THE EDUCAFÉ TIMES
Have you ever wondered why some memories remain vivid while others fade away over time? What
influences our thoughts, emotions and actions? How do we make choices and decisions? Why do people
behave in specific ways? If you are interested in understanding yourself and the world around you and
helping yourself and them, a career in psychology may be ideal for you.
Exploring Minds, Transforming Lives: Your
Journey into Psychology
Prescribing Success: Interview with Dr.
Akila Sadasivan, Director of ThinkBeyond
Brain Care Solutions Pvt. Ltd and Samvidh
Psych Services
Career Queries
Hello Readers!
We bring another edition of The Educafé Times where we
talk about another sought-after career opportunity -
Psychology. Here we discuss the scope of the career, the
challenges, and the skill sets required.
--------
Have some new ideas for our newsletter? Share them at
educafestudentsolutions@gmail.com and get a shoutout.
Happy Reading!!
In this issue :Exploring Minds,
Transforming Lives: Your Journey into
Psychology
S E P T E M B E R , 2 0 2 3
Message from the Editor
I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 3 0 9 0 1
Educafé Student Solutions Pvt. Ltd
Registered office :Ajmera Nucleus, 7th floor, Shanthi Pura, Electronic City, Phase-2, Bengaluru - 560100
Branch Office :10, Seshadripuram Main Road, Above Midas School of Entrepreneurship, Bengaluru -560020
Phone: 080-4124 4184,+919740583531 | query@educafe.com | www.educafe.com
C A R E E R P A T H
What is Psychology?
The scientific study of mind and behaviour is called psychology. Psychologists investigate the causes of
thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, using this information to help individuals and society.
Considering Psychology and Counseling as a career?
Look no further..just follow these steps.
Study any of the three streams - Arts, Commerce, or Science at the +2 level.
If you are pursuing an Arts degree, it is recommended that you specialise in
Psychology.
You can major in Psychology during your graduation in Arts or Science
after 11th/12th.
Pursue post-graduation in Psychology and then do your specialisation in
the field of interest. Specialisations include Clinical, Cognitive,
Neuropsychology, Child Guidance, Industrial, Educational, Social,
Sports and Forensic among others.
Diploma courses are available in Counseling, but a postgraduate degree in
Psychological Counseling leads to better success.
As a psychologist, you have various career options available to you. You can customise your work based on
your interests, specialisation and the specific groups of people you want to serve. There are many settings
where psychologists can work, such as, private practice, schools, the military, private organisations,
rehabilitation or de-addiction centres and hospitals. To excel as a psychologist, you need empathy, active
listening, problem-solving and most importantly, patience.
Snippets of an interview conducted with Dr Akila Sadasivan
I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 3 0 9 0 1
S E P T E M B E R , 2 0 2 3
Educafé Student Solutions Pvt. Ltd
Registered office :Ajmera Nucleus, 7th floor, Shanthi Pura, Electronic City, Phase-2, Bengaluru - 560100
Branch Office :10, Seshadripuram Main Road, Above Midas School of Entrepreneurship, Bengaluru -560020
Phone: 080-4124 4184,+919740583531 | query@educafe.com | www.educafe.com
Prescription to Success
Dr .Akila Sadasivan, Director of ThinkBeyond Brain Care Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
and Samvidh Psych Services has been working with children and youth over the
last 20 years in Bangalore. She offers neuropsychological and clinical
psychological services to children and families.
She has served as an Executive Council member for the Indian Association of Clinical Psychology (IACP)
and is a permanent life member (PLM) of IACP. She is a registered Practising Clinical psychologist with
the New Zealand Board of Psychologists.
Akila is a Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist for various NGOs, schools and organizations. She
conducts training programmes, workshops and seminars nationally. She is a teaching faculty for counsellor
training programmes and special educator training modules in Bangalore and former visiting faculty for
M. Phil in learning disability, Mysore University. She has many awards to her name and has been an
invited speaker at various psychological forums and conferences. She has published extensively in both
national and international journals, books and chapters. Akila holds a PhD from The University of
Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand and an M.Phil, from NIMHANS, Bangalore.
She has developed an Executive Function training programme to improve
cognitive functions in children, adolescents and adults. She has launched a digital
brain training program known as Rewire Brain training to improve executive
functions in people.
