Today we’d like to introduce you to Anusha Atmakuri
Hi Anusha, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up I was always told I was a good listener and some of my friends as early as elementary school used to say I was “like a personal therapist” for them. Early on I was interested in psychology and my mom played a big role in my empathy building since I was young.
But as the typical South Asian immigrant story goes, I was highly encouraged to pursue medicine. So I majored in Psychology and was on the pre-med track. But it quickly became apparent to me how wrong the field of medicine was for me (struggling with C’s and failing 2 classes as a straight A student most of my life will do that) and how right Psychology was for me.
I was also going through an immense amount of stress which triggered my thyroid issues. I had every symptom in the book and I wasn’t able to understand what was going on, I was also deep in the fog of depression so I let it fester until one day I literally couldn’t walk one step without immense pain in my calves from the salt retention.
My friend forced me to talk to my parents and dragged me to the campus clinic where they read blood tests and finally gave a name to all the things I’d been struggling with and ignoring.
After the diagnosis I decided to seek campus counseling and it was one of the most pivotal decisions I’ve made. It solidified for me how right the counseling field was for me and re-affirmed that this was my calling. It was incredibly emotionally draining to work through counseling while juggling school and getting on the right thyroid medications. But once I did, there was no looking back. I officially quit the pre-med track and focused my efforts on counseling, on self-care, setting boundaries and openly communicating and while it was no walk in the park it was very important part of my journey that’s got me to where I am today.
I’ve been where my clients are and I can feel an even greater empathy and understanding of what it’s like when you experience therapy as a client yourself, when you have to do the healing work yourself, and implement those changes in your life with yourself and with loved ones.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road for sure. I worked as a Career Counselor at Rice University during my grad school internship. And while I cultivated my connections and network in Houston, I soon after graduating got married and moved to Austin. I was in a new city starting “from scratch” without any of my connections.
And despite having a near perfect GPA, and the experience in grad school I wasn’t a “desirable” candidate because the expectation was that I’d have experience. But how can one have experience when they are looking to start at entry level jobs for the experience? It’s a common struggle therapists who are just starting out face.
In addition, the only jobs that were willing to hire new therapists were jobs that paid really low ($12-$25/hr and only for the hours you see clients not including the administrative work you do, with little to no benefits, and usually with clients who needed high level of care) despite the hours they required and despite the level of education we have.
My first supervisor’s help at the time was to take whoever I can get, even if it wasn’t the right fit. She encouraged me to do ABA therapy and work with kids on the spectrum until I got more clients. That experience was really difficult for me, it got to the point where I’d drive home crying because it was incredibly challenging work and not even close to the kind of work I was passionate about. When I decided to change supervisors (at my supervisors suggestion) she became upset with me that I would actually do so. Being new to this field, her reaction made me feel I was in the wrong but she encouraged me to do so and it was the right thing to do.
When I began working with my new supervisor is when things began changing. She encouraged me to work with exactly who I was passionate about working with. She offered great benefits (not common for new therapists), guidance, and furthered my learning in truly impactful ways. I’m very grateful for her and the impact she had on me as a person and as a therapist.
Once I was fully licensed and no longer needed supervision, I began setting up the stage to go solo as an Individual Private Practice Owner. That was a huge learning curve for me. It took me nearly a year and half to truly accept that I was required to wear many many many hats to have a successful therapy practice. I couldn’t just continue being an awesome therapist. I had to also, do bookkeeping, marketing, admin work with insurances, file accurate taxes, etc. While I was quick to accept that I could hire services to do my book keeping and taxes, the marketing piece was really tricky for me. It took me a long time to accept I needed to think like a business owner and market myself effectively and proactively instead of just signing up for directories and waiting for prospective clients to find me. This is something grad school did not prepare me for that I wish they had a class or two on.
We’ve been impressed with Antara Counseling and Wellness, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor in Dallas, Texas serving individual and couples clients all over Texas via online therapy. I’m passionate about educating and empowering folks who are stuck in cycles of anxiety, negative self-talk, and people pleasing break free, heal their root issues, and create balanced authentic lives sustainably while strengthening relationships.
Antara means balance, which is why the foundation of our therapy is rooted in the power of holistic healing which will transform your life so you can find your balance and peace in your relationship to yourself and to others.
I’m a bicultural South Asian therapist for anxious people pleasers with low self-esteem and confidence who are ready to do the work to sustainably heal and shed what’s kept them stuck and learn new skills and habits so they can feel balance, authenticity, and peace in their relationships to themselves and others. I use a holistic dual mind-body approach that allows for deeper and sustainable healing through an integrative approach to therapy. It’s different from the typical surface level band-aid solutions of traditional talk therapy, which can be helpful but doesn’t go deep into the root of the issue and address it.
I’m active on Instagram and TikTok at the handle @chaiwithanusha (Chai With Anusha) where I like to offer free educational and relatable content on anxiety, people pleasing, self-esteem, being a bicultural South Asian etc. I also have a mental health podcast called Talk South Asian To Me that I co-host with a South Asian friend who is also passionate about mental health. Each week we do an episode about a mental health topic and educate about the topic as well as discuss how it relates to South Asians and what our experiences with the topic are. These are the ways I like to connect with my community and beyond to offer free education, normalization of mental health topics, and hopefully relatability and empowerment as well!
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Nothing comes to mind in particular but as I recall my childhood trying to answer this questions several memories I feel fond of now come to mind : when my dad tried to teach me swimming the Indian way (letting go of me and letting me flail around in my floaties not throwing me in a well like he was apparently), being pampered with yummy food and play by grandparents during the summers in India, my parents and I’s routine of getting Mexican food for lunch at the same restaurant after my classical dance practice and then going to watch an Indian movie every weekend, talking for hours after school on the porch swing with my friend, taking painting lessons during summer and making crafts for my mom and aunt all summer long. All good memories that make me feel warm and fuzzy.
Pricing:
- $150 for individual sessions (sessions weekly or every other week)
- $165 for couples sessions (dating/pre-marital/marriage counseling)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.antaracounselingandwellness.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithanusha/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/1pXn4g5uGHsaXzJrlDDENF
Image Credits
N/A
