A Guide for Anyone Considering Therapy
Clear answers to the questions people most often have before starting therapy in India: what it is, what it can help with, how it works, and how to find the right person.
Therapy is a regular, structured space to understand yourself, work through difficulties, and develop more effective ways of relating to yourself and others. It is not advice, and it is not the same as talking to a trusted friend. What distinguishes therapy is the clinical training behind it, the consistent frame it operates within, and the particular kind of attention a skilled clinician brings to the work.
This guide covers the key questions people have before beginning, the approaches used, what therapy can help with, how sessions actually work, how assessments differ from therapy, and what to look for when choosing a psychologist in India. The sections below are designed to be read in any order.
Different therapeutic approaches suit different people and presentations. Most experienced clinicians draw on more than one framework rather than applying a single method to every client. The questions below explain the approaches used in this practice, what each is, what it is good for, and the evidence behind it.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is based on the principle that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected. How we interpret a situation directly influences how we feel and how we respond.
CBT helps you identify unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaviour, examine them more carefully, and develop more balanced and constructive ways of responding. It is structured, goal-oriented, and grounded in a strong evidence base.
CBT has well-established research support for anxiety disorders, depression, panic, OCD, health anxiety, social anxiety, and a range of other presentations. It is also effective for work-related stress, sleep difficulties, and persistent relationship patterns.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) was developed by Dr Marsha Linehan and is considered the gold standard treatment for emotional dysregulation. It integrates cognitive-behavioural strategies with acceptance-based approaches drawn from mindfulness practice, the "dialectic" being the balance between change and acceptance.
DBT teaches four core skill sets:
DBT is particularly effective for intense emotional experiences, self-harm, difficult relationship patterns, and situations where other therapies have not fully helped. Dr Nitasha Borah is certified in DBT Levels 1 and 2 through the Australian DBT Institute.
Schema therapy was developed by Dr Jeffrey Young and integrates elements of CBT, attachment theory, Gestalt, and psychodynamic approaches. It focuses on identifying schemas, deep, recurring patterns of thinking and feeling that developed in childhood, often in response to unmet emotional needs.
These schemas can continue to drive persistent difficulties in adulthood: in relationships, self-image, emotional regulation, and how we relate to others and to ourselves. The work involves both understanding these patterns and actively working to meet the underlying needs in healthier ways.
Schema therapy is particularly useful for complex presentations, personality difficulties, and long-standing patterns that have not fully responded to shorter-term approaches.
Arts-based therapy uses creative media, such as drawing, painting, drama, movement, or music, as a vehicle for psychological exploration and healing. It does not require artistic skill or prior experience. The value lies in the process, not the product.
Creative expression can help access experiences, memories, or emotions that are difficult to articulate verbally, particularly when words feel insufficient, or when direct conversation about a difficult experience feels confronting or overwhelming.
Dr Borah is a trained Arts-Based Therapist, certified by the World Centre for Creative Learning Foundation, Pune. Arts-based approaches are integrated within broader therapy work where clinically appropriate.
The questions below cover the most common presentations seen in this practice, with specific information about how each is approached and what to expect.
You do not need a formal diagnosis to benefit from therapy. Many people begin simply because something is not working, and they want to understand why.
Therapy can help with a wide range of psychological concerns and life challenges. These include:
Therapy is also valuable when there is no specific diagnosis, when you feel stuck, unfulfilled, or sense that something is not quite right. You do not need to be in crisis, or hold a formal diagnosis, to benefit from therapy.
Yes. Anxiety is one of the most common and treatable concerns in psychotherapy.
CBT has the strongest evidence base for anxiety disorders, including generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, and health anxiety. DBT skills are also effective for managing intense or difficult-to-control anxiety. Where anxiety is rooted in early experiences or relational patterns, schema-informed or psychodynamic approaches may be more appropriate.
Therapy typically involves understanding the specific patterns driving your anxiety, the triggers, the thinking patterns, the behavioural responses, and developing more flexible ways of responding. Many people notice meaningful improvement within 8 to 16 sessions, though this varies significantly depending on the individual and the nature of the presentation.
Yes. Psychotherapy is effective for depression and, for many people, produces outcomes comparable to or better than medication, particularly over the longer term and in reducing the risk of relapse.