How did you decide to pursue a career in psychology and what inspired you to become a psychologist?
I studied in a school where there was a separate section called the ‘Opportunity Section’ for intellectually
challenged children. The school encouraged us to interact with these children and buy food from a special
canteen; some of us were even bus buddies for children who needed support getting in and out of the school
bus. These interactions taught me to love and respect all children alike and helped me develop the capacity
to communicate with neuroatypical children. This also made me choose to work with children as my
future goal as I realised I had a way of communicating with these children and they trusted me and were
happy to follow my instructions.
During my undergraduate studies in Psychology, I assisted two children with learning disabilities. I became
interested in learning disorders and developed effective teaching techniques as a result of their struggles. I
decided to become a psychologist specialising in learning disabilities after seeing their progress. After
completing a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology, I worked for an organisation that helped children
from a Government school and worked on reducing school dropouts. This achievement led me to pursue
an M.Phil at NIMHANS where I studied neuropsychological interventions for reading disorders with Dr.
Shobini. I have never looked back since.
With so many areas of specialisation available in Psychology, what did you choose and why and what is the
pathway?
I was focused on Child psychology from the beginning. As I learned more, I understood that becoming a
Clinical Psychologist is the only way I can obtain a licence to practice in India. So becoming a Clinical
Psychologist focusing on children was what I had decided. As part of the 2 year M.Phil course at
NIMHANS, I was introduced to the neuropsychology unit where I fell in love with cognitive training. So I
decided to combine all 3 areas of passion- child, clinical and neuropsychology! Hence I am currently
working in the space of Child (developmental) neuropsychology!
In your experience, what are some common misconceptions people have about the field of psychology?
Psychologists can read minds
That if you go to a psychologist, he/she will label you as “mad”!
Another common misconception is that people think when they talk to their children lecturing them on the
dos and don'ts, they are “counselling” their child!
I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 3 0 9 0 1
S E P T E M B E R , 2 0 2 3
Educafé Student Solutions Pvt. Ltd
Registered office :Ajmera Nucleus, 7th floor, Shanthi Pura, Electronic City, Phase-2, Bengaluru - 560100
Branch Office :10, Seshadripuram Main Road, Above Midas School of Entrepreneurship, Bengaluru -560020
Phone: 080-4124 4184,+919740583531 | query@educafe.com | www.educafe.com
In your opinion, what are some of the most rewarding aspects of being a psychologist?
Each day when parents report the progress their child makes in school, with their peers or at home, I am
thrilled to be a part of this journey. Also every year, around May-June, I get several calls and messages
from parents of children whom we have helped over the years, reporting their success in their board exams.
These success stories keep me motivated and I want this for every child we work with.
What are the most challenging aspects of practising psychology and how do you navigate them?
Mental health is still considered a taboo subject in our country, which makes it difficult to highlight its
importance alongside physical health. It is crucial to make people understand that it is okay to seek help,
especially for children who are unable to do so directly because parents do not understand it. The other
challenge is the significant misconceptions about the role of clinical psychologists. Moreover, the confusion
between psychologists and psychiatrists, along with the misconception that psychologists can read minds,
adds to the challenge.
The lack of regulation in the field of psychology is a significant issue that has resulted in the public's distrust
of psychologists. Without an overseeing body, many practices are performed under the name of
psychological intervention, which not only wastes clients' time but also leaves them feeling disheartened.
I often find building trust in the people around you and your clients and creating awareness helps reduce
this dilemma and also the taboo associated with mental health issues. Following ethical practices, setting
and maintaining clear boundaries helps build trust. Also, frequent communication with the client and
helping them become aware of their rights as a client helps maintain trust.
Can you discuss the importance of ethical considerations and boundaries in the practice of psychology?
Maintaining ethical boundaries in clinical psychology is extremely essential, particularly in India as we do
not have any regulatory and/or licensing body to protect our profession. Hence we have to be careful that
we stay within the ethical boundaries of the profession. Doing things by the book, keeping clients aware of
their rights and allowing them to participate willingly in the process of intervention or other aspects are
crucial. In addition, maintaining the confidentiality of your clients and having a system of maintaining and
protecting records is another way of keeping within ethical boundaries.
