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| We are all human beings struggling with life skills. Emotional intelligence, resilience, and managing with heart and mind are all things we need to keep learning and practicing |
I’ve been in the field of mental health & life coaching close to a decade now. I’ve been the recipient of awards such as The Most Dedicated Counselling Psychologist, Global Pharma (2022,2023), The Best Mental Health Solutions Provider, APAC Business Awards (2022), Spiritual Leader Award, Artemis Hospital & Universe Saviour Foundation (2020).
I think the most interesting part about my journey is that while getting into Psychology was not my first choice because I was always more inclined towards artistic pursuits like singing, dancing, and writing and I wanted to get into Media Studies at one point, I knew that getting into therapy & healing was something I was meant to do.
It has always been my calling even though it took me some time to realise that and once I settled with this realization, there was no looking back.
After completing my Masters in Counselling Psychology, I was clear that I wanted to start my own practice and I dove right into it. I’ve worked with hundreds of people from various walks of life and have helped them to deal with & overcome concerns like anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, and childhood trauma and lead a
more empowered & fulfilling life.
I believe that we have all the power to be empowered even if we have to dig a little to find it! That’shy the name I’M POWERED.
My job as a Psychologist and life Coach is to facilitate people’s journey toward greater self-love & fulfillment. Trained in various therapeutic modalities, I follow an eclectic approach to help my clients navigate various challenges & concerns.
2. What led you to take up this career path?
I would love to say that I chose the field. But the truth is that the field chose me! Understanding people and various facets of human existence has always come naturally to me. That’s why studying human psychology & therapy has been like reading & writing poetry. However, my understanding of it deepened more after I went through mental & emotional struggles of my own.
That’s when I realized the gravity of mental health challenges and the importance of having someone who could understand these as well. Then, I wanted to be that someone – who understands and can support individuals in need.
I wanted to extend that support to people through my practice and eventually, I went on to establish I’M POWERED so that I could reach out to more individuals.
At I’M POWERED we believe that we have the capacity to & must explore our concerns & various facets of our being, resolve issues, change for the better, and evolve to become the best version of ourselves at any given point in time.
3.Your work involves addressing a range of issues, including relationship concerns, stress, anxiety, and childhood trauma. How do you tailor your approach to meet the unique needs of each individual or family you work with?
I follow an eclectic approach to therapy because I believe that every individual is unique and needs to be supported differently. I am a student of Psychology & life which is why I’m constantly investing in my own learning, growth & development which enables me to support my clients by taking into account their needs, situations, and factors that are playing a role in their mental and emotional health.
Even though I’m trained in various modalities, there’s no specific method or approach that I follow because I’m more intuitive which allows me to connect with the person that I’m working with. However, my work with my clients is twofold. I support them in learning effective ways to understand, manage, and cope with their distress and getting down to the root cause of their concerns.
I believe that fostering a genuine, authentic connection with a fellow human being is a crucial aspect in therapy & healing. Once that connection takes place, healing flows.
4. Can you briefly tell me about the books you authored?
I have authored two books so far. Rehguzar - is a Hindi poetry book that came out in 2017.
The Intentional Being which is a self-help book, came out in 2020. I wrote this book during COVID-19 because I felt that while we were battling a global health crisis, we were also struggling with an existential crisis at the same time. The intention of writing that book was to talk about some important themes about human life and existence that could enable an individual to approach their life with intention and purpose. I’m glad that both my books have received a lot of love and appreciation from their readers and have their own podcasts on Spotify as well!
5.You conduct workshops on emotional intelligence, resilience, and managing with heart and mind. How do these sessions contribute to the well-being of individuals, especially in a corporate setting?
Well, emotional intelligence, building resilience,embracing change, dealing with people who are different from us etc are all life skills that we need to keep learning and practicing. Whether at home or at office, we are all human beings struggling with these things and need to learn effective ways of managing ourselves & others while taking care of our mental, emotional and physical health.
In the present-day scenario, it has become extremely important for the corporate sector to focus on employee well-being to reduce employee dissatisfaction and burnout. Ever since the pandemic, we’ve been battling a mental health crisis everywhere. If companies want to thrive, they need to prioritise the well-being of their most important asset – their employees. For that, they must invest in their employees’ well-being by conducting such programs & creating an overall supportive environment.
Managing with Heart and mind, Communicating despite differences, and Emotional Intelligence are the needs of the hour.
6. Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals for I'M Powered-Center for Counseling & Well-being, and how do you envision the future of mental health awareness and support in India?
