Questions People Actually Ask Before They Write

You do not need a crisis or a diagnosis to start. Counselling is worth considering when something has been hard for a while — worry, low mood, conflict, exhaustion, a stuck pattern — and it is beginning to affect sleep, work, school, or how you are with people you care about. If you are unsure, a first conversation can help you decide rather than committing you to a long course of work.

Yes. You do not need to arrive with a label. Many people write because something has changed, or because they are tired of managing alone. Describe what you have noticed, in ordinary language. Naming it can wait.

Use Connect with Us or WhatsApp. Say who the enquiry is for and a little about what has been happening. Every note is read by the practice, not by a call centre. We usually reply within one working day, then suggest whether counselling, an assessment, or a parent conversation is the better start — and share the relevant fee before you confirm a time.

Who it is for, what you have noticed, roughly how long it has been going on, and whether you are looking for counselling, an assessment, or you are not sure. A short note is enough. You do not need a diagnosis or a long history.

No. You can write directly. A GP, school or another professional may also refer, with consent. We still need a short note about what you are looking for.

A parent, partner or school professional may write first. We still need the right consent before a session with the person concerned — especially for children, teenagers, and another adult. We will not start counselling with an adult solely because a relative asked, unless that person has agreed.

Yes. Most child work begins with a parent message. You do not need the child to be “ready” before you ask. We will then discuss whether the next step is parent guidance, sessions with the child, an assessment, or simply a clearer picture of what is going on.

Yes. A teenager can write. For most people under 18, a parent or guardian is involved in arranging care. Privacy in the session is discussed clearly, including what cannot stay private if safety is a concern.

The first session is for understanding, not for performing. You will be asked what has been happening, what you have already tried, and what you hope will change. You can ask questions. You do not need to tell your whole life story. Together we decide whether to continue, and at what pace.

Counselling and therapy are ongoing conversations that help you work through a difficulty. Assessment is a structured process — interview and, where needed, standardised tools — to answer a defined question and produce a report. If you mainly need space and skills, start with counselling. If you need clarity for school, attention, learning or development, say that in the enquiry. You do not have to choose perfectly; we will help you sort it.

People use both words. Counselling often means a focused conversation about a current difficulty. Therapy usually means a slightly deeper or more structured piece of work. On this site, counselling pages describe what you may be going through; therapy pages describe how the work may be done. After we understand the situation, we choose a way of working — not a package name.

Sessions are a regular, protected conversation. Some of the hour is spent making sense of what has been happening; some of it may be spent noticing patterns, trying a skill, or deciding what to do differently before the next meeting. It is not advice-giving, and it is not a lecture. You remain in charge of what you share.

Counselling sessions are usually about 45–60 minutes. Assessment appointments can be longer, and some assessment pathways need more than one sitting. We will say what to expect before you begin.

Many people start weekly, then space sessions as things settle. Some need a short piece of work; others continue for months. There is no honest number that fits everyone. We review rather than lock you into a package.

Yes. You can pause, space out, or end when you are ready. It helps if you say so, so the work can be closed carefully — especially if a child or a school is involved. You can also return after a break.

Yes. A diagnosis is not a ticket of entry. Everyday strain, a stuck relationship pattern, grief, or a sense that you are not yourself is enough to start. Assessment is a different process, used when a specific question needs a formal answer.

A friend cares. A psychologist is trained to notice patterns, pace the work, and hold confidentiality within professional and legal limits. The hour is structured around your difficulty, not around social exchange. You should not have to look after the other person's feelings in the session.

Only if it is useful. Some work stays with the present. Some patterns make more sense with history. You are not required to tell everything in the first session, or ever, in order to be taken seriously.

Both are common. Silence, tears, and “I don't know where to start” are workable. The psychologist's job includes helping you find a way in. Crying does not mean the session has gone wrong. If talking feels too raw, that can be said out loud and the pace can change.

Sometimes. Looking at something you have been managing by keeping busy can stir feeling. That is not the same as the work being harmful. A careful psychologist will pace the conversation, and you can say if it is too much. If you ever feel unsafe, that needs to be named immediately — therapy is not a substitute for emergency care.

