How do you manage difficult emotions? Kaajal Ahuja has some answers.  In this insightful episode, host Smitha Murthy has an unscripted conversation with Kaajal Ahuja about vulnerability, grief, and the importance of sitting with difficult emotions.  Kaajal gets refreshingly real about the exhaustion of living behind emotional masks. For years, Kajal focused on keeping others happy at the expense of her own needs after being married at just 17 years old. But her painful "loss of self" ultimately forced her to peel back the layers and rediscover her authentic voice.  Listen to ..read more

Have you ever felt consumed by grief and loss, struggling to cope with the overwhelming void it creates? Whether it's the heartbreaking loss of a loved one, a devastating breakup, or even a job loss that shatters your identity, grief comes in many forms. Yet, there's an unspoken pressure to "move on" quickly, leaving many to grapple with complex emotions alone. How do we process the numbness, anger, and guilt that often accompany grief? How can we find closure when loss leaves us with unanswered questions and regrets? In this powerful episode, we dive into the depths of grief and loss with Dr ..read more

Socializing can be great -  it can help build connections, it helps you learn from different perspectives and it can help take your mind away from a bad day.  It can also be challenging, especially if you go through social anxiety because it can force you to face your imperfections. If you’re unable to be comfortable in your own skin, things can spiral downwards very quickly because people are bound to judge and attaching your self worth externally is never a great idea.  How do we work through this? We understand more in this episode with Pranav Varma. We discuss What social ..read more

Attachment styles - we all have one, but do we really understand how they impact our relationships?  In this fascinating episode of The Therapy Room, host Smitha sits down with therapist and Unfix Clinic founder Aanandita for an enlightening discussion on the different attachment styles and how they play out in romantic relationships. Whether you're anxious, avoidant, or somewhere in between, this is an eye-opening look at where our patterns come from and how to manage them with more awareness and compassion.  Listen to the full episode and get ready to rethink your thoughts on intim ..read more

In this thought-provoking and emotionally candid conversation episode, Smitha Murthy talks to Renuka, a mental health advocate and suicide prevention activist, unfolding Renuka's life journey. It's one that has traversed darkness and light, tragedy and renewal, pain and profound healing. Renuka peels back the layers to reveal how creative self-expression through art became a sanctuary during her deepest bouts of depression, anxiety, and the trauma of an abusive relationship. Her story is an inspiration, showing how she mustered the courage to face adversity head-on, silence her harsh inner cr ..read more

Entrepreneurship is a roller-coaster. It’s a journey that takes tremendous courage to even start because there’s nothing guaranteed.  In a lot of ways, it’s a great metaphor for life. It teaches you life lessons - how to fail, how to handle adversity, and how to get back up. Ultimately it’s worth it because you get to truly make an impact on people’s lives.We explore the intricacies of this journey with Anmol Arora - CEO and Co-founder of DocVita, a telehealth company that connects people with therapists and psychiatrists.  We discuss: The story behind DocVita. Anmol’s take on find ..read more

Can we outrun loneliness?  In The Rider, poet Naomi Shihab Nye seems to suggest that we can. Loneliness can be escaped. The rider, then, is you, me, and anyone who wants to escape this crushing feeling.  Loneliness, that most ubiquitous of emotions, goes from abstract to concrete in this conversational, free-verse poem. Loneliness gains a persona and if you leave it behind you can be a champion. The poet says that doing so is  "A victory! To leave your loneliness panting behind you on some street corner while you float free into a cloud of sudden azaleas" Srividya Sivakumar ..read more

What about joy makes us feel a tad worried about embracing it wholeheartedly?  Nightmares about bad luck and the evil eye hold us back from truly enjoying the good times, revelling in them so they leave a shining mark on our souls. In his poem, Little Stones at My Window, Mario Benedetti writes a tender letter to joy, to its miraculous properties of creating well-being and delight, to its patient waiting at the window, throwing little stones to get our attention. Except, our attention is elsewhere- pursuing other things.  As the poet says, how about thinking,  “I'm convinced ..read more

Kindness moves the world.  And so does gratitude. This episode of Dear Mynd explores the lasting effects of good deeds and how kindness and gentleness brings joy to everyone.  'Lulah, the Fish, and the Whale,’ is an unusual exploration of the power of gratitude and the magic of empathy all while having a whale of a time! Dear Mynd aims to create and encourage conversations around mental health. We do this through stories, through shared experiences that teach us that we are not alone.  We are, after all, our stories. And our stories are us.  Details of the episode A sma ..read more

ADHD has challenges. But it also has its superpowers. Join Ankit Narasimhan in this enlightening episode of The Therapy Room as we delve into the complex world of ADHD with Vaishnavi Madarkal, Psychologist, Life Coach and Trauma Therapist.  From dispelling misconceptions to exploring the nuanced manifestations of ADHD, Vaishnavi shares her views on the importance of early diagnosis, and the role of individualized approaches. She also explains the power of occupational therapy, the importance of parental guidance, and the role of societal awareness in fostering empathy for those navigatin ..read more