Mental health practitioner Varada V.S. believes good mental health is essential at all stages of life. Her goal in life is to make mental health care available to everyone.
Your emotional, psychological, and social well-being all contribute to your mental health.
It also affects the way you deal with stress, interact with people, and make good decisions. Raising mental health awareness might help you understand your symptoms and seek professional care. And, perhaps most crucially, dismantle the mental health stigma that causes so many individuals to suffer in silence.
In India, there is a strong stigma attached to persons suffering from mental health difficulties of any kind. Persons suffering from serious mental diseases in the country frequently seek treatment at temples and shrines rather than from professionals. Mental health practitioner Varada V.S. has hence made it her life’s mission to help people understand mental health and to end the taboo around it in Indian society.
Varada is a mental health practitioner and works for the betterment of society. She likes following schedules. Varada has clients of her own and works at a mental health organization. She takes soft skills program for kids and teaches them the importance of emotions, expressing their thoughts and vulnerabilities. Varada mostly works with special kids.
Varada’s life goal is to make mental health care available to everyone, from youngsters to the elderly. Her life’s passions are mental health and writing. Writing makes Varada happy.
Varada’s journey as a mental health practitioner started when she was a child.
Varada knew she wanted to be a therapist when she sought therapy for her own mental health in 2010. It benefited Varada so much that she wanted to help others in the same situation. Her childhood was mostly divided between Mumbai and Kerala, Mumbai during school days, and Kerala during vacation times. This made Varada feel like a misfit in both these places since she did not feel like she could fit into the hip of Mumbai culture and Kerala people made her feel like an outsider.
Being an only girl child in an orthodox family Varada was asked to fit into a particular box but that never sat right with her. She was supposed to sit like a lady, and not allowed to go out with her friends. Varada was not even allowed to mingle much with her brothers. From the very beginning she knew this rule book was not for her.. Varada had to do something about it. As a typical south Indian family, her parents enrolled Varada in dance and music classes which never harped her interests to my parent’s disappointment. On the contrary, she was very much into observing the way people talk, their body language and their expressions.
What brought Varada into the field of mental health?
Varada was reclusive in childhood. Her parents wanted to come out of her shell. And so, Varada’s parents put her in therapy. She says this was the best thing they did for her. That is where Varada found her passion for people and observation. Her family is full of history buffs and Varada has their genes. In the beginning, she would imagine herself becoming an archaeologist or a historian. But her whole world changed when Varada stumbled on the most fascinating world of psychology. Nonetheless, history is still and will always be her passion and first love.
Coming from a very educated family of science postgraduates and PhDs, Varada was also supposed to follow the tradition. And although she knew it was not meant for her, Varada took up science in her 11th and 12th STD. She fell into depression pretty quickly which her parents labeled as lazy. Varada’s parents were never able to understand what she was going through. But she had to get through it. She decided to swim the last lapse and finish her 12th exams and bid a final goodbye. Thankfully, Varada got through but left her parents unhappy. At this point, Varada took up arts, as knew she wanted to do something she loved.
Varada entered her graduation thinking she would graduate in history. But, she feels life had other plans. Varada started taking keen interest in psychology. She eventually topped in he college.
Varada had an amazing support system in college. In the first year of her post-graduation she felt like something was amiss. Hence, she decided to widen her horizons and do Masters in social work as well. Varada graduated in both of these streams together.
What led Varada to start her own therapy practise?
After graduation, Varada quickly joined an organisation that provided sessions for unusual children. And for the first time in the previous 23 years, she felt like she belonged somewhere. But, even though Varada loved her job it was not the right organization for her. This prompted her to quit the job and start her own small therapy services in 2019. Today, Varada works on my online therapy service, at another mental health organization. She even writes her heart out when she gets the time and pursues her PhD. Varada says her plate is so full.
Her main aim is to provide affordable mental health therapy sessions to anyone in need. Varada has an amazing support system. Her parents understand her. Even her partner supports Varada all the way through. And the best thing is that she loves working with different people.
Varada is grateful to have faced every struggle she did from being put in a box or when she was misread by my family. She feels she experienced all that to lead her to where she is today. Varada says if she did not go through it all, she doesn’t think she would have been in this position, giving this interview.
What’s the message of Varada V.S.?
Varada was finally asked what message she had for those who read this interview.
She replied, “All I have to say is if you feel like you are not seen remember one day you will get an opportunity to shine brighter than ever and you will live a life you love a find a purpose for your living. You are seen, loved, and wanted. Be you. You don’t have to fit in if you feel like you are a misfit it might be uncomfortable for a while but later you will be the star of your own show. I am really grateful for the life a get to live now, independent and on my own terms. Thankful for the people around me who love and support me.”
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