Counselling Center
WHO defines health as a state of complete wellbeing in physical, mental, and social aspects and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. In real-life situations, we give enough care to physical as well as to social wellbeing, but not to mental health, which is core to any individual. We must accept that there is no health without mental health.
We all experience stress and overwhelmed with anger, agony, crying spells, envy, anxiety, hatred, betrayal, failure, loss, grief, and crisis. Still, we never think of consulting an expert to handle the situation and get rid of the pain.
According to the World Health Organization, India is one of the most depressed countries in the world. While around 9% of people in our country say they have experienced extended periods of depression at least once, within their lifetime, nearly 36% have suffered from depression.
Many people believe that you visit a counsellor only during a crisis or when you have a problem that you cannot resolve yourself.
It is not that the mentally ill alone should consult a counselor. Anybody who feels stressed out can approach a counsellor to find solutions. Many research studies have shown that when people receive appropriate mental health care, their use of medical services declines. For example, one study of people with anxiety disorders showed that after psychological treatment, the number of medical visits decreased by 90%, laboratory costs decreased by 50%, and overall treatment costs dropped by 35%.
Stigma, misconception, and myth related to mental illness increase the gap between the sufferers and the utilization of the counselling centers. To bridge this gap, the Athma counselling centre has started to offer counseling and guidance to individuals, significant others, and their families.
Dr Ramakrishnan Sir’s expert diagnosis and coupled with his apt medication sprinkled with his kindness towards my 80 years old precious Mother can’t be described in any language! Meera Madame is extraordinary in Counselling and her thorough analysis of inputs from my Mother is Awesome. The hospital staff’s professional attitude and care towards needy patients are always commendable! The reception staff’s handling of a High-pressure environment is excellent. Really we feel at home when we pray at the mini temple at Athma Hospitals! – Wolf & Fury
What is counselling?
Counselling is a process; it’s a healthy discussion between you and a counsellor about your problems, be it personal, social, or emotional issues. It is purely non-judgmental, non-moralistic, and the superego is not involved. It’s confidential, and the process aims to discuss your concerns in a safe environment, all the angles of the problems are considered, and a possible change in your outlook is expected.
The final decision of the process is entirely yours. This helps you to change your attitude, build more confidence to face challenges by yourself. The number of sessions is need-based only. The counsellor doesn’t expect you to keep always coming as you will have developed the inner strength to deal with issues by yourself.
Counseling and therapy
Both counselling and psychotherapy aim to bring change in your thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Many times both overlap.
Counselling is more of a problem-oriented, unstructured process, and the focus is “here and now.”
But therapy is aimed more at bringing changes in your enduring personality. It is also disordered specific.
If sadness, dull mood, and low self-esteem all creep into you for no fault of yours, out of the blue, we call it as a major depressive disorder. In addition to structured medicines, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness Behavioural Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy will help you to sail on the sea.
If your sadness is due to ongoing stress, interpersonal issues counselling helps. But also be alert that what may be a normal reaction to stress may end up with major depression, which requires treatment. Psychotherapy is a more structured session where the focus will be on one aspect of your problem at a time.
If a problem is created between a couple due to recent events, counselling will be sufficient. Still, if the relationship strain is enduring for a long time, they may require marital therapy.
- For anxiety disorder- Systematic Desensitisation, CBT
- For OCD- Exposure Response Prevention
- For phobia- Systematic Desensitisation, Exposure Therapy, and CBT
- CBT is quite effective in clients who have schizophrenia and also to manage hallucinations and delusions.
If you are on treatment with a psychiatrist, we can collaborate with him and work meaningfully for your progress.
I have been visiting Athma since 2010. It is the best place among all the hospitals I went to. They got most accurate diagnosis done for my problems. Evev though I live in Bangalore, I prefer to go only to Athma in Trichy.-John Charles
Who can approach us? Those who experience/suffer from the following can contact us.
- Apprehensions/fear or anxiety.
- Endless tension, short-tempered disposition, and disposition prone to emotional outbursts.
- Confusion in choice of jobs.
- Inability to cope with job stress.
- Forgetfulness.
- Difficulty in facing interviews and group discussions.
- Use of alcohol and substance abuse.
- Thoughtless involvement leads to messy love affairs, family, and interpersonal problems.
- Work as well as domestic stress, depression, toying with the idea of committing suicide and facing difficulties in conforming to an orderly social pattern.
- Strange or bizarre behaviour.
- Repeated, unwanted negative thoughts that they are not able to overcome.
- Marital problems, interpersonal problems between couples, unable to deal with problematic in-laws.
- The problem in managing children
- Burnout syndrome or breakdown.
- Any traumatic event which they cannot overcome.
We offer
- Individual counselling
- Focused group therapy
- Premarital counselling
- Advice for the couple with toddlers
- Counselling for the couple with adolescents
- Marital or couple counselling
- Family counselling
- Career counselling
- Counselling for exam anxiety
- Personality Assessment
- Psychometric assessment
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Mindfulness behaviour therapy
- Guided imagery therapy
- Smoking cessation programme
- De-addiction counselling
- Relaxation therapies
- Yoga and meditation
Corporate management programmes for
- Stress Management
- Life Skill Training
- Motivational lectures
STEP INTO ACC FOR ANY CRISIS
SPREAD MENTAL HEALTH
It is the best hospital, their councilling method was good. And Ramakrishnan sir is a well-experienced doctor. He treating the patients in a good way. – Mansoor Ali
Our counselors
Mrs. Shanmugapriya
Mr. G. Aravindan
Mrs. Meera Ramesh