Psychotherapy helps an individual acknowledge and address a problem in their lives, by empowering them with a comprehensive outlook,  tools to treat their discomfort and improve their condition in a healthy and sustainable manner. 

People seek therapy for many reasons. They could be dealing with a mental illness, a traumatic event, or simply need assistance in reaching a particular goal in their lives. Sometimes, people seek therapy as an outlet where they can express themselves and feel their feelings freely, without fear of rejection or judgment, in a safe space that is entirely their own. Everybody has days when they feel low, stressed out, sad or scared. These feelings are natural and normal. But if they are recurring to such an extent that your daily functioning is frequently disrupted, it’s time to ask for professional help.

Everything that is discussed during a therapy session is confidential, unless the patients are either a threat to themselves or others. Apart from this, as per protocol, there will be a confidentiality agreement between the therapist and individual, which is usually documented with a written contract. 

There are several issues that can be helped through counseling. Whether it is substance abuse (alcohol or drug addiction), transitioning from one life stage to another, anger management, eating disorders, behavioral and mood disorders, trauma and anxiety, gender identity, coping with grief and loss or self-esteem and body image issues, counselors are equipped to help clients address and cope with challenging situations and perceptions. 

Hypnotherapy, also known as ‘guided hypnosis’, is a form of therapy, which facilitates a trance-like state in the client, during which positive suggestions are given to the subconscious mind, to help alleviate any feels of psychological distress, despair, discomfort or fear. It is often used as a tool to assist in treatment for self-destructive behaviors, phobias, sleep disorders and anxiety, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and pain management among other mental health-related issues.

Quite the opposite, actually. Hypnosis or hypnotherapy helps you regain control of your thoughts and feelings, when presented with challenging situations or thoughts. This helps do away with undesirable behaviors, anxiety, depression or phobias. While the client is more open and flexible to the positive suggestions given by the hypnotherapist, he or she does not lose control of his or herself.

This isn’t an exact science, where you can measure the number of days it would take for hypnosis to take effect. Everyone has a different experience, but it its proven to be significantly faster than talk therapy. For some, there may be improvements within days, and for others, it may take weeks or months. However, it takes 21 days to create a new habit, so with 3 to 5 weeks of regular therapy, it is likely you may be able to experience some change. 

Hypnotherapy has been known to be an effective treatment for a host of medical and psychological issues, such as asthma, high blood pressure, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, phobias and addictions like smoking, alcoholism or drug-related substance abuse. 

Mindfulness and meditation are often considered to go hand in hand, because they are complementary processes. But there is a difference. Mindfulness doesn’t require you to be in a constantly meditative state for it to work. Mindfulness is practicing an open and focused attention to our thoughts, emotions and body sensations in any given time. Meditation is one practice, among many, of increasing our awareness and mindfulness. While meditation is usually practiced for a certain amount of time, requiring disciplined focus, mindfulness can be actively practiced throughout the day, at any time. Mindfulness helps us remain aware of ourselves, mind and body’, while meditation seeks to clear our mind to ‘nothingness’.

Mindfulness helps you become aware of the ‘present moment’, something that most of us don’t pay attention to because we are constantly worried about the future or mulling over what has already happened in the past. Mindfulness allows us to be fully aware of our thoughts and emotions when presented with different challenges or situations. It helps us to stay grounded and regulates our moods, even in the event of challenging situations. It gives you the freedom to mindfully respond rather than impulsively react in such circumstances. 

This usually depends on the intensity of the issue and diagnosis that the psychiatrist comes up with after assessing your problems and symptoms. While there are many situations where people are able to regulate their emotions and thoughts in a healthy manner with the help of only counseling, some conditions require the assistance of medication along with therapy.

Yes, mental illness is real, just like any other illness in your body, like asthma, diabetes or heart disease. And it needs to be treated with just as much importance and urgency.