Get in touch, book an appointment

To book a counselling appointment, mail me at: krithika.akkaraju@gmail.com

All counselling enquiries and subsequent sessions will be conducted in complete confidence.

Do feel free to mail me if you have any questions pertaining to counselling, my practice or related topics. I will try my best to answer them!

Who is a counsellor?

A counsellor:

- is someone who usually has a background in psychology, clinical psychology, counselling psychology or specialised counselling skills training

- is specially trained to listen actively and attentively to everything you say

- is trained in techniques that can help you work through your emotional distress

- listens without judgement and bias

- keeps everything you say confidential

- is a stranger who can listen to your problem/issue from a fresh/different perspective

Counselling for your child: what to expect

What you should know

Although each therapist has his/her own way of working with children, these are some of the broad aspects to counselling for children. It may differ from therapist-to-therapist.

• The parent/s/guardians are an integral part of the counselling process, but the primary 'client' is your child.

• As it is with counselling for adults, each session is roughly 55 minutes long.

• It is preferred that both parents/guardians are part of the counselling process with the child (the counsellor will explain how this works). This goes a long way in ensuring that the issue is addressed holistically.

• Do remember that the counsellor is your therapeutic partner in addressing your child's concerns/issues. An open and honest relationship between you and the counsellor will go a long way in addressing your child's needs. You should be able to talk to the counsellor about anything.

The first session: 

 - The parent/s/guardians will initially meet the counsellor alone and understand how the counselling process works. The parents can discuss their questions/concerns with the counsellor at this time. The child is generally not called in for the first session.

- The counsellor will ask you some questions about your reasons for seeking counsellor for your child and also take down some details about you, your child and family, etc. This helps the counsellor understand your situation better.

- You have every right to know how the counselling process works and the broad approach the counsellor will use for counselling your child. Please use this time to ask the counsellor any questions you might have. 

- The counsellor will guide you on how you can explain the counselling process to your child and prepare him/her (address fears, apprehensions, stigma etc.) before entering therapy. 

• Subsequently and gently, your child will start seeing the therapist by himself/herself (there might be exceptions if the child is very small). 

• Depending on the age of the child and your level of comfort, you will be asked to wait outside the counsellor's room while the session is in progress, or you may drop/pick up the child to the session (if the child is old enough).

• Depending on the issue being addressed, the counsellor will generally meet with you (the parent/s/guardian) once every 3-4 sessions that are had with the child to inform you of the progress.

• Remember, the same tenets of client-therapist confidentiality apply to your child's counselling sessions as well.   

Any questions? Mail me at: krithika.akkaraju@gmail.com

About Me

Hi, I'm Krithika Akkaraju. I'm a graduate in Psychology, an MBA post graduate and a professionally trained and certified counsellor (from Parivartan).

I've worked in the corporate sector for over seven years as a communications specialist and as a counsellor for over three years. It was during my corporate stint that i realised my interests lay more in understanding the behaviour of individuals and working with them to promote wellness and emotional health.

I have an independent counselling practice in Koramangala and am also affiliated with Innersight Counselling Centre and HealtheMinds (an online counselling portal).

I work with adults (18-65) and children (above the age of 5) to address their counselling needs.



To book an appointment, mail me at: krithika.akkaraju@gmail.com

Location, Charges for Counselling Sessions

Location

All counselling sessions are held at:
142, 3rd Main, Koramangala 1st Block, Bangalore 560034, India

This is a professional and not a home set up. Sessions will be held in confidence.

How to get there: https://www.google.co.in/maps/search/sbi+koramangala/@12.933221,77.6321925,14z/data=!3m1!4b1

Fee 

My charges are Rs.600/- for a 60 minute session. However, this is negotiable if the client is facing financial constraints. This needs to be discussed prior to commencement of the sessions.

What a Counsellor is Not

A counsellor is not:

- a miracle worker/magician/mind reader. A counsellor needs your help to understand the problem that's bothering you.

- a doctor who prescribes medication. This is only done by someone who has a medical degree.

- a dictator. As a client, you need not submit meekly to everything the counsellor asks you to do. Always question and seek clarity if something's bothering you.