Look for small, practical signs: you understand the pattern more clearly, you recover a little faster after a difficult day, conversations at home are slightly less explosive, or you can say no without as much aftermath. It is not a straight line. If nothing is shifting after a reasonable stretch, that is worth discussing rather than politely continuing.

Anxiety, overthinking, work strain, burnout, low mood, confidence, people-pleasing, guilt, difficult decisions, career pressure, a breakup, grief, or a life change that has knocked you off balance. You can also come if you are functioning at work and still feel something is wrong. Individual counselling is for one person; if the main goal is the relationship itself, couples work may fit better.

Yes. Therapy can sit alongside care from a psychiatrist, physician or another psychologist. Clinical psychologists in this practice do not prescribe. We do not ask you to stop medication. Medication decisions stay with the prescribing doctor.

It can help you understand what is maintaining the anxiety, and practise ways of responding that are less exhausting than constant bracing. It does not switch anxiety off. If anxiety is mixed with a medical problem, or you are unsure whether symptoms are physical, a physician should be involved as well.

Overthinking is often a way of trying to feel safe. Therapy can help you notice the loop, what it is trying to solve, and what happens when you interrupt it. It is not the same as being told to “think positive”.

Panic is frightening, and it can be worked with — understanding what the body is doing, what tends to trigger an episode, and what helps you through the next one. If attacks come with chest pain, fainting, or you are not sure it is panic, get a medical check first. Therapy does not replace that.

Worry is part of being responsible. It becomes a problem when it is hard to switch off, takes over sleep or concentration, or starts running your choices — avoiding, checking, or needing constant reassurance. A webpage cannot diagnose you. If the worry is costing you a lot, it is reasonable to talk to a psychologist.

Yes. Work pressure, leadership strain, irritability, and the sense of never clocking off are common reasons adults write. Counselling is personal psychological support. It is not an HR process, and it will not negotiate your job for you.

Burnout is more than a busy month. It often shows up as exhaustion, cynicism, sleep problems, and a feeling that even rest does not restore you. Therapy can help you see what is driving it and what needs to change — including rest, boundaries, and sometimes a conversation with a physician if your body has been running on empty. It cannot promise that your workplace will change.

Yes. A racing mind can make it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep, or hold attention at work or in class. Poor sleep then makes anxiety worse. Difficulty concentrating can also have other explanations — including learning difficulties, low mood, or an attention difficulty — so the next step depends on the whole picture, not on one symptom.

It can help you see where the self-doubt comes from, how it shows up in decisions, and what you have been avoiding. Confidence is not a personality transplant. The work is usually more honest self-appraisal and more workable action, not slogans.

Yes. Loss, a move, a new role, a breakup, or a change you did not choose can leave you feeling unlike yourself. Counselling can give that period a place to be thought about, without a timetable for “moving on”. If you are in immediate danger or cannot keep yourself safe, that is an emergency, not a counselling slot.

When it lasts, keeps returning, or starts running sleep, work, school, health, or relationships — or when self-help is no longer enough. You do not have to wait until you cannot function. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, or you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services rather than waiting for a counselling appointment.

A child psychologist helps families understand emotional difficulties, behaviour, learning, attention, social development, and parenting strain — then decide what support may help next. That may be parent guidance, work with the child, an assessment, or a mix. A webpage cannot diagnose a child.

These pages are written mainly for parents of children and younger adolescents, typically under about 13. For older teenagers, Teen Counselling is usually the clearer start. Exact fit depends on the concern, not only the birthday.

Pay attention to patterns that persist, intensify, or get in the way of school, friendships, sleep or family life — or to a change that does not match the child you know. Worry does not mean you have failed. An enquiry does not commit you to a diagnosis or to weekly sessions.

Some friction is ordinary: toddlers melt down, school-age children test limits, and moods shift after a hard day. The question is whether the behaviour is out of step with age, lasting, or costly for the child. Age-typical and “we can live with this” are not always the same thing. A psychologist can help you sort that without jumping to a label.

When outbursts are frequent, last a long time, involve aggression or shutdown that the child cannot recover from, or have started to make home or school feel unsafe. Anger in children can have several explanations — frustration, anxiety, sleep, learning strain, or a mismatch in what is being asked. Support often begins with parents, not with telling the child they are the problem.