Different approaches suit different presentations:
Where depression is severe, therapy may be most effective in combination with psychiatric support. Dr Borah works with depression across its range, mild, moderate, and complex or persistent presentations.
Yes. Trauma, whether from a single incident or from prolonged, repeated experiences, can have lasting effects on how you think, feel, and relate to others. Common presentations include intrusive memories or flashbacks, avoidance of reminders, hypervigilance, emotional numbing, and disturbed sleep.
Evidence-based approaches include trauma-focused CBT, Schema Therapy (particularly for complex or developmental trauma), and stabilisation-focused work informed by DBT. The pace of trauma work is always guided by your readiness and current capacity, safety and stabilisation typically come before active processing.
This practice works with trauma across a range of presentations, including single-incident trauma, complex or developmental trauma, and PTSD.
Yes. OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) involves persistent intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviours or mental acts (compulsions) performed to reduce anxiety. Compulsions provide temporary relief but maintain and strengthen the OCD cycle over time.
CBT, specifically Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), is the most evidence-based treatment for OCD. It involves gradual, supported exposure to anxiety-provoking thoughts or situations while resisting the urge to carry out compulsions. DBT skills can also support distress tolerance during this process.
OCD presentations vary widely, from contamination fears and checking behaviours to intrusive thoughts about harm, morality, or identity. All presentations respond to evidence-based treatment, and many people experience significant improvement.
Yes. Grief is one of the most universal and also one of the most misunderstood human experiences. Therapy can provide a space to process loss at a pace that is right for you, whether the loss involves a person, a relationship, a role, a phase of life, or a future you had imagined.
Grief does not follow a fixed timeline. Some people move through loss naturally, with the support of their relationships. Others find grief becomes stuck, complicated by earlier losses, relational dynamics, or the circumstances of the loss itself.
Therapy can help when grief is interfering significantly with daily life, when it is complicated by difficult circumstances, or simply when you need a consistent, containing space to sit with what has happened. You do not need to be "struggling enough" to seek support for grief.
Yes. Burnout is a state of chronic workplace stress characterised by emotional exhaustion, a sense of reduced effectiveness, and growing detachment from work that once felt meaningful. It is distinct from ordinary tiredness and often requires sustained attention rather than simply more rest.
Therapy typically involves understanding the internal and external factors driving burnout, including perfectionism, difficulty with boundaries, identity heavily invested in work performance, and organisational pressures, and developing a more sustainable relationship with work, effectiveness, and rest.
CBT, schema-informed work, and DBT skills can all contribute, depending on what is maintaining the burnout. For many people, burnout also raises deeper questions about meaning, values, and what they actually want, and therapy is a good space for that conversation.
Questions about logistics, structure, and what actually happens in sessions are common, and worth asking before you begin. This section covers the practical side: how online sessions work, what couples therapy involves, and what to do when one partner is reluctant.
Yes. Online therapy is available via secure video platforms. Individual therapy, couples therapy, and initial assessment consultations are all offered online.
Many clients, including those based outside Goa, in other cities across India, or internationally, find online therapy equally effective for their concerns. Research supports its efficacy for most presentations.
To use online sessions, you will need a private, quiet space, a stable internet connection, and a device with a working camera and microphone. Timely arrival is important, delayed starts cannot extend beyond the scheduled session end time. Session duration and fees are the same as in-person sessions.
Couples therapy focuses on the relationship between two people, rather than one individual's internal experience. Sessions include both partners and explore the patterns, dynamics, and communication styles that may be causing difficulty or disconnection.
The therapist's relationship is with the couple as a unit, not an advocate for either partner individually. This means both perspectives are held equally, and the work is aimed at understanding what is happening between you, not at assigning blame.
Couples therapy sessions are 75 minutes, longer than individual sessions, to allow adequate time for both partners to be heard and for meaningful work to occur within the session. All relationship structures and orientations are welcome.
Couples therapy works best when both partners are willing to attend and engage in the process. If your partner is reluctant, it can sometimes help to have an initial individual conversation, or a joint conversation with the therapist, to address concerns and clarify what the process involves.
In some situations, beginning with individual therapy is a useful starting point. This is not a lesser alternative, individual work can shift the dynamics of a relationship significantly, even when only one partner attends.
