The Vaidya

I decided to talk to Dr. Chatterjee based on the 100% positive recommendations on practo, and based on the fact that even though the number of feedback's provided were small, they were all very positive. I think it was a good decision, since I have been extremely happy with the outcome of the several discussions I have had with her.

I found Dr. Chatterjee spending a lot of time with me - never in a hurry to pack me off, very attentive, and most importantly, I felt that she cared. She followed up the sessions with emails when required with articles on assertiveness, battling sleeplessness etc. The net of all this was the feeling that she really cared and there was someone supportive I could talk to. It helped me open up, and I would look forward to meeting her again in the upcoming sessions.

Other than the positive feelings that talking to her generated, she helped me identify - clearly - why I felt the way I did. Some of these insights are not obvious. Also, in every session she would come up with a few tips to deal with the problem at hand, or tips to look at the problem differently, or tips to create self-awareness. Thats the key I think - because we need to understand ourselves better and then change the way we perceive things and / or the way we think / behave if we want to change our lives for the better. Most of the insights and tips have had a very positive effect on me.

My sleeping problems are almost gone. A few weeks back I would not have imagined this was possible since I had been suffering for more than a year. I also started behaving differently in some situations which is helping me deal more effectively with my life situations. I do feel much better and less stressed.

So, I would recommend Dr. Mukherjee highly to anyone.

Thanks to Dr. Nayana, I had a very relaxed pregnancy, easy delivery and a quick postpartum recovery through her pre and post natal yoga and ayurveda consultation.

After my first delivery, I had postpartum issues due to which I was put on medication and had to stop nursing my daughter when she was just 25 days old. It was very depressing and my entire family went through a difficult period.

I got pregnant with my second child on March 2015 but I did not enjoy my first trimester as the previous postpartum experience haunted me. one of my friend referred Dr.Nayana for prenatal yoga and I started my sessions with her from my fourth month. Dr. Nayana advised me on my diet and gave me ayurvedic consultation throughout my pregnancy. She took complete responsibility and assured me that there will not be any issues this time.

I attended Dr. Nayana's sessions regularly and followed her advice religiously. I noticed remarkable changes in my health within a month. I was able to relax and enjoy my prenatal period. I went into labor on 7th December and my baby boy came out in just 2 pushes. I had a very easy delivery and did not experience any pain. Dr. Nayana had given me ayurvedic medicines after delivery and it helped me in speedy recovery. I also attended her post natal yoga which helped me to regain my strength and get back to shape. I had no postpartum issues this time and was able to relax and enjoy blissful motherhood.

Cannot express my gratitude towards Dr. Nayana in words but her great work will always be remembered

******** ** ***** ****** ********* ** **** *** ***** *** **** ** ******* ***** **** ***** ******* she truly loves what she does and genuinely tries to assist individuals with whatever conundrums in life one may be going through.

This aspect is key: as any therapist or counsellor worth their weight in salt would tell you, they are not there to 'solve' your problems or provide 'answers' or 'solutions' - these are things that the individual must arrive at themselves through understanding their own cognitive patterns, psychological make up and so on, but the job of a counsellor is to facilitate this process. This is precisely what Malavika excels at!

Some chosen reflections from my sessions with her:

I ***** *** ** ** ********* ********** ******* ** *** ************ *** ******** ******* she doesn't take any one theory of psychoanalysis or any form of therapy overboard. Instead she tries to integrate in a holistic manner, some of the best ideas from different schools of thought and so her approach is integrated and open, free from what some therapists succumb to - boxing and categorizing clients into some personality disorder or the other. Her

I had initially approached her from a career perspective upon the recommendation of my mentor, and we discussed my professional life extensively, but within 6-8 sessions, I had covered so much ground on the deeply personal front involving my relationship with my parents, peers, extended society and so many other intimate aspects of my own world view.

I felt that after just a few sessions, there were absolutely critical elements form my childhood, school, upbringing etc that bubbled to the surface and suddenly I was able to see all the knots and difficult internal realities that were holding me back, preventing me from doing so many things that I felt I should be doing, and hence I was able to liberate myself to a certain degree, bringing partial closure to certain open wounds and psychological barriers deeply embedded within. I consider this to be remarkable, and credit Malavika for such progress.

That being said, there are no magic bullets, and all this expression of liberation does not mean that I have done all the work: it is all to be done, and that is a different ball game which will require much time and effort. I just was able to find a way to allow myself to be happy and gain a certain confidence and ease to handle my life choices and directions, these critical changes are because of Malavika's dedication, empathy and love for what she does as well ability to build a genuine bond of trust with the people she is trying to help.

I conclude with an attempt to dispel some fears of remote sessions - Malavika is currently in the U.S. and takes sessions for folks in India over Skype. You may think this is non-ideal considering you are not present in person with her physically, but in my experience this barely proved to be a hindrance, our sessions together felt as effective as being physically in the same room, talking over things. All that needed to be ensured was a good internet connection and a headset and webcam for clear communication, visual and verbal.

I have always found Malavika to be a great listener and a very pleasant person to talk to. It is really essential to have a therapist who is a good listener and whom you can trust speaking to at your most vulnerable self. She somehow knows how to get people to open up, and is very perceptive about making sense of confusing and convoluted thoughts. She summarizes the situation precisely, figuring out what the main issues are and expressing it very clearly. This clarity in looking at a problem is often the start of finding a solution and gives a great amount of reassurance under trying circumstances. She never imposes a solution on you, but gets you to think of possible routes out and helps you navigate through them.

Often when you think you've reached a dead-end and are digging away at a solution, she makes you look up and take in the bigger picture, gently reminding you that all is not lost and that you have come along way. Some of the analogies she has quoted have stayed with me long after and have helped me through difficult times.

I have always left her sessions feeling lighter than before and feeling positive about meeting challenges. She has been a great guide to me in the last two years, and I have seen myself constantly improving and becoming a better person in that time.