Around 150 million Indians need mental health care (NIMHANS, 2016), however, there are only 0.7 psychologists per 1 million population in India. There is a pressing need for the development of training programs and research initiatives aimed at advancing both the theoretical and practical dimensions of psychotherapy and counselling, with an emphasis on culturally contextualized approaches.
Aagahii is a research centre at the Jindal Global University, dedicated to advancing psychotherapy through research and training. The centre serves as a hub for both research and professional development, contributing to the growth of psychotherapy in India and fostering collaboration among practitioners, researchers, and scholars. This initiative will foster intellectually engaging and discovery-based learning, ultimately contributing to the development of socially responsible citizens and skilled mental health professionals.
The name Aagahii is derived from the Urdu word meaning “awareness” or “enlightenment.” This name encapsulates the centre’s mission of fostering deeper awareness—both within the field of psychotherapy and in individuals’ journeys of mental health and well-being.
Aagahii operates through two primary verticals: Research and Training. Both pillars are crucial in fulfilling the centre’s mission of enhancing psychotherapeutic knowledge and skills.
Research Vertical:
The research vertical at Aagahii is dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of psychotherapy, mental health interventions, and therapeutic processes. This vertical focuses on conducting evidence-based studies, particularly in the Indian context. It emphasizes culturally sensitive approaches, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration to innovate therapeutic models and interventions.
Training Vertical:
This vertical equips students of psychology and mental health professionals with practical skills and theoretical knowledge through conferences and seminars, workshops, certifications, and supervision. The programs focus on advanced therapeutic techniques, reflective practices, and culturally competent care, fostering growth and expertise in students and mental health practitioners.
These verticals together drive Aagahii’s mission of enhancing both the knowledge base and practical skills in the field of psychotherapy.
Vision:
To be a leading institution in India that fosters innovation, excellence, and cultural sensitivity in psychotherapy research and training, ultimately enhancing mental health outcomes and professional standards across the country.
Mission:
The logo for Aagahii – Centre for Psychotherapy Research and Training is a profound representation of the journey toward awareness and self-discovery. At the heart of the logo, the figure holding the torch symbolizes the light of knowledge, guiding individuals from the darkness of the unknown toward insight. The torch itself, representing fire, is emblematic of enlightenment, a vital essence of Aagahii’s mission. Contrasting this, the circular wave encircling the figure evokes the imagery of water. Water, in this context, signifies calmness and the depths of the unconscious mind. The duality of fire and water in the logo highlights a powerful dichotomy—one ignites awareness, while the other nurtures the calm necessary for deep reflection. Just as fire brings light, so does psychotherapy illuminate hidden parts of the self, while water reminds us of the vast, unexplored nature of the unconscious. Together, these elements symbolize the harmonious balance between conscious awareness and the unconscious. Aagahii acts as the bridge between these realms, enabling individuals to dive into the depths of their psyche, emerging with the light of understanding and growth. The logo perfectly encapsulates Aagahii’s role in guiding individuals through a journey of inner discovery, healing, and empowerment.
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Bala Durga Karri B.A. (Hons) Psychology, |
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Nidhi Reddy K B.A. (Hons) Psychology, |
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Ajala Bhardwaj B.A. (Hons) Psychology, |
Co-director
Assistant Professor, JSPC
Dr. Mehak Sikand is the founding co-director of Aagahii. She is a licensed clinical psychologist, registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), a mental health researcher and an Assistant Professor at Jindal School of Psychology & Counselling. She has completed her MPhil (Dr. RML Hospital, Delhi) and PhD (NIMHANS, Bangalore) in Clinical Psychology. With a decade of experience as both a trainee and a professional, Dr. Sikand has been deeply committed to ensuring the provision of quality care to all individuals. She emphasizes trauma-informed integrative care, tailoring her approach to meet the unique needs of each person she works with.
Dr. Sikand’s deep interest in psychotherapy process, training, and supervision fuels her commitment to advancing the field of mental health. Her involvement in the establishment of this Centre reflects her dedication to creating a hub for professional development and collaboration. She envisions the Centre as a space that not only supports ongoing professional growth but also fosters critical dialogue among practitioners, researchers, and educators. Dr. Sikand believes that community is essential for nurturing the profession, providing a platform for peer learning, mentoring, and the exchange of ideas.