Please reach out to discuss your specific situation and what might be most helpful as a first step.
Psychological assessment is distinct from therapy, it is a structured evaluation process that produces a formal report and is used for diagnosis, educational or occupational purposes, or detailed clinical understanding. This section explains what assessments involve, what types are available, and addresses common practical questions about referrals, RCI registration, and insurance.
Psychological assessment is a structured, multi-session process of gathering and interpreting information about a person's psychological functioning. It typically involves:
The purpose may be to clarify a diagnosis, understand your strengths and difficulties in depth, or produce a psychological profile for clinical, educational, or occupational use.
Following the assessment, you receive a detailed written report. A feedback session is typically included to discuss the findings, their implications, and next steps. Assessments currently have a 4–6 week lead time.
This practice offers psychological assessments for different purposes:
Please enquire directly to discuss what would be most useful for your specific situation.
Assessment length varies depending on complexity and purpose. A focused diagnostic assessment may involve 2 to 3 sessions of approximately 90 minutes each. A full neuropsychological or personality assessment may require 4 to 6 sessions.
Following the clinical sessions, time is needed to score and analyse results, integrate findings, and write the report. The full process, from initial consultation to delivery of the written report, typically takes 4 to 6 weeks.
A written report and a feedback session to discuss the findings are included in all assessments.
Psychological assessment is for anyone seeking a more thorough understanding of their psychological functioning than a standard consultation can provide. People come for assessments for a range of reasons:
Assessments are available for adults. Please enquire about availability for adolescents.
The EQ-i 2.0 (Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0) is the world's leading psychometric tool for measuring emotional intelligence, developed by MHS and used by organisations including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Nike for leadership selection and development.
It provides a detailed profile across five composite areas and fifteen sub-scales, including self-perception, self-expression, interpersonal skills, decision-making, and stress management. A higher EQ-i score correlates with stronger performance, better relationships, and greater resilience under pressure.
The EQ 360 is the multi-rater version, in which feedback is gathered from peers, direct reports, and managers, providing a full picture of how emotional intelligence shows up in a leadership context.
Dr Borah is certified by MHS UK to administer and interpret both instruments. EQ-i assessment is available for clinical purposes, individual development, and organisational contexts.
No. A referral is not required to consult a clinical psychologist in India. You can contact this practice directly through the enquiry form.
Some clients come at the suggestion of a doctor, psychiatrist, or GP. Others come entirely on their own initiative. Both are equally welcome. If you have been seen by another mental health professional, a referral letter or discharge summary can provide useful context, but it is not a requirement to begin.
The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) is a statutory body established by Parliament that regulates professionals in the field of rehabilitation and mental health, including clinical psychologists. To practise legally as a clinical psychologist in India, one must hold an RCI-approved qualification (typically an M.Phil in Clinical Psychology) and maintain active registration with the RCI.
Registration can be verified directly on the RCI website. Dr Nitasha Borah's RCI registration number is CRR A18071.
You are encouraged to ask about and verify the qualifications and registration of any mental health professional you consult. This ensures you receive care from someone appropriately trained and accountable to a regulatory body.
Mental health coverage in Indian health insurance has improved following the Mental Healthcare Act (2017), which mandates parity between mental and physical health treatment. In practice, however, outpatient psychotherapy coverage varies significantly by insurer and policy, and is often limited.
Most individual therapy sessions are currently paid out of pocket. This practice does not directly process insurance claims, but can provide detailed receipts and documentation that clients may submit to their insurer for reimbursement claims.
It is advisable to check your policy's mental health benefits, specifically outpatient psychotherapy, before beginning. Some corporate health policies include stronger mental health provisions.
In India, the titles "therapist" and "counsellor" are not legally protected. Anyone can use them. The title "clinical psychologist" is a protected designation, regulated by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), a statutory body established by Parliament. Qualifying as a clinical psychologist in India requires completing an RCI-approved specialist programme — previously the M.Phil in Clinical Psychology, and from 2025–26, the new M.A. in Clinical Psychology (RCI) — followed by active registration with the RCI.