A sudden change in mood, sleep, appetite, friendships or interest is worth taking seriously. Withdrawal can be many things — anxiety, low mood, bullying, learning shame, or something medical. It does not, by itself, mean a particular diagnosis. Describe what has changed and over what period; that is enough to start.

School refusal is a signal, not a character judgement. Anxiety, learning difficulty, social stress, sleep, and family strain can all sit underneath. A first step is often a parent conversation to understand the pattern, then a plan that may include the child, and sometimes the school if you consent. Forcing attendance without understanding the cause rarely settles it.

That pattern has several possible explanations: attention, writing speed, working memory, anxiety, perfectionism, or a learning difficulty that does not show in conversation. It is not proof of laziness. If this has lasted, a learning assessment may be more useful than another pep talk. Counselling can still help with the distress around school.

Some children need time to find their group. Persistent isolation, frequent conflict, or real distress after peer contact is worth understanding. Social difficulty can relate to anxiety, language, attention, or development — it does not automatically mean autism. An assessment is useful when the question needs a proper answer rather than guesswork.

Yes. Avoidance, irritability, clinginess, stomach aches, and “defiance” can all be how anxiety shows. That does not mean every difficult behaviour is anxiety. The work is to understand the function of the behaviour, not to excuse harm or ignore a learning problem sitting underneath.

Parents are partners in the process. How much a child is seen alone depends on age, the concern, and clinical judgement. For younger children, a good deal of the useful work is often with parents. You can receive guidance without the child attending every session. How we explain this to the child is part of the plan.

That is common, especially with younger children. Much of the work can still happen with parents: understanding the pattern, what to try at home, and whether assessment is needed. We will be honest if a different format would serve the child better. We will not pretend a child is in the room if they are not.

When the question is specific — learning, attention, development, or a report for school — assessment is the clearer path. Counselling is for ongoing support. Many families use assessment for clarity and counselling or parent guidance for what to do next. You do not have to guess; say what you need the work to answer.

Teen counselling is psychological support for adolescents — typically about 13–19 — facing anxiety, school pressure, confidence, friendships, mood, identity, or family tension. It offers a private space that respects growing independence, with a clear discussion of how parents are involved.

Yes. Boards, pre-boards, tuitions, rank talk and the next unit test can stack until rest no longer restores anyone. Counselling does not take the exam. It can help with sleep, panic before papers, avoidance, and the family tension around marks.

Friendship strain, exclusion, and the after-effects of a falling-out are common. Counselling can help a teenager think more clearly about what is happening and what they want to do. It cannot script other people's behaviour, and it is not a replacement for school safeguarding if there is bullying that needs adult action.

It can help a teenager notice the self-critical voice, what they have been avoiding, and what a slightly braver next step might be. Social anxiety and low self-esteem are related but not identical. Neither is fixed by being told to be more confident.

Withdrawal, irritability, or “I'm fine” that does not match behaviour is worth taking seriously if it lasts. It can be mood, anxiety, sleep, academic shame, or something they are not ready to name. A parent can write first. We will not force a teenager to talk, and we will not treat silence as proof of a particular diagnosis.

A parent session can still be useful: how to invite without forcing, what not to push, and whether assessment or a different pace would help. Forcing a teenager into a video call rarely produces a working conversation. We will not pretend they are in the room if they are not.

No. Teen sessions have privacy, within professional, ethical and legal limits. Parents are usually kept in the loop about the overall plan, and always where safety is concerned. Exact limits are explained at the start so nobody is surprised. Confidentiality is not absolute.

Keep it ordinary and specific. “I've noticed you seem exhausted / shut down / very on edge, and I don't want you to have to sort this alone” is usually better than a lecture about attitude. Offer counselling as a private space, not as a punishment or a verdict that something is “wrong with you”.

It can help with the aftermath — shame, sleep, avoidance of school, and the loss of safety with peers. It does not replace the school's duty to keep the student safe. If bullying is current, the school needs to know, with your consent where that is the right path.

