Anxiety
Why naming the feeling calms the body
A short look at why putting a specific word to what you're feeling — rather than just "stressed" — measurably lowers physical arousal.
Read the pieceIn-person in Chennai & online across India
I'm Hemamalini - a licensed marriage & family therapist working with adults and couples navigating anxiety, relationship strain, and the kind of life transitions that don't come with instructions.
Fourteen years in practice, trained in attachment-based and cognitive-behavioral methods, and a firm believer that the first job of therapy is just to make the room feel safe enough to be honest in.
Is this you
People arrive here for all kinds of reasons, and most of them don't sound dramatic out loud. Here's some of what that can look like.
This list is a starting point, not a checklist to pass — one item is reason enough to reach out.
About Hemamalini
I trained in Chennai and completed my clinical fellowship in couples and family therapy before opening this practice in 2014. My work is grounded in attachment theory and cognitive-behavioral methods, but in the room it mostly looks like two people talking honestly.
I work best with people who are tired of performing that they're fine — professionals in the middle of a quiet burnout, couples who've stopped fighting because they've stopped trying, and anyone facing a transition that's reshuffled who they thought they were.
I don't believe in a script that fits everyone. Early sessions are mostly me listening and asking questions that help both of us understand the shape of what's going on. From there, we build a loose plan together — and I'll always tell you what I think is happening and why I'm suggesting a particular approach, rather than keeping that reasoning to myself.
Areas of focus
A mind that won't stop running scenarios, a body that's tense before you've noticed why, trouble sleeping or sitting still, and a low hum of dread that doesn't attach to anything specific.
We start by mapping your specific triggers and patterns rather than treating "anxiety" as one thing. From there I draw on CBT to work with the thoughts, and body-based grounding techniques to work with the physical side.
Communication that's broken down into the same fight on repeat, resentment that's quietly built up over years, or a partnership at a genuine crossroads about whether to stay or go.
I use the Gottman Method to help you see the pattern you're both stuck in, not just the content of the latest argument, and to rebuild the small habits of attention that repair trust over time.
A career change, becoming a parent, a loss, a move to a new city — the moments that ask you to become someone new before you've had time to grieve who you were.
We treat the transition as its own kind of loss worth naming, then work on rebuilding a sense of identity and routine that actually fits the life you're in now.
Reactions in the present that feel bigger than the situation calls for, a nervous system stuck on alert, or memories that intrude when you least expect them.
I'm trained in EMDR, which we use only once real safety and stabilization are in place — we never move faster than your nervous system can actually tolerate.
Formats
One-on-one sessions focused entirely on you — your patterns, your history, and what you want to be different.
Structured sessions for two people working on the relationship together, with tools you can actually use between sessions.
The same approach, over secure video — for clients outside Chennai or anyone who prefers to meet from home.
Getting started
We talk briefly about what's bringing you in and whether it sounds like a good fit — for both of us. No forms, no fees.
Most people spend this call just describing their situation in their own words. There's nothing to prepare.
A longer first meeting (in person or on video) where I get the fuller picture — your history, what's brought you here now, and what you're hoping is different on the other side.
It's normal to feel a little exposed in this session. You're not expected to have it all organized yet.
Most people start weekly for the first couple of months, then space out as things settle. Each session builds loosely on the last, but you're always welcome to bring in whatever's actually on your mind that day.
Every few months, we step back and ask honestly whether this is still working and what "done" might look like for you. Therapy doesn't have to be indefinite — we plan toward an ending, not just an ongoing habit.
Insights
Anxiety
A short look at why putting a specific word to what you're feeling — rather than just "stressed" — measurably lowers physical arousal.
Read the pieceCouples
Most recurring arguments are a stand-in for an unmet need underneath. How to spot the real conversation hiding inside the small one.
Read the pieceGetting started
A plain-language walkthrough of what's actually asked of you in an intake session, and what's entirely optional.
Read the pieceIn their words
"I stopped expecting to be fixed and started actually being understood. That was the shift I needed."— Individual client, 8 months of sessions
"We came in barely speaking to each other. We didn't magically agree on everything, but we finally learned how to disagree."— Couple, ongoing
"She never rushed me toward an answer. I got to actually arrive at my own."— Individual client, 1 year of sessions
Book a consultation
Fifteen minutes, no charge, no obligation. We'll figure out together whether this is the right fit before anything else.
Request a call backQuestions
Individual sessions are ₹2,500, couples sessions are ₹3,500. A sliding scale is available for a limited number of clients — ask on the intro call.
Yes — most clients outside Chennai work with me entirely over video, and many local clients mix in-person and video sessions depending on the week.
It varies widely, but most clients notice a shift in how they're relating to the problem within six to eight sessions, even before the problem itself has changed.
That's exactly what the free call is for. If it's not right, I'll say so plainly and, where I can, point you toward someone who might be a better match.
Yes, with the standard legal exceptions any licensed therapist follows — such as an immediate risk of serious harm to yourself or someone else. I'll always explain these limits clearly before we begin.
No — I'm a therapist, not a psychiatrist, so I don't prescribe. If medication seems worth exploring alongside our work, I can refer you to a psychiatrist I trust and coordinate care with them.
That's completely fine, and common. I'll walk you through what to expect at every step — there's no prior experience required and no "wrong" way to start.