Dr Smriti Vallath, MSc

Psychotherapist

Verified

“I am a trauma-informed, queer-affirmative practitioner with over 15 years of experience. I take a collaborative, strengths-based approach to supporting individuals experiencing mental health challenges and emotional distress, tailoring therapy to each person's unique needs and goals.”

About Me

I help individuals manage addiction, navigate life transitions, strengthen relationships, address conduct issues, and cope with grief. I also offer trauma counselling, relationship counselling, group therapy, and clinical supervision, providing a confidential and supportive space to face challenges and build effective coping skills. I have over 15 years of experience working with a diverse range of clients, including men, women, children, adolescents, people from minority communities, individuals experiencing homelessness, and queer and trans people. This experience led me to establish CHI for Trauma and Wellbeing, with the hope of making a meaningful difference by supporting individual healing and helping to prevent trauma for future generations. I work with clients experiencing a wide range of concerns, including clinical disorders, personality-related difficulties, and trauma resulting from abuse, accidents, chronic illness, or spinal cord injuries. In addition to my clinical work, I provide training and deliver lectures on mental health across a variety of settings. This includes corporate and organisational workshops, as well as supervision and professional development for mental health practitioners and therapists.

Approach

My approach to psychotherapy and supervision is built on creating a safe, respectful, and collaborative space. I believe safety comes from mutual trust, honesty, and accountability. I encourage clients to express themselves openly, set boundaries, give feedback, and practise saying "no" when something doesn't feel right. Together, we build an authentic therapeutic relationship where neither of us needs to hide parts of ourselves or our experiences. Over time, the confidence and skills developed in therapy can extend into everyday life, supporting healthier relationships and greater self-assurance.

Contact Smriti

Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.

Basic Information

Chennai, India

Online Only

Services

I offer personalised, needs-based services with individual care plans rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Every service is tailored to your unique circumstances and goals, and all are delivered using a trauma-informed approach. Services I offer include: 1) Supportive counselling 2) Narrative Exposure Therapy 3) Cognitive Analytic Therapy 4) Other here-and-now approaches such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) 5) Marital and relationship counselling 6) Addiction counselling In addition to therapy, I offer educational services designed to support students throughout their training and contribute to the development of skilled mental health professionals. These services are available to students and early-career practitioners across all areas of mental health. 1) Supervision for research 2) Supervision for clinical practice 3) Workshops on counselling skills 4) Workshops on trauma-informed care

Services Offered:

Clinical Supervision
Professional oversight and reflective practice for clinical practitioners, ensuring quality of care and supporting ongoing development.
Corporate Workshops
Mental health and well-being workshops delivered in workplace settings, covering topics like stress management, resilience, and communication.
Counseling
A form of talk therapy providing a safe, confidential space to explore feelings, thoughts, and behaviours with a trained professional.
Learn more about Counseling
Trauma Counseling
Counselling specifically for people affected by traumatic events, focused on processing what happened and reducing symptoms like flashbacks and hypervigilance.
Learn more about Trauma Counseling
Group Therapy
Therapy conducted with a small group of people who share similar concerns, using peer interaction and diverse perspectives as part of the healing process.
Learn more about Group Therapy
Relationship Counseling
Counselling for couples or partners focused on improving communication, rebuilding trust, and strengthening emotional connection.
Mindfulness
The practice of paying deliberate attention to the present moment without judgement, used to reduce stress and increase awareness of automatic reactions.
Learn more about Mindfulness
Online Therapy
Therapy sessions conducted over video call, phone, or secure messaging, using the same professional methods delivered remotely.
Learn more about Online Therapy
Individual Therapy
One-on-one therapy sessions between a client and a therapist, focused on that person's specific concerns and goals.
Learn more about Individual Therapy
Personal Development
The ongoing process of self-awareness, self-improvement, and reaching one's potential, pursued not because something is wrong but to live more fully.

Works With:

Adolescents
Adults
Families
Groups
Individuals

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

Addiction
A compulsive dependence on a substance or behaviour, such as alcohol, drugs, or gambling, that causes harmful consequences to health, relationships, or daily life.
Learn more about Addiction
Life Transitions
Major life changes, such as relocation, retirement, parenthood, or career shifts, that disrupt routine and require psychological adjustment.
Learn more about Life Transitions
Anxiety
Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.
Learn more about Anxiety
Relationship Issues
Difficulties in romantic relationships, including communication problems, trust breakdowns, conflict patterns, or uncertainty about the relationship's future.
Learn more about Relationship Issues
Behaviour or Conduct Issues
Persistent patterns of defiant, aggressive, or rule-breaking behaviour in children or adolescents that significantly disrupt home, school, or social life.
Grief & Loss
The emotional, physical, and psychological response to the death of a loved one or another significant loss.
Learn more about Grief & Loss
Mood Disorder
A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.
Learn more about Mood Disorder
LGBTQI+ Support
The unique psychological experiences of LGBTQI+ individuals, including identity exploration, coming out, discrimination, minority stress, and relationship dynamics.
Psychosis
A mental state in which a person loses contact with reality, which may involve hallucinations, delusions, or severely disordered thinking.
Learn more about Psychosis
Trauma
The lasting psychological impact of deeply distressing events, such as violence, abuse, accidents, or disasters, that overwhelm a person's ability to cope.
Learn more about Trauma

Professional Title:

Psychotherapist
A professional trained to provide in-depth therapy that explores patterns in thoughts, emotions, and relationships to produce lasting change.

Credentials

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Vrije Universiteit

Year: 2019

Master of Science in Clinical Psychology

Swansea University

Year: 2011

Service Areas

CHI for Trauma and Wellbeing

Online Only

Chennai · Mumbai · Delhi

India