The Therapist FriendWoe Is Me! “My Best Friend Cut Me Off When I Couldn’t Fix Her Mental Health. Should I Reconnect?” Woe Is Me! is a series in which The Swaddle team indulges your pity party with advice you'll probably ignore. By The Swaddle Team
Therapy Bot and SoldInadequate Mental Healthcare Has Given Rise to AI Therapy – What’s the Harm? ELIZA, the first chatbot, was a raging success despite its creator's intentions for it to be a cautionary tale. Can the illusion of empathy substitute the real thing? By Hetvi Kamdar
Scream And ShoutScreaming Relieves Stress, Rage — Can it Be Therapeutic? Scream therapy is controversial among psychologists -- but for women, it's a tool to express pent up rage. By Akankshya Bahinipaty
Bas Karo PaajiHow Kapil Dev Dismissing Mental Illnesses as Fads Actively Harms People Given how much Indians idolize and emulate celebrities, Kapil Dev trivializing mental health sets a poor example for his fans. By Devrupa Rakshit
To Touch Or Not To TouchHow Nurturing Touch Can Reduce Distress, Aid Recovery From Trauma "Hormones and brain chemicals... are released through our bodies with desired social contact... and are critical to our psychological and physical wellbeing." By Devrupa Rakshit
Great ExpectationsIs Your Therapist Responsible for Making You a ‘Better’ Person? A therapist's job is to "nudge" and "guide" their clients to become the person they envision themselves to be. By Devrupa Rakshit
Healing ForceHow Much Can Food Help People Heal From Trauma? “People carry food and their food identities with them. So, familiarity and comfort are key elements in how they heal." By Saumya Kalia
Ethical FirestormWhy Can’t Any Random Person Offer Therapy? It’s a Matter of Ethics Therapists must operate within the ethical boundaries of competence, consent, and confidentiality. By Rajvi Desai
What's On Our Mind?How Marriage Counseling in India Can Reinforce Unequal Gender Roles Marital counselors often only help women bear the burden of coping with marital challenges and conflicts, instead of holding all parties accountable. By Fiona Vaz
Hum DekhengeA Therapist’s Notes on the Mental Health Fallout of the CAA‑NRC Protests “The country is burning,” A.R. sat in front me with her face buried in her hands as she cried. By Priyanka Varma
Shelf HelpSome Mental Health Therapists Are Prescribing … Books Called bibliotherapy, prescribing books that mirror a client's experiences can help them cope and feel catharsis. By Pallavi Prasad
Invisible and RealMumbai‑Based Mental Health Professionals Combat Stigma, Misinformation By Offering Discounted Services Practitioners say Indians who can afford mental health care know it can help -- but preconceived notions keep them from investing at full price. By Aditi Murti
Universal AnxietyThe Case for Viewing Mental Health Through an Existential Lens What if mental ill-health was our natural response to anxieties about the meaninglessness of life and the inevitability of death? By Prateek Sharma
Oppression As IllnessWe Need to Reframe Mental Health as a Social Justice Issue, Not a Personal Problem Therapy that does not address root causes of social oppression is a band-aid solution. By Shreya Ila Anasuya
Taking Care Of BusinessFor Young People With Mental Health Struggles, Therapy Is a Luxury "The session costs are pretty steep and one session is never enough. To go for prolonged sessions means dedicating both time and money." By Rajvi Desai
Rehab WorksMulti‑Country Study Confirms Access to Specialized Therapy Reduces Reoffense Rates for Violence, Sex Crimes The psychologists used cognitive behavioral therapy, which improves emotional regulation and helps develop personal coping strategies. By Aditi Murti
Turn The Lights OnGaslighting: How to Recognize and Cope with This Manipulation Tactic Therapy can help change a gaslighter's manipulative behavior, but only if they're willing to put in the effort. By Aditi Murti
Mic DropAll The Arguments You Need: to Convince People That Therapy Is Not a Scam Here's what to say when people suggest outlandish cures for real mental health disorders. By Aditi Murti