When the change lasts, spreads into sleep, school, friendships or self-care, or when your gut says this is not ordinary teenage weather. Irritability can be as important as sadness. If there is talk of not wanting to live, self-harm, or immediate danger, that is urgent and needs local emergency or medical care — not a wait for the next counselling slot.

Parent counselling is support for the adult who is doing the parenting. It can include making sense of a child's behaviour, reducing the heat at home, and finding a way of responding that you can actually keep. It is not a parenting slogan, and it is not a verdict on whether you are a good parent.

When the same battles keep repeating, you feel you have tried everything you know, parents are pulling in different directions, or you are losing your temper more than you want to. You do not have to wait until a child is “in therapy”.

It can help you understand what the outburst is doing, what happens just before it, and how to respond without feeding the cycle. There is no one script that works for every child. If outbursts are extreme, sudden, or paired with other changes, we may also discuss whether assessment or medical input is needed.

Yes, as part of understanding the whole evening — fear, overstimulation, screens, a child's need for control, or a parent's exhaustion. We will not sell a miracle sleep method. If sleep has collapsed suddenly, or there are snoring or breathing concerns, a medical opinion matters too.

Often the fight is not only about the worksheet. It may be anxiety, a learning difficulty, attention, perfectionism, or a power struggle that has got bigger than the homework. Parent guidance can change the evening. If the academic picture is unclear, an assessment may be the more useful next step.

It can help you set a plan you can hold, rather than a nightly argument. Screens are rarely the only issue; they often sit on top of boredom, anxiety, or a family pattern of negotiation. There is no honest one-size rule for every age and household.

That is common, and it is workable. Mixed messages usually make behaviour worse. Sessions can help you hear what each of you is afraid of, and find a small number of things you will do the same way. It is not about crowning a winner.

Yes. Parent guidance does not require the child to attend every session, and for younger children it is often the main work. You can also write if you simply want a clearer view before involving the child.

It can help when the problem lives between people, not only inside one person. The aim is to slow the pattern, not to hold a courtroom. If someone is afraid, controlled, or unsafe at home, family sessions may not be the right or safe next step.

Yes. Co-parenting work is about the child and the adult team, not about reuniting a marriage. We will be clear about what counselling can and cannot do if legal processes are underway. This is not a forensic or court service.

Couples counselling is psychological work on what happens between two people. Marriage counselling is one form of that. The work can also include partners who are not married, and questions about communication, conflict, distance, trust, parenting together, or a life change you are facing as a pair.

When the same argument keeps returning, you feel more like housemates than partners, trust has been shaken, or you cannot talk about parenting or money without it catching fire. You do not have to wait until someone is packing a bag. If there is fear or harm, safety comes first — couples work may not be appropriate.

It can help you see the loop — pursue and withdraw, escalate and defend — and practise a less damaging way of talking. It does not guarantee that every conversation will land, and it will not work if one person is only there to be proven right.

Often that is the door people walk through. The work is less about “communication tips” and more about what you each hear as criticism, withdrawal, or neglect. Better talking usually follows a better understanding of the pattern.

Distance is often a protection, not a lack of character. Counselling can help you look at how you got there and whether you both want to come closer. It cannot manufacture feeling on a timetable.

Sometimes, if both people are willing to be honest and the person who was hurt is not being pressured to “get over it”. Trust is rebuilt slowly, if at all. If there is ongoing deception, or one person is frightened, a different plan is needed.

For couples work, both people usually attend. If one person is not ready, individual counselling can still help you understand your side of the pattern. We will not run a couples session as if both are present when only one is.

No. The work is to understand the pattern between you, not to crown a winner. If safety is a concern — control, fear, or harm — that is named and the plan changes. Individual counselling is not a crisis, investigative or legal service.

We map what has been happening, what each of you wants from the work, and whether couples counselling is a safe and suitable format. You should leave with a clearer sense of the next step, not a verdict on whose fault it is. How long the work takes depends on the problem and whether both people stay in it.

It can sometimes help with communication or co-parenting after a relationship has ended. It is not a legal, forensic or court service, and it will not produce a report for a case. If there is an active legal process, we will be plain about what we can and cannot do.

