'Our goal at Mindsy isn't just to get people into therapy. It's to help them understand why they might need therapy in the first place'

Why King’s?

I wanted to study in London, so King’s, UCL and LSE were my top choices. I chose King’s because I’d attended an offer-holder event in New Delhi, where I’m from. It was lovely to meet alumni and hear their stories.

After speaking to mentors and watching videos, I realised King’s encapsulated what I wanted to study. The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) has a great reputation, and the different campuses gave me an opportunity to explore London. It was my first time away from home, so I wanted to see and do everything.

What’s your favourite memory of King’s?

I loved the classes. The way we study in India is more lecture-based, rather than focused on home learning. I enjoyed hearing from eminent lecturers, including Dr Nicola Byram, who was also my thesis professor.

I loved making friends with people from different cultural backgrounds. I met one of my closest friends at King’s. I was a bridesmaid at her wedding.

What’s a key lesson you learnt at King’s?

King’s taught me the importance of my own core values and my focus in life. It’s a privilege to study at King’s and I want to use that privilege to make a positive difference to society.

The skills I learnt at King’s also gave me the confidence I needed to pursue a career in psychology.

How did your journey into clinical psychology begin?

I initially wanted to be an engineer. When I started studying psychology in grade 11, I realised the subject resonated with me more. Relatives of mine have faced mental health issues, which I feel could have been prevented if they had received the right help.

At King’s, I had the chance to do placements. I worked in the NHS, where I realised clinical work was my passion. I followed this up with a second masters at UCL, before moving back to New Delhi.

COVID-19 broke out almost immediately after. During this time, I did some field research around fertility and women’s mental health. I then started applying for Indian licensing for clinical psychology.

You’re also the CEO and founder of Mindsy. How did that business come about?

As part of my field work, I worked with less socio-economically advantaged populations who often don’t have access to mental healthcare. I wanted to help change that and the idea for Mindsy was born.

Once I had my license, I set up my own clinical practice and assembled a team to launch Mindsy. Within a year, we created a prototype and began pitching to governmental organisations. We received the start-up India Grant, which was a huge achievement.

As well as helping individuals find support, part of Mindsy’s role involves delivering seminars on mental health awareness and psychological first aid to schools and workplaces. Employment health can be neglected at times, so we reach out to a lot of companies to address this.

Last year, we attended a tech exhibition, where we shared Mindsy with potential investors. The India Institute of Technology liked our work and offered us the chance to speak to private equity firms and venture capitalists. It’s exciting to be recognised by such a prestigious organisation.

Have you faced any challenges?

The Indian mental health sector can be tough. It’s not always easy to find investors who are interested in mental health. I’m not from a business background, so I’m trying to learn from experts and find ethical ways to attract investors.

Another challenge is breaking the taboo around mental health, particularly at work. A lot of people think the mark of a high achiever is being stressed out. Someone may say that they’re not anxious, yet they’re tapping their foot under the table, or they’re not eating because they’re so worried about their next meeting. Our goal isn’t just to get people into therapy, but to help them understand why they might need therapy in the first place.

What’s next?

At Mindsy, we have a few educational institution and corporate projects lined up, and we've partnered with a few healthcare companies as mental health partners. In the next year or two, we aim to launch our platform globally for the Indian diaspora abroad.

My goal over the next five to ten years is to launch luxury mental health facilities in India focused on mental wellness. I also want to finish my education by doing a PhD. I’ve started talking to supervisors and doing research proposals. It feels like I’m back in college!

Any advice for alumni wanting to follow in your footsteps?

Clinical psychology is a tough field, so make sure you know what you’re getting into.

If you’re based in India, I’d encourage you to develop experience working across different populations. We’re all from very different backgrounds here and factors like caste warfare can play a part in accessing healthcare.

You might have a set idea about what you want to do with your life, but this could change. Get good experience, good mentors and keep an open mind.