Meet The Team
Debasmita Phukan
Debasmita Phukan has an M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology from the LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Assam. She completed her Master's in Applied Psychology from Delhi University and has a wide range of work experience, ranging from working in a mental health NGO to being a freelance writer. Debasmita, Senior Clinical Psychologist at SSC, is the Team Lead & Centre Administrator.
Debasmita's ideas about psychotherapy are rooted in her faith in humanity and the belief that we can all change to lead better, more authentic lives. She thinks of psychotherapy as providing a safe space from which such growth can be possible. Considering herself a lifelong student of the human mind, Debasmita believes that psychotherapy is one of her best teachers. She finds contentment through the activity of learning from and listening to many diverse lives in this small but very cosmopolitan campus town. When not at work, she enjoys movies, books and music from all around the world. She likes spending time in solitude and can often be found pottering about the house.
Shobhana Balasundaram
Shobhana Balasundaram has an M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology from the LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam. Before SSC, she was an Assistant Professor at a Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, Sriperumbudur, Chennai.
Shobhana recalls that her decision to study psychology came from being amazed at what could be achieved in less than an hour when she was a youngster in crisis. For her, therapy is collaborating with her client in identifying patterns and making meaning of them to complete the story the client brings with them. She believes that psychotherapy is a unique and important experience in one’s life, and as a therapist, is committed to being a part of an individual’s journey.
Shobhana’s after-work ritual is centered on time with herself that includes an eclectic playlist of music and a cup of extra gingery tea. She takes a lot of interest in keeping abreast with social justice. Shobhana draws energy and strength from her quiet time every day.
Gatha B
Gatha holds an M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology from LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Assam. She completed her master's degree in psychology from Calicut University, Kerala.
Gatha has a wide range of experience, from working as a project coordinator in a mental health NGO to counselling students at National Institute of Technology, Calicut. She recalls her starting point with psychology to have been one that resulted out of curiosity.
Gatha believes in the impact of psychotherapy because of her first-hand experience with it. She works by integrating her everyday learnings into her practice. She sees the world from a feminist perspective. She enjoys solitude and experiences clarity of thought through writing.
Turfa Ahmed
Turfa Ahmed holds an M.Phil. degree in Clinical Psychology and a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Calcutta, Kolkata. Her practice is rooted in believing in the essential goodness that is innate in all humans. She has experience in dealing with the youth population and is sensitive toward the struggles that are faced by young adults even if those are not clinically labeled as disorders. She sees psychotherapy as a path to discovering oneself and collaborates with the client to help them discover their way to a value-based living. When not working, she can be found cooking, reading with a cup of tea for company, or watching content on various platforms. She also takes long strolls to reflect upon her day.
Sukanya Chowdhury
Sukanya holds an M.Phil in Clinical Psychology from the University of Calcutta. She completed her Master's in Psychology from the same institute. During her training, she spent a considerable amount of time dealing with difficulties faced by children and young adults.
Sukanya's faith in psychotherapy stems from the belief that a lot can be achieved if people were more patient and accepting of each other, in an otherwise unkind world. Her practice is rooted in intersectional feminism, and she takes a client-centered approach. Psychotherapy to her is about providing a safe space to her clients and validating their lived experiences. Apart from the human mind, Sukanya takes an active interest in research, reading, writing, discovering music and cinema from different parts of the world.
Shradha Chandrasekar
Shradha (she/her) holds an M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology from NIMHANS, Bengaluru. She completed her MSc in Clinical Psychology from KMC Mangalore, MAHE. Though she started her journey in clinical psychology focusing on neuropsychology, her experiences during her M.Phil. have drawn her into the world of trauma and psychotherapy, which leads to much work satisfaction and some frustration.
Shradha’s belief in therapy is rooted firmly in the conviction that people are inherently good and kind. But sometimes what we need for those parts to flourish is one safe relationship. Often that relationship is therapy. She aims for trauma-informed care, supported by queer affirmation and growing through the therapeutic relationship. Away from work, Shradha loves to be with the mountains or by the oceans, with friends, music and literature filling her world.
Saish Kotian
Saish Kotian is the Student Support Center's Office Associate and is essential to the center's daily operations. He has completed his Masters in Commerce from GFG College, Thenkanidiyur, Udupi. Having worked as an Accountant before joining the Centre, Saish especially enjoys the complicated tasks of collating the Centre’s extensive data, ensuring timely appointments for all, and helping everyone as needed. He enjoys working in the Centre’s calm environment and the way everyone is supportive of each other.
Hailing from Udupi, Saish is fluent in 5 languages, and enjoys music, cricket, and table tennis. He now dreams of achieving stability and supporting his parents.
Nagaraj M
Nagaraj is SSC's General Duty Worker. He is responsible for carrying out everyday tasks, from filing and data entry to taking phone messages, integral to the smooth functioning of the centre. He likes that everyone at SSC work together, accommodating each others' work-styles. He feels that the best part about working here is the contentment he experiences when the clients who come to SSC seem less distressed when they leave.
After completing his SSLC from Government College, Udupi, Nagaraj worked at Sikkim Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). Carrying out his duties according to his work ethic is of great importance to him. When not at work, he enjoys reading, watching and playing cricket, and going to the movies. Nagraj aspires to someday build his own house.
Gayathri Prabhu
Gayathri Prabhu is the Coordinator of the Student Support Centre and Associate Professor at the Manipal Centre for Humanities, MAHE. She received her PhD in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, and her MPhil from Swansea University, Wales, UK. She has served as a member of the Insitutional Ethics Committee, Kasturba Medical College and Kasturba Hospital, Manipal (2014 - 2018), and as the Dr TMA Pai Chair in Indian Literature (2017 - 2019). Gayathri is the author of a memoir, four novels, a novella in prose poetry and a study of black and white cinema. She teaches literary studies and has written regularly on Medical Humanities. Increasingly convinced about the merging of teaching and advocacy, the Student Support Centre is a project that is close to Gayathri’s heart and she attributes its existence to the combined efforts and goodwill of several people in the University. Outside of work, she finds joy in yoga, birding, long walks and rainy days. As the Coordinator, Gayathri's work at the Student Support Centre ranges from designing the centre’s ethos, to execution of outreach programs, to ensuring that the Centre remains a warm and trustworthy space for students. If you have any feedback or thoughts, please write to her at gayathri.prabhu@manipal.edu