Through her work with the Centre, she aims to foster a community that promotes continuous learning, reflective practice, ethical care, and supports mental health professionals at all stages of their careers while enhancing the quality of mental health services.
Co-director
Professor & Associate Dean, JSPC
Dr. Manjushree Palit is a Professor and Associate Dean at the Jindal School of Psychology & Counselling and serves as the Director of Aaghaii—the Centre for Psychotherapy Research & Training (CPRT) at O. P. Jindal Global University. She holds a Ph.D. in Human Development with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. With over 18 years of counselling experience and 15 years in teaching and research, Dr. Palit has worked extensively with individuals, couples, and families across diverse settings. Her career spans both non-profit organizations and academic institutions in India and the United States, where she has developed expertise in clinical work, research, grant writing, and administration.
Dr. Palit’s key areas of focus include relationship dynamics, mental health, gender and sexuality, intimate partner violence, and therapeutic interventions. As a seasoned educator and trainer, she has led more than 100 training programs and workshops, reaching school and college students, educators, administrators, psychologists, and other professionals in the USA, India, Nepal, Dubai, and Doha. Dr. Palit has also published numerous works, including books, book chapters, and journal articles, in leading national and international journals.
Through her leadership at CPRT, Dr. Palit aims to advance psychotherapy research and offer rigorous training to nurture the next generation of psychologists. She is committed to fostering a dialogical space that amplifies diverse perspectives in counselling practice, emphasizing the importance of therapist self-awareness, reflective practice, and supervision.
Associate Director
Assistant Professor, JSPC
Dr. Poornima Viswanathan is the Co-founder and Associate Director of Aagahii and an Assistant Professor at the Jindal School of Psychology and Counselling. A licensed clinical psychologist and mental health researcher, she completed her MPhil and PhD in Clinical Psychology from NIMHANS, Bangalore. Dr. Viswanathan’s research interests include psychotherapy process research, help-seeking for mental health, youth mental health, mental health of professionals, the psychology of trauma, adult ADHD, lived experiences of families of individuals with mental illness, and the role of creative arts and theatre in well-being. She also explores somatic and body-focused approaches to recovery.
With specialized training in psychodynamic, relational, trauma-informed therapies, and creative modalities like art-based and music therapy, Dr. Viswanathan integrates a person-centred, lived experience perspective that enhances empathy and authenticity in therapeutic care.
Dr. Poornima is passionate about nurturing the mental well-being of psychology students and therapists. She fosters reflective spaces where future therapists can develop technical skills, empathy, and therapeutic presence. Emphasizing personal growth, relational dynamics, and a learning experience that integrates self-reflection with practical therapeutic tools, her work contributes to the holistic development of mental health professionals.
Dr. Poornima envisions Aagahii as a vibrant community where research, training, and collaboration converge to advance mental health care. She aims to create a space that fosters continuous learning, reflective practice, and the integration of lived experiences into therapeutic work. By building a strong, supportive community, Aagahii will empower mental health professionals to refine their skills, engage in critical dialogue, and provide ethical, culturally sensitive care. Her vision is to elevate the standards of mental health services across diverse communities through innovation, empathy, and collective growth.
Associate Director
Lecturer, JSPC
Yasmine A. Shilla (she/her/hers) is the founding Associate Director of Aagaahii and a Lecturer at the Jindal School of Psychology and Counselling. She is a trained counselling psychologist, primarily working from Rogers’ person-centred approach, and has over 14 years of clinical experience. Before joining JGU as a faculty member, she had a private practice, counselling clients in an urban setting. She also served as a wellness coach aimed primarily at providing mental health consultations to clients from corporate settings and college students. Upon completing schooling in Guwahati, she received a B. A. (Honours) Psychology degree from the University of Delhi. Then she pursued a Master’s in Psychology at Gauhati University before she obtained a Master’s in Counseling & Guidance from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, USA.
Having taught Psychology for over a decade, Yasmine has gathered hands-on experience working in various organisations in India and the USA, including academic institutions, non-profit organisations, and community counselling centres. These have contributed to her acquiring multicafeted clinical, research, teaching, and administrative experience.
