About Us
About Us
After a decade apart, Dr. Saras Bhaskar and Varsha Swamy are thrilled to reunite and synergize their expertise, driven by a shared vision to instigate sustainable change rooted in safety and growth. As a mother-daughter duo, they plan to harness the combined power of psychology and marriage & family therapy. Varsha, equipped with intensive training in trauma-focused care from her time in the US, will spearhead the therapeutic branch of this new venture. Whether directly working with clients or overseeing and training therapists, her goal is to ensure the highest quality of care for all. Meanwhile, Dr. Saras intends to leverage her 30+ years of human resource management and counselling expertise in enhancing the corporate sector to contribute to their shared mission.
After a decade apart, Dr. Saras Bhaskar and Varsha Swamy are thrilled to reunite and synergize their expertise, driven by a shared vision to instigate sustainable change rooted in safety and growth. As a mother-daughter duo, they plan to harness the combined power of psychology and marriage & family therapy. Varsha, equipped with intensive training in trauma-focused care from her time in the US, will spearhead the therapeutic branch of this new venture. Whether directly working with clients or overseeing and training therapists, her goal is to ensure the highest quality of care for all. Meanwhile, Dr. Saras intends to leverage her 30+ years of human resource management and counselling expertise in enhancing the corporate sector to contribute to their shared mission.
Our Vision
Empowering individuals to embark on a path of self-acceptance, authenticity, and compassion, igniting positive transformations in their daily lives.
Our Mission
Chennai Counselling specializes in trauma-informed therapy, corporate solutions, and consulting services. We create a safe space for recovery and self-discovery, emphasizing unique well-being needs. As industry leaders, we offer online courses, workshops, curriculum development and implementation across the globe. Our transformative approach, blending cutting-edge interventions and holistic strategies, guides individuals and organizations on the path to harmony and fulfilment.
Meet Our Team
We are a united team of systemic therapists dedicated to community, integrity, compassion, and a growth mindset. Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles, our diverse skill sets collectively guide healing for our clients. Discover each team member’s unique strengths in our bios to find your best match.
Varsha Swamy
Varsha Swamy, holding dual master's degrees in Applied Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy, brings a wealth of experience spanning diverse cultural and geographical backgrounds. Over the past 10 years, she has worked extensively with individuals, couples, and families in outpatient, private practice, and workshop settings.
Specializing in trauma therapy and systemic empowerment, Varsha excels in helping clients recognize and communicate their underlying emotions. She is adept at guiding them through the process of challenging destructive patterns and embracing authenticity in their interactions and relationships. Trained in modalities such as Gottman, IFS, Family of Origin work, PACT, and EFCT, Varsha emphasizes the importance of communication and co-regulation in fostering safety and connection within romantic partnerships and families. In short, we are not responsible for the painful things that happened to us and why we learned to lash, shut down or self-destruct; however, we are responsible for finding new ways of dealing with that pain and learning how to connect within significant interactions in our life.
Expanding beyond her clinical practice, Varsha is highly sought after by universities and corporations to lead dynamic workshops on a range of topics. In private settings, she offers workshops tailored to assist individuals and families, covering preparedness for adoption, marriage, and navigating the complexities of social media and trust with children. In corporate environments, Varsha specializes in workshops focusing on women's empowerment, change management, leadership development, and enhancing soft skills essential for effective client interactions. Varsha's decade-long journey has culminated in the development of a group practice in Colorado, US, where she continues to merge Western techniques with Eastern cultural competence to redefine productivity and development in today's society. Varsha's ultimate aspiration is to serve as a bridge, purposefully linking resources between Eastern and Western cultures, aiming to nurture profound healing and community connections.
