My aim is to mix my background with my study & knowledge of psychology to give support and help people become stronger mentally.
Lt Col Rajesh Sharma (retired) has been working for nearly three decades and has a master’s in Clinical Psychology and Hypnosis. He lives in Mumbai and has held more than a thousand sessions on mental health and workshops for groups about handling mental and emotional problems.He helps people overcome their fears, worries, anxieties, depression and stress. His therapy work is directed towards total empowerment of the needy with self help aim.
His work started in the army, where he saw how important it is to be mentally and emotionally fit, just like being physically fit. This made him interested in psychology and related fields, leading him to choose this as his career post retirement.
We got a chance to talk with him to learn more about his work and how he helps people.
rajesh78gr@yahoo.com
What inspired you to pursue a career in psychology after taking retirement from army?
My interest in psychology started during my time in the army. I saw how tough situations really affected people’s minds and wanted to understand why. This made me want to study psychology, to help people get through hard times and feel better.
Also, in the army, I often helped and advised younger soldiers. This experience opened my eyes. I realized I loved supporting others and making a positive difference in their lives. It showed me how important it is to have someone to support you when you are facing challenges.
So, after retiring from the army, going into psychology felt like the right thing to do. It was a chance to use my army experiences and psychology together to help others. My aim is to mix my background with my study & knowledge of psychology to give support and help people become stronger mentally.
What challenges do you face when working with patients having resistance or complex cases ?
Working with patients who are resistant or have complex cases brings its own set of challenges. When patients come to me on their own, ready to work, it’s usually easier to start making progress. But when they are coming because someone else thinks they should, it’s a bit tougher to get through to them.
The first big step for me is to build trust. This can be tricky with people who are either new to therapy or had a bad experience before. They need to feel safe enough to open up about really personal stuff, and that doesn’t happen overnight.
Then there’s the issue of expectations. I have to help patients understand that therapy isn’t a quick fix. It’s a process that takes time and effort from both of us. Some people come in hoping for immediate solutions, and I have to gently guide them towards more realistic goals.
Many of the people I see are dealing with more than one issue at the same time, like anxiety and depression together, which can make figuring out the best way to help them more complicated. To deal with this, I am always learning new strategies and techniques, trying to find the best ways to support each person’s unique journey.
So, patience, empathy, and a good toolbox of therapeutic strategies are what I rely on to help my patients navigate their way through therapy. It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely worth it to see someone make progress and start to feel better.
How do you incorporate different psychological theories in your approach.
As a psychotherapist, it’s true that we have to Incorporate different psychological theories & techniques into our practice just like using a toolbox. We see a carpenter chooses different tools for different jobs, I use various psychotherapy techniques depending on the needs of my clients.
For example, let’s say someone comes to me feeling stuck in life, unsure of where they are heading. I might use existential therapy, which is like sitting down with a map when you are lost. It helps people find direction and meaning in their lives, asking big questions like, “What do I want my life to look like?”
If another person is struggling with anxiety or depression, I might turn to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). This approach is like gardening. If negative thoughts are weeds, CBT helps to pull them out and plant more positive, helpful thoughts in their place. It’s all about changing patterns of thinking or behavior that are behind people’s difficulties.
Sometimes, a client’s issues stem from past trauma or relationships. In these cases, psychodynamic therapy can be useful. This is like doing detective work, without being prominent to the patient, do digging into past experiences to uncover hidden influences on current behavior and feelings. It helps people understand themselves better and work through those deep-seated issues.
Integrating these technique’s doesn’t mean jumping from one to another randomly. It’s about listening closely to each person’s story and carefully selecting the approach that fits best. It’s like being a chef who tastes a dish and knows exactly which spice will make it perfect. By combining different techniques, I aim to provide a tailored approach that meets each individual’s unique needs and helps them on their journey towards healing and growth.
In your opinion, what are the most common misconceptions about mental health that the public should be aware of?
One big misunderstanding is thinking that if someone has a mental health problem, it means they are weak. But really, mental health issues can happen to anyone, just like getting sick or injured. It doesn’t say anything about how strong a person is.
Another thing people often get wrong is thinking that therapy is only for very serious problems. But therapy can be for anyone who wants to feel better about themselves or life, just like you’d see a doctor for a physical check-up even if you’re not super sick.
And lastly, some believe that mental health problems are just about not trying hard enough to be happy or normal. But it’s more complicated than that. Mental health can be affected by lots of things, including our bodies, what we have gone through in life, and our family history. Getting better might mean talking to someone, making some changes in life, or sometimes taking medicine, not just trying to will yourself better.
It’s really important to clear up these misunderstandings so people aren’t ashamed to get help when they need it.
How important is mental health awareness in workplaces?
Working with the army made me understand how vital it is for soldiers to be mentally strong. We face tough challenges and sometimes risking our lives. There was ofcourse a lot of teamwork and providing emotional support to each other. This experience made me see the true power of mental wellness in bringing people together and helping them face hard times.
In the second innings of my life, as a psychologist, I have had the chance to lead several corporate wellness workshops, In my experience, workplaces that prioritize mental health not only foster a more supportive and understanding environment but also see improvements in employee engagement, productivity, and overall job satisfaction.
to heal. This kind of work takes time and isn’t easy, but it was necessary for her to start feeling better about herself and improve her relationships.
What’s important in such cases is patience and a non-judgmental space where the individual feels safe to explore and express those buried feelings. Over time, through consistent support and exploration, she began to see herself in a new light, leading to a gradual but significant improvement in her intimacy issues.
This situation shows how complex mental health can be and why it’s so important to really get to the heart of what’s causing problems. It reminds us to look deeper into our actions and feelings.
What does past life regression therapy mean to you?
Past life regression therapy is technique to achieve Ego Strengthening and Ego purification. The weakened ego goes through justification to make peace with past trauma. Past life and re-incarnation are specific beliefs which may or may not be present in every culture or religion so the efficacy of past life regression therapy depends on the belief system of the subject.
