GAYATHRI: Vijay, what inspired you to switch careers from the corporate world to mental health?

VIJAY: I had already spent 15 years in the corporate world. I had reached middle management level in a Fortune 500 company. My specialty was in strategic planning. While I found that to be challenging and interesting, I was looking for a change that would allow me to work at a one on one level helping individuals. At the same time my wife was going through her Masters in social work. Our discussions about the human experience resonated with me enough to motivate me to make the change.

GAYATHRI: What forms of therapy do you provide and what are their unique benefits?

VIJAY: My training has been in psychodynamic psychotherapy, Gestalt therapy, solution focused therapy, rational emotive behavior therapy, traditional cognitive behavioral therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy. The last three approaches fall under the overall umbrella of cognitive behavioral therapy.  In addition, I have been trained in mindfulness-based stress reduction which is meditation based.

I have come to focus my practice in cognitive behavioral therapy. It is the gold standard and frontline treatment for most psychological conditions. I typically explain the three cognitive behavioral therapy approaches that I use to the patient and in most cases help the patient to decide which one resonates for her/him.  Traditional cognitive behavioral therapy tends appeal to those who lean towards pragmatism, logic and problem solving. Acceptance and commitment therapy, which has a strong mindfulness-based component, tends to appeal to those who are more interested in going beyond the immediate symptoms and working on bringing meaning and purpose to their lives.

GAYATHRI: How are you uniquely qualified to provide care for the South-Asian community served by SAATHI?

VIJAY: My hope is that I can bring the expertise and training that I have gained from over four decades in business and psychology to the South-Asian community. I believe it is important for our community to know that it is possible to access current practices in psychology without sacrificing the culture and traditions that we care so much about.

Having been born and raised in India with MBAs from IIM Ahmedabad and INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France and my doctorate in psychology from the United States, I feel that I am well-positioned to straddle both cultures in an effective and compassionate manner. I believe a huge ingredient in bringing hope amidst suffering is knowing that the resources needed to recover and thrive are available. I hope those in need will be able to use the resources that SAATHI is compiling to know that they are not alone, and to encourage them to get help. There is no need to suffer anymore.

Vijay Shankar is a licensed psychologist who specializes in treating anxiety, mood disorders, and depression. He is co-founder of the LifeQual Center for Health & Healing. To learn more about Vijay and LifeQual Center, please visit http://www.lifequalcenter.com/vijay-shankar