Not always. If someone is afraid, controlled, or at risk of harm, couples counselling can make things worse. Safety comes first. Individual support, and local emergency or protection services, may be needed instead. Tell us if you are afraid; we will not treat that as a communication problem.

A structured evaluation using clinical interview and, where needed, standardised tools to answer specific questions — about learning, attention, development, personality or cognition — followed by a written report and a feedback conversation. It is not counselling, and it is not the free self-guided exercises on Practical Tools.

When a decision needs evidence: a child is struggling at school and nobody is sure why; attention or development is in question; an adult needs a cognitive or psychological profile; or a school has asked for a professional report. Assessment is for a defined question. If you mainly want ongoing support, counselling is usually the better start.

Intake first: what the assessment should answer, and whether a focused or broader pathway fits. Then testing and clinical observation, paced for age and attention, with parent or teacher input when that helps. Then a written report and a feedback session so the findings can actually be used.

Assessment answers defined questions with testing and a report. Counselling is ongoing psychological support. Many people use assessment for clarity and counselling for what to do with that clarity. A questionnaire is not a diagnosis.

It depends on the pathway, age, and the questions being asked. Some can be completed in one sitting; others need two or more, plus feedback. Typical ranges are discussed on the assessment pages. We will say what to send beforehand, and what the report will be used for, during intake.

Assessments are conducted by Dr. Renu Goyal, RCI-registered Clinical Psychologist. You do not need a referral, though a school or physician may refer with consent. Children, teenagers and adults can all be assessed when the question is clinically suitable.

Yes, for clinical assessments. You also receive a feedback session so findings and recommendations are clear — for you, and for school or referring professionals where that is appropriate and you have consented. The next step depends on what the assessment shows. A report does not, by itself, change a school or a workplace.

A learning assessment looks at academic skills — such as reading, writing and mathematics — in relation to how the child thinks, attends and manages classroom demands. It is worth considering when a capable child is still struggling, when progress has stalled, or when the school needs a professional picture before planning support.

No. An IQ or cognitive assessment looks at a thinking profile. A learning assessment looks at academic skills in context. An IQ score on its own is not a learning assessment, and not every school question needs an IQ test. We recommend testing that answers the actual question — not a test because someone used the word “IQ”.

An ADHD assessment is a structured evaluation of attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity across settings — not a single questionnaire. An RCI-registered Clinical Psychologist can assess ADHD and, where the evidence supports it, give a diagnostic opinion. Diagnosis is not made from a webpage, a teacher comment, or a checklist completed at home.

Yes. Difficulty concentrating can happen with anxiety, poor sleep, learning difficulties, stress, low mood, and several other things. Poor concentration is not always ADHD. ADHD and learning difficulties can also occur together. Assessment is useful when the question needs to be answered properly.

An autism assessment looks at social communication, sensory differences, development and everyday functioning. It is worth discussing when those questions are persistent and affecting life, not because a child is shy or prefers their own company. Not every child with social difficulties needs an autism assessment.

When attention, hyperactivity or impulsivity is part of the same picture as social communication or wider development, both questions can be considered in one careful process. If ADHD is the only question, the dedicated ADHD pathway is the clearer start. We will not bolt on extra labels without a reason.

Some parts can, depending on the tools, the person's age, and clinical suitability. We will not put a full battery on video if that would weaken the findings. Online assessment is not automatically as complete as every testing battery that needs a controlled setting, and not every assessment can be completed remotely. Intake will spell out what is possible.

Where clinically indicated, reports are prepared to professional and CBSE-oriented standards, including accommodation recommendations when the findings support them. Schools and boards make their own decisions. A report does not guarantee an accommodation. Reports can be shared with a school only with consent, except where law or safety requires otherwise.

How long a report remains useful depends on the person's age, the original question, and what it will now be used for. Schools and boards sometimes ask for a recent report. We can review an existing report and advise whether a reassessment is needed. We do not invent a single expiry date that fits every case.

You often cannot tell from grades alone. Anxiety, low mood, attention, sleep, and a learning difficulty can look similar at the kitchen table. The useful question is what happens across subjects, over time, and in situations that are not academic. If the picture is mixed, assessment is usually clearer than another round of guessing.