Her research interests lie in multicultural psychology and counselling, with feminist psychology and tribal mental health as the focus. She is also interested in the professional development of the counselling psychology speciality (especially in the Indian therapeutic context), family influences, relationship challenges, trauma and recovery, somatic body therapy, creativity, and the mental health concerns of academics. Yasmine is particularly interested in Indian indigenous forms of healing and how these can be integrated with Western therapeutic techniques to enhance recovery. Yasmine has contributed to psychology literature by publishing in academic publications, news dailies, and webzines.
Some of her previous academic engagements also include training future counselling psychologists in the practical aspects of the profession. Moreover, as a practitioner, she served as a peer supervisor and has coached prospective counsellors in their professional development.
At Aagaahii, Yasmine endeavours to continue fostering an atmosphere of acquiring and disseminating knowledge surrounding counselling and therapeutic advancements, especially those informed by the Indian indigenous cultures. She is also deeply committed to contributing to the profession with research, training, and supervision of future professionals in the field. Furthermore, advancing the counselling psychology speciality in India is of special interest to her, especially that which is focused on training professionals in the ethical and best practices of the field.
Research Assistants |
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Swati Shreyaa (JSPC, 2022) |
Sanjana Deshmukh (JSPC, 2022) |
Sehar Dawood (JSPC, 2023) |
Editorial Assistants |
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Kaarthik Garimella (JSLH, 2022) |
Nidhi Reddy K (JSPC, 2022) |
Nihaar Khanna (JSPC, 2023) |
Training Assistants |
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Isha Kishore (JSPC, 2022) |
Kanika Gupta (JSPC, 2022) |
Yana Ahuja (JSPC, 2023) |
Events Assistants |
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Palak Singh (JSPC, 2022) |
Vanshika Bhuwalka (JSPC, 2022) |
Naitri Hitesh Shah (JSPC, 2023) |
The inauguration of Aagahii- Centre for Psychotherapy Research and Training was held on Tuesday, 29th October 2024. The event featured an invited talk by Prof. (Dr.) Honey Oberoi Vahali, Founding Director of the Centre of Psychotherapy and Clinical Research at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi. In her talk titled "To Feel, To Think and To Be: The Promise of Aagahii in a Landscape of Critical Knowledge," Dr. Vahali reflected on the transformative potential of psychotherapy, the need for spaces rooted in social and emotional justice, and the promise that Aagahii holds for nurturing critical, compassionate inquiry in the field. Her address set a thoughtful and inspiring tone for the Centre’s vision. Aagahii, committed to advancing psychotherapy through research, training, and collaboration, aspires to cultivate a generation of socially engaged mental health professionals and foster discovery-driven learning. The event marked an important milestone in strengthening the landscape of psychotherapy research and education in India.
Aagahii organized its first experiential event on March 11th 2025, where we had the privilege of hosting Dr. Sugandh Dixit, a Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Dixit introduced participants to new ways of thinking about psychotherapy, support, and healing, encouraging a perspective that extends beyond traditional conceptions. With vast experience training teams at organizations like Sakhi for South Asian Women (New York), Carnegie Mellon, and Kashmir Life Line (Srinagar), Dr. Dixit brings a rich, thought-provoking perspective. Her work challenges the medicalization of distress, advocating instead for a socially aware, inclusive, and empowering approach to mental health.
How do we bring together individuals with vastly different experiences of trauma? For Dr. Dixit, the answer was simple: Art. She urged us to critically examine why healing and support should be experiences that make individuals feel isolated or burdens that they must carry alone. Where does the world go in times of need? At the core of this workshop was a single, resonant theme: Reflection. Dr. Dixit didn’t just speak to us; she engaged us, drawing us into an interactive exploration of trauma and healing. She dismantled the idea of suffering in solitude, instead illuminating pathways that bring people together through shared experiences, art, and communal support. Through innovative techniques such as body mapping, art-based interventions, and collective reflection, the workshop demonstrated how healing extends beyond the individual to the community. Her approach breaks the stigma and secrecy surrounding trauma, redefining healing as a community experience rather than an isolating one. She reinstates the importance of social identity in the recovery process, proving that it truly takes a village to heal.
By showcasing real-world applications in war-affected regions and diverse cultural contexts, Aagahii reaffirms its mission to move beyond the traditional confines of therapy and embrace healing as a shared, dynamic process.
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