- a friend, partner or relative. A counsellor is a professional who is specially trained to help individuals work through emotional/psychological issues. A counsellor will therefore hesitate to interact with you socially outside of the counselling room as this would violate the boundaries of your professional relationship.

Your Rights as a Client

Remember, the counselling space is 'your space'*:

As a client you have the right to:

- Seek and choose a counsellor of your liking

- seek clarity on anything about the counsellor/counselling process before/during the sessions

- be treated with dignity, respect and seriousness by your counsellor throughout your sessions

- have the content of your counselling sessions kept completely confidential (unless it has been expressly agreed upon otherwise)

- express your opinions/needs without fear of ridicule, embarrassment, judgement

- the right to have your session without interruption  (without the counsellor attending to other personal/professional matters during the time)

- bring up any issue with your counsellor 

- seek explanation for a method/approach the counsellor is using

- terminate the session/s if there has been a violate of trust.

- change the counsellor if the sessions are not working for you. 

* However, do remember to bring up any of these issues/concerns with your counsellor first. Most counsellors are open to discussing issues that are hindering the counselling process and working on them.

What to Expect in Your First Counselling Session

What to expect when you enter a counselor’s office*

- The counselor might greet you directly when you arrive for your session, or there might be a receptionist who will take your details and guide you to the counselor’s office. You might be required to wait in a waiting room until your session begins.

- At no point does anyone, except for your counselor, have a right to ask you about the ‘issue’ you are seeing the counselor for. However, some set ups do have an initial assessment to fill out, which require some general details about you (address, contact details etc.) and a very broad description of your problem for which you are seeking counselling. You can choose how much you want to share at this point.

- A counselor’s space will be a private area (usually a room), which is secluded from the rest of the office space or is separate stand alone room altogether. This is to ensure your privacy, so that no one else can hear what you discuss with your counselor.

- Inside, you will usually find two chairs/couches facing each other, maybe a table with water, some tissues and writing material. 

- The counselor will take one of the chairs and guide you to the other.

- Depending on the type of therapist you are seeing, you may also find art material, toys, a sandbox, modeling clay, etc. These are some media used in therapy and your therapist will tell you what they are as the need arises.

- Once the session begins and depending on the set up, the counselor might usually close the door/lock the door so as not to be disturbed during the course of the session.

- If you are apprehensive about any of these factors, you must discuss it with your counselor.

What to expect when you meet your counsellor for the first time:

- the counsellor will usually introduce him/herself during the first session. 

 - if this is your first experience of counselling, the counsellor will explain to you how counselling works, confidentiality, the limits of confidentiality and the time format of your sessions. The counsellor will also lay out the fee for the sessions.

- the counsellor will invite you to share some details about yourself and may write this down on a piece of paper. The counsellor will do an assessment of your needs, i.e., try and understand your need for counselling/the problem you are facing. He/she might ask you a lot of questions about your family, history, etc. This is done to understand you/your situation better, so it is natural for you to hear the sound of your own voice a lot during the first session.

- You may ask the counsellor any questions you have about counselling, during your first session and anytime during your subsequent sessions as well.

- remember that the counselling space is 'your' space. You are free to talk about anything in the counselling space, including seeking clarification from the counsellor, voicing your concerns or expressing your thoughts and feelings.

* This is a very general description of what happens in counselling. The situation may vary depending on the counsellor you are seeing. Always remember that you have every right to discuss anything with your counsellor - including things which are making you uncomfortable or issues that are hindering the counselling process for you. 

Is Counselling for You?

Most of us have gone through times in our lives when we feel 'stuck', upset, sad, helpless, listless, hopeless or angry. A lot of times, we know how to get through these times and get on with our lives without letting the problem/distress wear us down. But, there are times when a problem overwhelms us and we are unable to get past it. Sometimes, a problem can make us feel shameful/embarrassed and we are unsure who to share it with. There are other times when we just want to talk/vent/express ourselves without being judged or ridiculed for it.