A sudden drop is a reason to look, not a reason to panic. It may be a new class, a gap in teaching, anxiety, sleep, friendship trouble, or a learning difficulty that has been compensated until now. Start with what changed, and when. That history is more useful than a label.

Exam performance can be affected by anxiety, writing speed, attention, working memory, language, or a mismatch between how the child learns and how the paper is set. It does not prove they “don't try”. If this is a pattern, not one bad paper, it may be worth an assessment rather than more of the same tuition.

Fidgeting and distractibility have several possible explanations, including age, teaching style, anxiety, sleep, and ADHD. It is not automatically ADHD. If it is persistent, shows up in more than one setting, and is getting in the way of learning, it is reasonable to ask for a proper look.

Avoidance is information. It may be that the work is too hard, too long, too shaming, or that evenings have become a battle. Parent guidance can help the home side. If the academic skills are unclear, a learning assessment may be needed.

School anxiety can look like stomach aches, tears in the morning, or a child who copes in class and collapses at home. Counselling and parent guidance can help. If the child cannot attend, treat that as a plan to be understood, not as a motivation problem.

School counsellors or leadership can connect and share a concern. We still need parent or guardian consent before seeing a child. If a parent writes first, we can discuss whether involving the school would help. Schools make their own referral decisions.

With consent, yes — a brief, useful conversation is often better than a long forwarded thread. We share what is needed for the child's support, not the whole clinical file. Without consent, information is not shared except where law or safety requires it.

Workshops for students, parents or staff; counsellor consultation on complex cases; and assessment pathways when a professional report is needed. Work with students and parents is online. Write with the age group and what you need the session to do. We do not promise a change in school culture from one workshop.

Dr. Renu Goyal is the Clinical Founder of Navasha Wellness. She is an RCI-registered Clinical Psychologist and Special Educator, with a Ph.D. in Psychology from GD Goenka University (2024), more than 18 years of clinical practice, and co-authorship of the Brain-Based Intelligence Test (BBIT).

In India, a Clinical Psychologist registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India is trained in both psychological assessment and therapy. Registration is a professional licence, not a marketing title. It does not mean the psychologist can prescribe medication.

People use “counsellor” and “therapist” for talking therapies. A Clinical Psychologist in India is RCI-registered and trained in assessment as well as therapy. At Navasha Wellness, clinical care is psychologist-led. The title on a webpage matters less than being matched to the right kind of work.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor and can prescribe. A clinical psychologist assesses and provides psychological therapy, and does not prescribe. See a psychiatrist when medication, a medical review, or a severe mental illness may be part of the picture. Many people work with both. If you are already on medication, do not stop it because you have started counselling.

Clinical care is led by Dr. Renu Goyal. You will be told who you are meeting before a session is set. If another professional is involved, that is explained before you begin. We do not pass you to an unnamed call centre.

Yes — clinical care is psychologist-led. If you have a preference about who you meet, write it in the enquiry. We will be honest about what we can offer rather than promising a match we cannot keep.

Sessions are confidential within professional, ethical and legal limits. Information is not shared without consent except where required by law or where there is a serious safety concern. Limits are discussed at the start of care. Confidentiality is not absolute.

If there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else, or a child is at risk, information may need to be shared in order to keep people safe. The law can also require disclosure in limited circumstances. We explain this in ordinary language at the beginning, not after a crisis.

With consent, yes — and usually only what is needed for the next step, not the whole file. Without consent, we do not share except where law or safety requires it. A teenager's private conversation is not automatically passed to parents or to a school.

Safety comes first. We will talk with you about it where we can. If someone is in immediate danger, local emergency services are the right call. Counselling will not be used as a substitute for that.

Clinical records are held by the practice so we can provide care. They are not shared with family, schools or employers without consent, except where law or safety requires it. Enquiries are stored so we can reply. We do not sell your details.

Yes. You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information, subject to legal and professional retention requirements. Write to [email protected]. Some clinical records have to be kept for a period even if a therapeutic relationship has ended.

A parent or guardian is involved in arranging care for a child. How much a child is seen alone, and what is later shared with parents, depends on age, the concern, and clinical judgement. For teenagers, privacy in the session is discussed explicitly. Consent is not a one-line tick box.

