MindSights

I am 40 years old female and for the past14 years, I was struggling with psychological issues that were vaguely put under the umbrella of depression. I had visited many psychologists but I had never received any detailed information about my problems and I never felt understood. It was a coincidence that I came to know about Dr. Mala Murlidhar. I took the appointment and from the very first session, I felt that I am in good hands. She quickly understood my language and summarized it exactly I way I used to feel. She crafts her words very positively. I found her very professional. And the best part was that my session didn’t end on any sympathetic note. I decided to continue with the therapy and it proved to be the right decision.

After Three sessions Dr. Mala diagnosed me with borderline personality disorder and put me under cluster B personality types. I had never heard about these terms before. I read about it and I was surprised and shocked at the same time. Surprised about the accuracy of the diagnosis and shocked about the fact that how come no one ever managed to find it out. I knew always that I struggle with fear, loneliness and extreme mood swings. But I never knew the whys. I was always asked to look at the outside environment to fix. But since that was never an actual problem so those fixers never worked. I am right now taking regular therapy sessions from Dr. Mala and I am really feeling more aware of myself. She focuses on the roots of the problem rather than the external environment. And above all, she uses a very professional and emphatic approach to treatment. I go through ups and downs but I firmly believe that with the right help I will sail through it. I am optimistic about my future only bcoz of Mala. Thanks a lot.

Dr. Mala was extremely patient while listening to our problems, the sessions we had with her were mostly focused on my partner. But on one of the days, I was feeling extremely confused on a possible path forward. So, I hi-jacked my partner's session to talk to her about my own problems.

The problem was that I had put up a huge wall b/w myself and [my-family, friends, colleagues] so that I could support my partner better by spending majority of my time with her. This was a wrong strategy as I was not happy with myself and since I was not happy, I could not help my partner properly.

So, to tackle the problem, Dr. Mala suggested that my partner is in a weak state and to support her I have to be strong. But I was also weak as I was not leading a life with good quality. So, I needed to improve the quality of my life first to become strong and then I can be capable of actually supporting my partner.

This advice in an approximatley 40m session made me understand the missing piece as I later came to manage my life better with help from Dr. Mala and lectures from Dr. Jordan B. Peterson. And now, my dynamic with my partner is so good that it reminds me of the initial few months (maybe better now) of our 7y long relationship.

Thank you so much Dr. Mala for helping us out!

One thing that I believe Dr. Mala can work on is simplifying the process of scheduling an appointment, it is through whatsapp texts and it involves too much back and forth messages. And for someone, who is dealing with such serious issues, it can be quite frustrating.

I’ve been seeing Dr. Mala for about 5 months now, and I can confidently say that she has been a turning point in my life. Therapy was something I had always considered but struggled to commit to after a bad experience with a previous therapist while seeking help for depression. For a long time, I felt lost and hesitant to try again. However, finding Dr. Mala in my mid-20s felt like the guidance I truly needed.

Therapy is a big step for many people, but you can trust her wholeheartedly with your thoughts and feelings. Her empathy runs so deep that it’s unlike anything I’ve experienced before. Within just two sessions, she was able to help me uncover and articulate issues I didn’t even realize were there and provided a clear and accurate diagnosis. *** ********* **** *** ****** ******** ********* she combines years of experience with an insightful, individualized approach. She doesn’t just diagnose! she helps you see the patterns in your life, understand their roots, and work through them meaningfully.

One of the things I value most about Dr. Mala is her non-judgmental and supportive nature. She creates a safe space where you feel truly heard. The homework and treatments she suggests are incredibly effective and practical, helping you make real progress in your life.

I’ll never forget something she said to me during a moment of emotional turmoil and confusion after a session. She explained therapy in a way that stayed with me:

“Imagine a person who has been blindfolded their entire life, and then suddenly, the blindfold is removed to reveal a breathtaking view full of vibrant colors. That first experience is definitely going to be overwhelming.”

This profound insight helped me truly understand the journey of therapy and its impact.

If you’re dealing with emotional turmoil, confusion, or simply struggling to get by, I highly recommend visiting Dr. Mala. She has been important in helping me make significant progress in my personal life that I couldn’t have imagined just a few months ago.

At various stages of my life, I thought of seeing a therapist due to various traumatic experiences I was never fully able to cope with and for which I was not able to achieve full closure. For the past couple of years due to problems at work, my mental health suffered, and Covid and the lockdown made the situation worse. My mental state started affecting my marriage too. That’s when I opened Practo's website and, after going through some profiles and reviews, I booked an appointment with Dr. Murlidhar. I chose her for her professional qualifications and experience. Seeing she collaborates with Manipal Hospital gave me the confidence that she was the right choice. I booked a face-to-face visit by mistake, but Dr. Mala was very accommodating and we had our first session online.

The first session went well and we scheduled another visit in person for the following week. The second visit was incredible, Dr. Murlidhar tried to go a bit deeper on why I decided to start therapy and that’s when I opened up to her. What helped me and built trust was her openness and her non-judgmental attitude–I had premarital relationships (even live-in) and not once have I felt judged or looked down upon, something I was worried about before. The second session with Dr. Murlidhar was the turning point for me, she helped me realise my thought process and behavioural patterns. She opened my eyes to many aspects of my character I never noticed before and helped me connect the dots. Thanks to the exercises she gave me, I was able to put down on paper my feelings and she helped me to look at situations from a different perspective and restructure the way I react to my and other people’s behaviours.

During the following sessions, Dr. Mala helped me work on my assertiveness. While she was direct when she needed to be, she has always been extremely encouraging and, thanks to her continuous support, I can see a big difference in my thoughts and behaviours. Even if I am still on a journey towards my goal, our sessions together have made a massive impact on my well-being.

I would advice anyone who is thinking about it to start therapy at the earliest, it’s hard work but the results are incredible. I would also recommend Dr. Murlidhar to anyone, she is professional and experienced but also friendly, non-judgmental, and her sessions are very effective.