There are other recognised categories of mental health professionals in India. Counselling psychologists, school psychologists, and related professionals now fall under a separate regulatory framework: the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021. These are legitimate professional roles, regulated differently from clinical psychologists, with their own training requirements and scope of practice.
The distinction matters clinically. Clinical psychologists are specifically trained for evidence-based psychological assessment and treatment across the full range of presentations, including complex conditions, severe mental illness, personality disorders, and cases requiring diagnostic evaluation. If you are seeking support for a significant or complex clinical concern, RCI registration is what to look for.
The questions below explain what clinical psychology qualifications involve, how to verify registration, and how to know whether therapy is right for you.
There is no threshold of suffering you must reach before therapy becomes appropriate. People come to therapy for reasons that span a wide range, from managing a diagnosable condition, to going through a difficult life transition, to a general sense of wanting to understand themselves better.
A practical guide: if something has been affecting your relationships, your work, your sense of yourself, or your daily functioning, and it has been doing so consistently, it is worth exploring in therapy. You do not need to wait until things feel critical.
A first session is not a commitment to a long process. It is a conversation, and it will give you a sense of whether this feels like the right space for you.
To practise as a licensed clinical psychologist in India, you must hold an RCI-approved specialist qualification in clinical psychology and be registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI).
For many years, this qualification was the M.Phil in Clinical Psychology — a two-year full-time programme at an RCI-approved institution involving supervised placements across psychiatric, medical, and community settings. In line with the National Education Policy 2020, the RCI has replaced the M.Phil with a new qualification: the M.A. in Clinical Psychology (RCI), a two-year postgraduate programme maintaining equivalent clinical training standards and licensure eligibility. The M.Phil continues to be recognised for those who completed it before the transition.
A general Master's degree in Psychology (M.A. or M.Sc.) alone does not qualify someone to practise as a clinical psychologist in India, even with years of experience. The RCI-approved specialist qualification, followed by active RCI registration, is what distinguishes a licensed clinical psychologist from other practitioners. For current information on approved programmes, see the Indian Psychologists Network (IPN).
Dr Borah holds both an M.Phil and a PhD in Clinical Psychology, and is RCI-registered under CRR No. A18071.
The Rehabilitation Council of India maintains a public register of all licensed clinical psychologists, which can be checked at rehabcouncil.nic.in.
When choosing a mental health professional, it is reasonable to ask:
A well-trained and ethical clinician will welcome these questions. Dr Borah's RCI registration number is CRR A18071, verifiable on the RCI website.
Clinical psychologists in India are regulated by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). To use the title "clinical psychologist", you must hold an RCI-approved specialist qualification (the M.Phil in Clinical Psychology, or the new M.A. in Clinical Psychology introduced from 2025–26) and be actively registered with the RCI. The RCI framework is specifically designed for professionals who assess and treat complex psychological conditions, including severe mental illness, personality disorders, and cases requiring diagnostic evaluation. The title "clinical psychologist" is legally protected.
Counselling psychologists, school psychologists, and certain other mental health professionals in India are now recognised and regulated under a separate framework: the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021, which governs community care and behavioural health sciences. These professionals have their own training requirements, regulatory standards, and scope of practice. The NCAHP framework acknowledges and formalises the important role these practitioners play, but it is distinct from the RCI clinical framework.
In practical terms: clinical psychology training prepares practitioners for the full clinical range, from common presentations such as anxiety and depression to complex, high-acuity cases. If you are dealing with a significant or complex clinical concern, or if you are uncertain about the level of training a practitioner has, asking about their specific qualification and registration body is a reasonable and appropriate question. A well-trained clinician will welcome it.
The first thing to do is raise it directly in session. A good therapeutic relationship can hold this kind of honesty, and naming that something is not working is often important material in itself.
Therapy does not always produce immediate results. Early sessions may feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable as you begin to engage with difficult material. This is normal and not necessarily a sign that the work is not helping.
However, if after several sessions you do not feel heard, do not understand the approach, or feel the therapeutic relationship is not working, it is worth having an open conversation about it. If the fit still does not feel right after that, it is entirely reasonable to seek a different therapist. The quality of the therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of outcome, and finding the right person matters.
Ready to Begin?
The best way to know whether therapy is right for you is to reach out. All enquiries are answered personally. There is no obligation to proceed beyond an initial conversation.