my areas of interest include working with grief, depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, sex and sexuality, relationships and other mental health conditions. i aim to build a trauma informed, queer and disability affirmative, socially sensitive practice. drawing from an eclectic lens, i derive my therapeutic approaches from behavioral therapy, gestalt techniques, transactional analysis, client-centric methodologies and compassionate inquiry. my ethos revolves around embracing diverse theories and techniques while prioritizing connection and authenticity in therapeutic spaces. continuously evolving, I have pursued additional learnings in modern applied psychology, transactional analysis, arts-based therapeutic interventions, psychosocial interventions, and gained experiential exposure through multiple internships and volunteering in various psychological domain. and looking forward to delve into couple,family and group therapy soon. in shaping my approach to wellbeing and mental health, i embrace a holistic perspective that acknowledges the interconnectedness of mind and body. this belief drives me to not only focus on alleviating symptoms but also to delve into the root causes of distress, fostering lasting transformation and growth. as a therapist, my motivation arises from a profound dedication to facilitating change in others lives. i am inspired by the resilience and capacity for growth inherent in every individual and am committed to accompanying clients on their journey towards betterment. central to my practice is the cultivation of a safe, nurturing, and nonjudgmental therapeutic space where individuals can freely explore their innermost thoughts, feelings, and experiences. i believe in the power of genuine human connection and strive to establish a collaborative partnership with my clients, rooted in empathy, trust, and mutual respect. ultimately, my passion as a therapist lies in witnessing the profound transformations and newfound resilience that occur when individuals are supported in their journey towards healing and growth, "the best way out is through ".

conversational experiences at sumunum

"when i started with kamala, i was clinically depressed, on medication and barely functional. i have seen many therapists and it’s never worked for me.

my experience with kamala has been nothing short of incredible, because i don’t have depression anymore (fingers crossed).

something that’s haunted me since i was kid, i don’t have it now.

she gives a very clear framework to deal with things. i feel her strategy is very client specific, so it was personalised to suit me. there is a huge comfort factor with her, where i can talk about anything with her.

this beautiful safe space was created, with her , which is what really helped me heal. it was really easy to open up because there is zero judgement. most importantly, she’s helped me create this safe space for myself."

vasini

get to know us
30 min
therapeutic conversations
1 hr 30 min
From 2,000 Indian rupees

we believe very strongly in the fact that

income & affordability should not affect access to a health & social care service.

to ensure mental health services are accessible to everyone irrespective of their ability to pay,

sumunum foundation offers therapy on a sliding scale.

click here to know more!

please do connect with us to know more!

some helpful faqs!