Nikhil Vinodh

Hi, I'm Nikhil! I am a practicing Counseling Psychologist based out of Bangalore, India, currently offering in-person as well as online therapy. I have completed my Masters of Education degree in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University, and worked as a Psychotherapist at two private clinics in New York City for two years before returning to India this year. I’m glad that you are considering beginning therapy, and I hope that I am able to give you a sense of who I am as a therapist, and what our work together could look like.

The Psychotherapeutic Relationship

Psychotherapy is variously referred to as talk therapy, counseling, or simply, therapy. There are various definitions of the term, “psychotherapy”, and it would be tedious and nearly impossible even for a mental health professional to provide a singular definition of what psychotherapy is. There are many different modalities of psychotherapy, and many different theories about why humans are the way we are. But the unanimous finding based on years of research is that there is no one type of psychotherapy that is better than another. The unanimous finding also is that the success of psychotherapeutic work almost single-handedly depends on the strength of the relationship between the therapist and the client- the relationship between you and me. Hence, if you are able to get a sense of how I view our work, then you may be in a better position to determine the beginning of our relationship.

The Focus of my Work

I work with a range of clients across age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. I specialize in working with issues of emerging adulthood that call into question how we experience and reconcile the various aspects of our identities. These issues may pertain to, but are not limited to, self-worth, depression, loneliness, traditional and non-traditional relationships, life transitions, and religion/spirituality.

The Philosophy of my Work

I believe in the holistic nature of change. Viewed in this manner, change is not initiated simply by thinking healthy thoughts. These healthy thoughts need to be complemented by healthy emotions as well in order for us to experience the motivation to change. Very often, we are disconnected from the emotions we experience in certain situations because those emotions haven’t been respected or acknowledged in our past experiences or relationships. Consequently, we become estranged from the parts of ourselves which those emotions represent. Through the therapeutic process we may reconnect with those neglected parts of ourselves so that we may feel whole again.

My Approach to Therapy

I ground my work in existential and spiritual perspectives which acknowledge that my clients are far too complex to fit within a particular theory or modality of psychotherapy. At the same time, I am able to respond to my clients’ specific needs by drawing upon practices from psychodynamic therapy, positive psychology, mindfulness, and CBT. Hence, therapy can allow for the client’s spontaneous ability to determine what they need from each therapy session. And therapy can also allow for a more targeted and structured approach towards some of the client’s issues. Therapy is ultimately a collaborative relationship between my client and me; the client’s needs being the focal point of our work together.