Trauma therapist and relationship expert Shalini Chuganee, known as Shai C., has returned to Mumbai as a triple-certified NY state therapist.
“No one is immune to stress, anxiety, challenges, or difficulties that arise in life,” says the renowned marriage and family therapist and cognitive behavioral therapist. With a deep understanding of emotional health and balance, she refers to herself as a skilled emotionologist.
Shai has a unique ability to help her clients manage their emotions by empowering them with the skills needed to overcome and adapt to life’s stressors. Through multiple talks and workshops in various cities, Shai has developed an effective approach that allows individuals to express their feelings positively and constructively. Employing a multisystemic approach to psychotherapy, she focuses on a combination therapy that includes spirituality and self-awareness as foundational elements. Understanding the psychology of the self is crucial for developing a goal-oriented balance of self-love and self-worth.
Focusing on the mental health and well-being of all individuals regardless of gender, Shai emphasizes the importance of self-discipline in thought and behavior patterns, as well as in interpersonal relationships. While validating our emotions is crucial, Shai insists we must also challenge the thoughts underlying those emotions, recognizing them as assumptions rather than facts.
Emotions play an informative role for the central nervous system; however, when the nervous system becomes deregulated, emotions can manifest reactively. As human beings, we are blessed with emotions; the key is to acknowledge and encourage them without losing control to them.
In her therapy sessions, Shai utilizes a method that dissects emotions into thoughts, feelings, sensations, and actions/behaviors. This approach helps individuals identify their emotional states and work through them to gain a better understanding of themselves, ultimately improving their quality of life by fostering healthier thought and behavior patterns and enhancing relationships, both with others and with oneself.
Emotional development comprises two key aspects: emotional intelligence and emotional maturity. While many psychologists focus on the release of emotions, Shai emphasizes the importance of processing unresolved trauma, particularly inner child trauma, through memory work and attachment theories.
Attachment styles and relationship dynamics are heavily influenced by the relationship between children and their caregivers from as early as the prenatal stage.
This new multisystemic model is widely adopted globally and supported by mental health advocates and practitioners alike. Shai aims to establish a robust foundation for this model in Mumbai, focusing not only on individual growth but also specializing in couples therapy, marriage and family therapy, and sex and intimacy coaching.
Points To Remember:
- Importance of Emotion Processing: The article emphasizes that trauma and emotional challenges do not inherently make individuals stronger. Instead, true empowerment comes from actively processing and working through emotional pain and trauma. This highlights the significance of therapy in providing tools and guidance to manage and understand emotions effectively.
- Holistic Approach to Mental Health: Shai C. employs a multisystemic approach to psychotherapy that integrates spirituality, self-awareness, and cognitive behavioral techniques. This holistic method not only addresses immediate emotional issues but also fosters long-term emotional intelligence and maturity. It underscores the idea that mental health encompasses various facets of life, including relationships, self-discipline, and self-worth.
- Focus on Relationship Dynamics and Attachment: The article discusses the profound impact of early relationships on attachment styles and emotional development. Shai C. specializes in couples therapy and emphasizes the importance of understanding attachment theories in healing emotional dysregulation. This highlights the interconnectedness between personal emotional well-being and relational dynamics, promoting healthier connections with oneself and others.
About
Shalini S. Chuganee, a skilled Emotionologist, Marriage & Family Therapist, CBT Therapist, and Sex/Relationship Coach, embarked on her professional journey at 19 with an Esther Hymer Award internship at the UNITED NATIONS in New York. She holds a BA in Political Science with Honors from Monmouth University, an MA in Political Science & Management from George Washington University, and advanced certificates from NYU in Clinical Practice, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Marriage & Family Therapy. Shalini’s career spans academia as a Political Science Professor in Mumbai’s Government Law College, to strategic brand consulting in India.