Hey FOLKS, I AM AANCHAL
Founder and head-therapist at Another Light Counselling
Rewriting the rulebook on mental health in India
Get to know me
Rooted in Trauma-Informed & Intersectional Care
My practice is grounded in a trauma-informed, queer-affirmative, and intersectional lens, with deep expertise in:
Childhood trauma & complex trauma
Survivors of CSA (Child Sexual Abuse)
Dissociation & fragmented self-experiences
Perpetrators — through a reformative justice framework
Beyond the Therapy Room: Impact & Justice
In 2020, I raised over $11,000 (~8 lakhs INR) to support sex workers and homeless women during the pandemic — a testament to their unwavering commitment to dignity, justice, and care.
Research & Authorship
“Man to Man: A Study on Companion Choice of Homosexual Men” (with Dr. Sujata Sriram, TISS), published in the Indian Journal of Psychology (IJIP).
“A Guide to Trans-Inclusive Sanitation” for CREA — pioneering a dignity-first approach to infrastructure for the trans community.
Building Inclusive Ecosystems
I actively work with organizations, NGOs, and institutions to build awareness and capacity around:
Gender & sexuality
Gender-based violence (GBV)
Trauma-informed care
Education & Advanced Training
Master’s in Applied Psychology (Clinical)
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.
Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
- EMDR Therapy: EMDR Association India
- Somatic EMDR Therapy: Gabor mate
- Somatic Trauma Strategies: Dr. Peter Levine
& Dr. Diane Poole Heller - Advanced Trauma Therapy: Janina Fisher (NICABM)
- Compassionate Inquiry
- Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy: Shalini Anant
- Queer Mental Health & Polyamory: SAMHI
and Clementine Morrigan - Suicide Prevention: City & Guilds
- REBT & CBT: Dr. Minnu Bhosle and Swati
Kandolkar
3,000+
Clients Supported
20,000+
Hours of Therapy offered
7,000+
Individuals Trained
Work Experience
Over the course of my career,, I have trained students
of several colleges in and out of Mumbai such as
- Delhi University
- Christ University (Bengaluru & Mangalore)
- Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)
- Wilson College
- HR College
- Jai Hind College
- Mithibai College
- St. Andrew’s College
- Mumbai University
- Somaiya College
- Whistling Woods International
- Sophia College
- Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College
I have designed facilitated training sessions workshops for
- CREA
- UNHCR
- Urja
- Chemistry
- CEHAT
- iCall (TISS)
- Doctors for a Cause
- Mumbai Police
- Seher India
- National Human Resource Development (NHRD)
- Fortis Hospital
- BMC Hospital: Senior Nurse Training for all BMC Hospitals in Mumbai
- Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
- BOSCO Delhi (Working with Afghan Refugees)
- Prerna
- Mahila Saksham
Media Recognition & Advocacy
A TEDx speaker and mental health advocate, I have been featured in prominent national and international media, including:
- Vogue
- The Times of India
- GQ
- The Indian Express
- Hindustan Times
Professional Affiliations
External Consultant: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Member: International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD)
Associate Member: Indian Academy of Professional Supervisors (IAPS)
Another Light Counselling is an IAOTH Certified Accredited Training Institute.
Core Expertise & Areas of Specialization
Kink Affirmative Therapy
Vaginismus
Fibromyalgia
Borderline Personality Disorder
Body-Image Concerns
Therapy for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Obsessive Compulsion Disorder
Neurodivergent Affirmative
Trauma-informed Polyamory
Anger Management
Anxiety, sleep & stress managemen
Parenting
Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)
Addiction Therapy
Somatic Therapy for Psychosomatic concerns
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Compassionate Inquiry
Eating Disorders Therapy
Internal Family Systems Therapy
Eye Movement Reprocessing & Desensitization
Emotional Freedom Techniques
Inner Child Therapy
Queer Affirmative Therapy
Trauma-informed Therapy
Media Features