How do you handle difficult or ethical dilemmas that may arise in your practice?
I usually discuss this with a senior colleague or supervisor who can help me figure out ways in which I can
deal with the situation without breaking any ethical code.
Can you describe a typical day at your centre? What are the common problems that parents come to you with?
We start our day at 9:30 a.m. and finish by 5:30 or 6 p.m. We start with an assessment which can go on till 2
p.m. Then after lunch we see children who come to us after school. Some sessions are individual, some are
online, others are in person and several sessions are group sessions. I sometimes see parents, discuss the
assessment report with them and at other times I'm counselling them about their child. Sometimes, I also see
adults and/or children for therapy.
How do you manage the emotional demands of your work, particularly when dealing with challenging cases or
clients?
Having a collegial community to fall back on helps reduce emotional stress. Having someone (as a
supervisor) with whom you can discuss difficult clients also helps. Having hobbies and taking breaks from
work are certainly healthy ways to cope with stress.
How do you balance the demands of your professional life with your personal life and self-care?
Having several hobbies helps. Having set work hours and not extending them beyond a certain time also is
essential to maintaining the work-life balance. Allowing your clients to understand that your private life is
not accessible to them and that you will be unavailable beyond work hours at the outset (setting limits with
clients) helps to maintain a work-life balance.
What are the differences between a B.Com and BBM degree, and how do
they prepare students for careers in business?
I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 3 0 9 0 1
S E P T E M B E R , 2 0 2 3
Educafé Student Solutions Pvt. Ltd
Registered office :Ajmera Nucleus, 7th floor, Shanthi Pura, Electronic City, Phase-2, Bengaluru - 560100
Branch Office :10, Seshadripuram Main Road, Above Midas School of Entrepreneurship, Bengaluru -560020
Phone: 080-4124 4184,+919740583531 | query@educafe.com | www.educafe.com
How do you stay updated with the latest developments and research in
the field of psychology?
Reading the latest articles, attending conferences, CREs and meeting
professionals working in your field of interest are all ways in which I
keep myself updated on what is happening in the field of psychology
Can you share any tips or insights on networking and building
professional relationships within the field of psychology?
Maintaining professional networks is very important. Being part of social media groups of professionals,
attending conferences and seminars, inviting professionals to give talks to your clients and hosting seminars
and conferences at your workplaces are ways to maintain a network of professionals.
Would you recommend this career to young people now? What should they look out for, as they embark on this
exciting career?
In my opinion, this is a wonderful profession that gives me a great sense of satisfaction. It allows me to be of
service to society. So anyone who is interested in serving society and wishes to help clients must consider
becoming a clinical psychologist. Research or teaching are also other options in the field. If you want to
help clients or work with mental health then clinical psychology must be pursued through an M.Phil from
an RCI recognised institute.
Keen to know more on
Psychology ?
Contact: Dr Akila Sadasivan
9 7 4 1 3 7 7 1 4 8
Career Queries
by : Dr. Sudha Bhogle
A B.Com degree equips students with a wide range of managerial skills
including general business principles, accounting, economics and
quantitative skills. After completing a B.Com degree, students may
choose to pursue advanced courses such as M.Com, Master of Finance
(MFin), Master of Accounting (MAcc), MBA, Chartered
Accountancy [CA], Certified Financial Analyst [CFA], Cost and Works
Accountant or Company Secretary [CS].
BBM is an undergraduate course that provides an overview of business
management. It is recommended to follow up with an MBA to enhance
career opportunities. With a BBM and MBA qualification, there is a
vast scope for specialisation in finance, sales/marketing, human
resources, operations and systems roles in the corporate world.
Both fields offer ample growth opportunities, but it is advisable to
pursue post-graduation in the relevant subject to enhance skills and
succeed in a competitive world. While having an interest in a particular
area is essential, having the ability to pursue that interest is equally
critical. The proper synchrony between interest and ability is crucial in
building a successful career.
We will talk
about this in our
next Edition .
Can you guess?
Mail us your answers at
educafestudentsolution
s@gmail.com
Want to get
featured in
our newsletter?
FOLLOW US ON
@educafe.excellence
educafe student solutions
Confused about your career?
samvidhpsychservices@gm
ail.com
