A note to fellow Indian therapists.

And fellow humans.

In the last few weeks, I have encountered several articles, blogs, social media posts and comments from Indian mental health professionals voicing frustration and anger about common perceptions regarding the work they do. Generally, these have been aimed at addressing expectations around the extents to their availability, the purpose of charging a fee or general notions about mental health and therapy.

Firstly, I want to validate these feelings. I too have often felt that way myself; feeling frustrated or angry perhaps because I have grown up in a culture where mental health and allied professions have not been taken very seriously. Subtle and not so subtle ways I learnt that include:

• Being told "anyone" can study psychology

• Being told I could sit at home and read some books on it

• Being told that it doesn't require a full-time education (definitely not one abroad)

• Being asked if I can read minds

• Being asked to share "interesting stories" that I've come across recently at work.

And so on and so forth.

The issue is not so simple, yet it demonstrates a widespread belief (resulting in behaviour) that mental health doesn't need to be (and so isn't) taken seriously. It may feel sometimes, that the onus therefore lies on us (mental health practitioners) to convert 'non-believers' into 'believers' and advocate for the mental health field in India at large. (Maybe because it feels like we're the only ones doing it?)

Remember, we can start to make incremental changes by demonstrating to our clients that we offer a safe, evidence-based therapeutic space, as we are unlikely to just "convince" anyone about the importance and benefits of therapy or counselling overall. Let our therapy do the talking.

In an attempt to shift the lens from a problem-focused to a solution-oriented, yet non-blaming approach, I am sharing some ideas for what we can do (as responsible, mental health practitioners):

1. We can start by translating our own frustrations and anger to underlying needs and feelings. This means, as therapists, we need to acknowledge how deeply hurtful it is when we feel our profession is not taken seriously. This is definitely a sensitive one for me, a culmination of feelings I've felt for over a decade.

2. We can be positive role models for a generation of people, who have not learnt how to put forward their own needs and feelings. We need to be clear and direct about how we feel about what we do, and what we need. For example, that I am only available to offer sessions 5 days a week, during working hours. Additionally, I can offer alternate resources, such as 24x7 helpline numbers, for out-of-hours distress.

3. Avoid making generalising, public statements on behalf of other mental health practitioners. For example, if you need to charge money for your professional services, be honest about it. Don't shy away from asking for a fee in lieu of providing a service. However, if you come in contact with clients who are unable to afford this, please point them in the direction of other professionals or organisations who may be able to offer them free or low-cost support.

4. Be genuine about the limits or the extent of your personal training and qualifications. There are frequent complaints about unqualified individuals offering professional support services; this amounts to unethical practice. Be open about what it is that you are able to offer. Clients often lose hope in the abilities of mental health professionals because of a poor experience where they encountered someone who was judgmental or unempathic and thus, unable to meet their emotional or mental health needs.

5. Do your best to read a lot and try to keep up-to-date with new developments in your specific sub-field or theoretical orientation. Don't expect yourself to know everything about everything!

6. We often forget to practice self-care and upkeep despite regularly reminding our clients about it. Make sure you're taking care of your own emotional wellbeing too, so that you can continue to offer a healthy, therapeutic space for your clients.

7. Educate your friends and families. Tell them about the diverse types of therapy and different sub-fields of psychology. A large proportion of people in India have not been exposed to the field of mental health the way we have; let's do our bit to increase accessibility and share information, so that the wider population can learn more about the importance of emotional and mental wellbeing and the support they can receive from us.

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About me

Mallika Verma is a psychologist, and couples and family therapist. She has previously worked across a range of public and private healthcare settings in India and the UK. She now practices privately in Mumbai and Delhi. Learn more at: www.mallikaverma.com or get in touch with her on: mallikavermatherapy@gmail.com.