A relative may write with concern. We still need your agreement before offering you a session. We will not report back to a family member about an adult's care without consent, except where safety or the law requires it. For children, a parent or guardian is the usual first contact.

Fees depend on the kind of work. We share the relevant fee when we reply to your enquiry, before you confirm a time. We do not publish a single public price list here because the work is not one product.

Assessment fees are different from counselling fees, and they vary with the pathway and the amount of testing required. The applicable fee is shared before you commit. Please do not send payment until we have written back with the arrangement.

No. Writing to us is not a paid session. A fee applies when a counselling session or assessment is booked, after we have told you what it will cost.

We confirm payment details when a session is offered. Please do not send fees until we have written back. Receipts can be provided. Do not include card details in a first WhatsApp if you can avoid it; wait for the arrangement.

We do not process insurance claims as a hospital billing desk. We can provide receipts for reimbursement where your plan allows. Whether counselling or assessment is covered is between you and the insurer. Ask when you connect if you need a particular format on the receipt.

Write or WhatsApp as soon as you know. We will reschedule where we can. There is no published fixed-hour notice window on this website; we will confirm the arrangement when a time is set. Repeated last-minute cancellations may mean we need to pause and reset the plan.

Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM–1:00 PM and 5:00 PM–7:30 PM, India time, by appointment. Evening hours are the 5:00 PM–7:30 PM window. We do not promise same-day sessions. Write with a few preferred times.

You can enquire on their behalf. For an adult, we still need that person's agreement before a session. For a child, a parent or guardian usually arranges the work. Booking a slot is not the same as the person consenting to the conversation.

We send a private video link before the session. You join from a quiet space, on a device with a camera and microphone. The hour is otherwise the same kind of conversation you would have in any professional session. Online work is not suitable for every situation; we will say if it is not.

A reasonably stable connection, a device with camera and microphone, and a place where you will not be overheard if you can help it. A laptop or tablet is often easier, especially for couples or parent sessions, but a phone can work. Headphones help privacy.

Rejoin with the same link if you can. If that does not work, WhatsApp us. We will finish by phone or reschedule the remaining time rather than leaving you mid-conversation. Technical failures happen; they are not a clinical judgement about you.

Where clinically suitable, yes. Online work travels. We still need to be a good fit for the concern, the time zone, and any local emergency arrangements. A moving vehicle or a cafe is rarely a good therapy room. If you are travelling, say so beforehand.

No. It works well for many counselling conversations. It may not be suitable in a crisis, for some presentations that need a different setting, or for some assessment tools. If video is not the right format, we will say so rather than squeeze the work onto a screen.

Teenagers often manage video well. Younger children may not sit through a call; much of the useful work is then with parents. We will be honest if the child's age or the concern does not suit this format.

Some parts can; not every assessment can. It depends on age, the tools required, and clinical suitability. The assessment section of this page explains that in more detail. We will not claim that every test is valid on a phone.

Use a room with a door, headphones, and a device that is not being shared. Tell family you are not available for that hour. Family members join only when that is the plan — for example a parent in a child session, or both partners in couples work — not by walking into the frame uninvited.

No. This is not an emergency, ambulance, or night-crisis line. Appointments are by arrangement. If you are in immediate danger, contact your local emergency service or go to the nearest emergency department or urgent medical service.

Contact your local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency department. If you can, tell someone who is with you. A counselling enquiry is not the right channel for an unfolding emergency.

If the risk is immediate, contact local emergency services or take them to urgent medical care. Stay with them if it is safe for you to do so. Do not rely on a psychology practice to respond as a crisis team.

Contact local emergency services, or take the child to urgent medical care. If the danger is abuse or you believe a child is not safe at home, use the emergency and child-protection routes in your area. A counselling form is not a safeguarding hotline.

Counselling is for planned psychological work. It is not a crisis service. If you are in crisis, seek urgent local medical or emergency help first. Once you are safe, we can talk about whether ongoing counselling is appropriate.

We take it seriously. We will talk with you about it, and we may need to share information if that is required to keep someone safe. Limits of confidentiality exist for this reason. If the danger is immediate, emergency services are the right next step.