Counselling is for you if:

• You're struggling with an issue and don't know how to get past it
• You'd like to discuss your issue with someone who won't judge you, laugh at you, ridicule you or shame you
• You want to get a fresh perspective on a long-standing problem
• You're willing to work through your issue over time and with patience
• You have a weak support system and you don't know who else to talk to
• You're facing a stressful situation and finding it difficult to deal with it
• You're willing to trust the therapeutic process and place your trust in a professional to help you through your issue/problem/situation
• ...and many others

Some examples of counselling situations:

- You have a problem of an emotional/psychological/behavioural nature which is causing you distress, and you are unable to get past it on your own. For example: you’ve recently moved to a different city and you’re lonely and unable to initiate friendships because you feel you are 'too shy'. You’d like to make an effort to behave differently and you're not sure how to begin.

- You’re ‘stuck’ in a situation and need new ideas or a new perspective to work through it. For example: you’re a single parent and recently started dating someone, you’re unsure how to bring it up with your children. You would like to balance your responsibilities with your children and yet, give the new relationship a fair chance.

- You’re struggling with an aspect of your identity. For example: you are a homosexual and are wondering how much to reveal to your friends and family. You fear their reaction and would like to talk through what you’re feeling.

- You’d like to talk freely about something. For example: You’ve recently lost a dear friend to an accident and coming to terms with the tragedy. You’d like to talk about the painful feelings that are coming up for you, you’d like to openly grieve in a safe place.

- You’re concerned about a change in behaviour and would like some ideas on how to cope with it. For example: your 8-year-old child has recently become very withdrawn and cries for no reason and has started bed-wetting. You’d like to help held her deal with the situation and understand what’s causing her the distress.

Every individual is unique and so is everyone's experience in counselling. It would be inaccurate to compare one person's experience in counselling to another. The best way to navigate counselling is to have an open and honest relationship with your counsellor - where there is space to clarify doubts, ask questions and express your opinions.

If you have any questions regarding counselling, the process, etc. do drop a message and I will try my best to answer it here.

What is Counselling?

What is counselling?

- A space where you -the client - contract to spend time with a therapist (or counselor) to work through a problem.

- The therapist is specially trained in ‘talk therapy’. While you talk, the therapist does a special kind of listening and engagement, which enables him/her to help you through your problem. A counsellor will usually have a background in psychology or specialised counselling skills training.

- Each counseling session is usually 50-60 minutes long.

- Counselling sessions are usually held once, sometimes twice a week depending on your need. The sessions are usually spread over a number of weeks, till your issue is resolved or you/your counsellor feel comfortable enough to terminate therapy.

- Most counsellors would need to see you for at least for 3-4 sessions on an average to help you work through a problem. However, there are exceptions to this (and it is different with every client and therapist). 

- You may end up seeing the counsellor only once or twice or for several sessions over a period of time. Some clients also prefer to stay with a therapist over a long term and will often return to the same therapist after gaps of time. The duration of sessions can only be decided between you and your counsellor.


- In consultation with you (the client) and upon initial assessment, a therapist may give you a rough idea of how much time you may be required to spend in therapy.

- This counseling space is unique because no one else is allowed into that space (except you and the therapist), without your explicit permission.

- It is the therapist/counsellor's professional duty to listen to you without prejudice, judgment and ridicule.

- A therapist will never prescribe drugs or offer medical advice of any kind for your psychological/behavioral issues. This is done by a psychiatrist.

- A therapist may, however, sometimes train you in relaxation techniques such as deep breathing etc. to help you through your issue (among other things).

- Remember, at any point during your counselling relationship, you can speak to your therapist about anything that’s bothering you; making you uncomfortable, angry or embarrassed. The therapist will respect your views.

- You have every right to terminate the counselling relationship if you are uncomfortable with your counsellor. However, a counsellor will generally be more than willing to work through any issue that's hindering the counselling relationship if you bring it to their notice.

Child and Adolescent Counselling

After a long wait, Im thrilled that my training in Children and Adolescent Counselling is finally underway. So, in addition to seeing adult clients (18-65), I am also now seeing children (above the age of 5) and adolescents.

All counselling sessions are held at:

House#142, 3rd Main, Koramangala 1st Block, Bangalore 560034
Landmarks: Barbeque Nation, Jakkasandra Bus Stop or SBI.

Map to SBI Koramangala:

https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/SBI+Koramangala/@12.936582,77.627738,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x3bae14431e432ab5:0xf48876d1730dbef2