Specialized Areas of Care:
- Empowerment for Women
- Therapist for therapists
- Enhancing Safety in Adoption
- Support for First & Second Generation Immigrants
- Couples Retreats and Intensives
Intensives & in-home therapy work offered to with High-Public-Profile Individuals (Celebrities, Business Leaders, and Their Families)
Dr Saras Bhaskar
With over three decades of dedicated service, Dr. Saras Bhaskar is a renowned Counselling Psychologist and Corporate Consultant, advocating for Health Psychology principles. Grounded in the Biopsychosocial framework, her practice aims to educate, empower, and enhance the psychological well-being of individuals through a fusion of traditional and contemporary therapeutic techniques.
Corporate Consulting: As a Corporate Consultant, Dr. Bhaskar is celebrated for her innovative strategies in designing and implementing solution-oriented training programs. With a specialization in HR Management, she extends her expertise to corporations, nurturing environments conducive to employee growth and organizational efficiency.
Her extensive client roster of 350 plus organizations includes esteemed organizations such as McKinsey, CH/ASIA, TCS, The World Bank, and the Saint-Gobain group, reflecting her reputation for excellence in corporate consulting. She has periodically conducted guest lectures and need based workshops for INS Rajali, an Indian Naval air station located in Arakkonam and INS Venduruthy in Kochi.
Notable Achievements: Dr. Bhaskar collaborated with Gopalan & Associates on a groundbreaking documentary titled "POSH," shedding light on the psychological ramifications of workplace sexual harassment. She spearheaded the development of training programs for Internal Committee members and Presiding Officers, equipping them with the skills needed for fair and ethical investigations.
In 2004, she co-founded the Chennai Counselors’ Foundation (CCF), a dynamic community aimed at empowering counselling professionals. Through knowledge sharing, cross-referrals, and training initiatives, CCF fosters professional growth and advancement in the field of psychology.
Media Presence: Dr. Bhaskar is an sought-after expert in the media, frequently quoted in prestigious publications such as The Times of India, The Deccan Chronicle, The New Indian Express, The Hindu, and various Tamil newspapers and magazines.
Counselling Psychology Expertise: After more than three decades of dedicated service in counselling psychology, Dr. Bhaskar gracefully transitioned into retirement in 2024. While her departure from direct client care is a loss, her invaluable expertise now enriches our corporate counselling services at Chennai counselling. We are honored to have her lead our corporate team, bringing a wealth of experience and insight to our practice.
Testimonials
Rampraveen Swaminathan
President- International Paper India Chairman & Managing Director – IP APPM Dear Dr. Saras Bhaskar, At the onset, wish you and your family a Happy New Year and the very best for the year ahead. It was a pleasure having you as Guest Speaker at our Diversity Day event on 18th December and would like… Read more “Rampraveen Swaminathan”
Shanthi Ranganathan
TTK Foundation, Indra Nagar, Chennai Thank you for conducting a session on Marital counselling for the one month trainees. The feed back was excellent – a lot of new information; very interesting; meaningful session. Thanks a lot for sparing your time.
Dr. Nirmala L. Prasad
Principal. MOP Vaishnav College for Women, Nungambakkam, Chennai. Dr. Saras Bhasker is a vibrant counselor who exhibits a clear understanding of teenage minds, cleverly addressing their intimate issues and she offers simple and lasting solutions. Her two group counseling program with students of MOP Vaishnav College in the last three years; one being the “Acquainting… Read more “Dr. Nirmala L. Prasad”
Nishath
Head, South Regional Resource Centre, CHILDLINE India Foundation, CHENNAI, HO Mumbai As on organizer of the Childline South Regional Conference, I take pride in sharing my feedback. Dr. Saras Bhaskar was the facilitator for our 8th caseworkers conference held in Trivandrum on 5 Dec 2006 and 6 Dec 2006. She had designed the curriculum in… Read more “Nishath”
Sarita Reddy
I worked with Varsha Swamy for almost a year after I had been diagnosed with anxiety and mild depression. Varsha is an extraordinary listener. She taught me how to pay attention to what I was feeling, saying, doing in ways that allow me to be much more self-aware and better prepared to deal! She creates a space for clients to speak freely and openly, and shares strategies that strengthen their internal capacities. Thank you Varsha!
