Interview

In an era where conversations about mental health often feel either overly clinical or lost in self-help noise, Kidiki arrives with the simplicity of a window, inviting us to pause, breathe, and look inward. A tactile, card-based practice, Kidiki transforms the act of naming sensations, feelings, and needs into a daily ritual of listening. Launched...

“You seem to be from a different planet.” It was said half in jest by a college friend, but for Anima Nair, the words stuck. She had always processed the world differently, taking conversations literally, missing social cues, finding joy in the rhythm of words others skimmed past. Just over 2 years ago, she finally...

The morning sun hasn’t fully warmed the balcony, but Poonam Malpani is already there with a glass of warm water in one hand, her other hand brushing over the leaves of her favourite money plant. “This is my grounding,” she says. “A glass of warm water and a few minutes with my plants.” In India,...

It was a friendship that grew into a lifeline. When Nida and Sheena first met as schoolgirls in Dubai, they didn’t imagine their lives would one day intertwine to create something that could help children halfway across the world navigate grief, abuse, displacement, or the rumble of an earthquake. But today, their creation, Rocky Books,...

The feature they loved the most was used by only 30% of their users, and it nearly broke their vision. For Vasundhara Kanoria, co-founder of Togethrly, the journey into relationship wellness began with a simple idea: a sticky-note widget for couples to leave each other loving or thoughtful messages on their phone screens. Togethrly began...

India is home to over 13 million single-mother households, according to a UN Women report. That’s 4.5% of all households – women parenting alone, balancing emotional labour, financial strain, and social scrutiny, often without the acknowledgment or systems of support they deserve. The number is large, but what’s far bigger is the silence around it....

What if the relationship that looks like love… isn’t? If you’ve ever found yourself second-guessing your feelings, excusing red flags, or staying because “maybe it’ll change,” this conversation is for you. In her powerful debut, A Lot LIKE Love… But Not!, therapist and debut author Vaishnavi Madarkal calls out relationships rooted in emotional manipulation, trauma...

What happens when you're raised to believe that struggle should be silent? That pain is yours to bear alone? That being unseen and unheard is just how life works? Mental health care wasn’t designed with South Asians in mind. The stigma. The silence. The expectation to “just deal with it.” For many, therapy feels foreign-...

AI is the biggest technological shift of our lifetime – many experts believe that. We trust AI with directions, recommendations, even shopping. But what about our mental health? With more people seeking support than ever, AI-powered tools are stepping in to help. But can technology really provide the kind of emotional support people need? Studies...

This interview is part of a series on MyndStories celebrating 100 episodes of The MyndStories Podcast. Some voices are meant to be heard- not just for their sound but for the emotions they carry. Anitha Aswath had always dreamt of lending her voice to causes that matter. Being a voiceover artist and a trained classical...

“The key to managing anxiety among employees is to focus more on humanizing the workplaces and creating safer spaces. This will help the employees bring their whole authentic selves to work” Workplaces are all about people. And people, as we know, aren’t immune to stress, anxiety, or the weight of life’s complexities. Yet, for far...

How do you move forward when your past feels like it’s always right there, just behind you, holding you back? For someone with PTSD, it can feel like joy is something from the past, like a memory they can barely reach anymore. According to the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) 2015-16, approximately 10.6% of adults...

Anitha Aswath has spent 27 years working across industries, coaching leaders, and shaping teams. A consultant, coach, and facilitator, her work spans leadership development, unconscious bias awareness, and deep listening. But beyond her professional identity, Anitha is also the host of Mynd Durbar, a podcast that explores human experiences with authenticity, vulnerability, and depth. In...

"There's a saying that people with BPD have "emotional skin" like a third-degree burn, and it's true." "Life is tough, but I'm tougher," says Suvechha Roy, a math graduate from Presidency University, Kolkata. Suvechha has taught at Byju's and SATnpaper and was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) at 21. Today, confronting the stigma around...

Anxiety—It’s a word we casually use to describe pre-meeting jitters or a first-date flutter. Yet, for millions, anxiety is a relentless storm. It’s a constant undercurrent that disrupts their daily life. From the gnawing fear that shows up in social situations to the physical manifestations that leave us breathless and shaky, anxiety can paint our...

India has a depression problem. We know that. The National Mental Health Survey 2015-16 showed that nearly 15% of Indians in a country of 1.5 billion need active intervention to treat depression symptoms. India has one of the highest rates of suicide, too. Despite regulations, obtaining prescription-only drugs from a friendly pharmacist is easy. MyndStories...

"Achieving career success is often seen as the ultimate goal in life, but meaning and fulfillment can come from various sources. It's not just about a job or career but finding things that bring purpose and joy to your life." Dr. Anurakti Mathur is a seasoned counseling psychologist and coach with over 16 years of...

"The most rewarding aspect of therapy is to see a person move." These words, spoken by Mansi Aggarwal, a therapist with MyndStories and a co-founder and psychotherapist at Sehjeevan, echo the essence of her transformative approach to mental health advocacy as a therapist. With over 5 years of experience in the mental health space, Mansi's...

"Therapists understand that the therapeutic journey is not a linear path; it has its ups and downs. We have to be patient with the patient and trust in their process." Seeing people change and grow is the best part of therapy, says Deepanshi Gupta. Deepanshi hails from the National Capital Region (NCR) and completed her...

"People think mental health issues can be cured by yoga, meditation, or holidays. While these can help, they are not cures for serious conditions that require medical treatment. The main challenge is overcoming stigma: if physical pain demands medical attention, so should mental pain. Mental health requires acceptance, understanding that the brain, like any organ, can...