The primary focus of I’M Powered has always been to provide therapy and counselling and that will continue to grow. We also offer workshops, and seminars for groups and corporates and intend to do more of those to spread awareness around mental health & well-being concerns. We also aim to provide supervision & internships to students & aspiring therapists so that they can hone their skills.
Mental health is a growing field and we need more awareness, therapists, and resources, to support the needs of the population.
7.What are some common myths in the society about Mental Health & Psychology
Well, there are a lot of them actually. For instance, People think that being a Psychologist is very easy. All we have to do is sit and talk. A doctor is also sitting and talking to you but we don’t question that. Just like a doctor listens to your symptoms, gives you medicines, and investigates the root cause of those symptoms; Psychologists are also doing the same. We listen to various challenges, concerns, and issues that a person is facing. Then we help them to make sense of what’s happening, figure out where the distress is coming from and help them to navigate those challenges so that they can lead a better quality of life.
We don’t tell people motivational stories, or anecdotes or give random pieces of advice. We are trained to help people manage mental, emotional, and physical distress, generate awareness & insight into their own patterns, and help them to develop effective coping strategies.
Every day we listen to stories of pain, trauma, abuse, heartbreak, loss, grief, etc and there is nothing easy about it.
People think anyone who can give advice can become a therapist which isn’t true at all because that’s not all that we’re doing.
People think that going to a therapist is a sign of weakness. It means the person is weak and can’t handle their issues. In reality, it takes a lot to reach out and ask for help. It’s a sign of courage, strength, and growth. There are times when we aren’t able to manage things. Life’s challenges take a toll on our mental and emotional health and we need to understand what’s happening in our mental and emotional space to cope better and we can’t do everything on our own because we don’t have all the knowledge and resources.
People think that a therapist will solve all your problems or tell you what to do. In reality they just help you to get to a better state so that you can take charge of your own life.
8.How can one manage stress?
Managing stress is essential for overall well-being. Adopting healthy coping mechanisms like deep breathing, exercise, and mindfulness can reduce stress levels. Prioritizing self-care, maintaining a balanced lifestyle, and seeking support from friends or professionals are crucial.
Taking breaks, setting realistic goals, and developing resilience contribute to a more stress-resilient and fulfilling life. Most importantly, it’s important to understand where the stress is coming from and figuring out a workable long-term solution for the same.
8. How can one handle panic attacks?
A panic attack is a sudden and intense episode of fear or apprehension, accompanied by physical symptoms such as a rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, trembling, sweating, dizziness, and a feeling of impending doom. These attacks can occur unexpectedly or in response to a trigger, and they usually reach a peak within a few minutes. Panic attacks are a key feature of panic disorder, but they can also occur in other anxiety disorders or as a response to stressful situations.
Some ways to handle panic attacks are :
Recognise how a panic attack shows up for you-the common symptoms
Remind yourself that it’s anxiety and it will pass in sometime.
Deep Breathing: Inhale slowly for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale for four. Repeat until calm.
Grounding Techniques: Focus on your senses—describe five things you see, four things you feel, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you taste.
Create a Safety Plan: Identify a comforting place or person to turn to during an attack.
Understand and seek help to work with your triggers.
Damini Grover is a Counselling Psychologist, Master Practitioner of Cognitive Hypnotic Psychotherapy, Internationally Certified Heal Your Life Teacher & Coach and the Founder of I’M POWERED-CENTER FOR COUNSELING & WELL-BEING, Delhi, India. She’s a certified Psycho-Geometrics & Emotional Intelligence Facilitator. Certified in various therapeutic modalities, she has over 9 years of experience of working with individuals from various walks of life and has enabled them to resolve various mental & emotional health concerns and lead an empowered life.
She also undertakes Corporate Trainings & Workshops on topics such as Building
Resilience, Heal Your Life, Communicating Despite Differences etc.
She has been the recipient of awards such as The Spiritual Leader Award by Artemis Hospital & Universe Savior Foundation (2020), The Best Mental Health Solutions Provider by APAC Business Awards, U.K (2022) & The Most Dedicated Counselling Psychologist by Global Health Pharma, U.K. (2022).
She published her first Hindi Poetry book 'Rehguzar' in 2017 and her Podcast on Spotify based on the same is loved and appreciated by many. Her second book The Intentional Being has garnered a lot of praise & appreciation from readers across various age-groups.
Her views and articles have been featured in many leading publications such as The Statesman, Deccan Chronicle, The Guardian, Zee News, Dainik Jagran. She writes regularly for the renowned American Journal called The Elephant Journal.
She’s an avid reader, passionate learner, writer and a dance enthusiast by heart.
To know more about her, you can visit her website – https://daminigrover.com.
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