Monalisa Singh - India’s Pride in Psychology and Career Counselling Leadership

 

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and share your journey into psychology and career counselling?

 

I’m a psychologist and career counsellor, and the founder of Hashtag Counselling. But beyond professional labels, I see my role as someone who helps people slow down and listen to themselves—often for the first time in years.

My journey into psychology wasn’t a straight or scripted one. It evolved organically through conversations and observations. I kept meeting students who were doing everything “right” on paper yet felt deeply anxious or disconnected. Professionals who had achieved what they once aspired to, but felt strangely unfulfilled. Parents who cared deeply, yet felt helpless watching their children struggle.

What struck me was that these struggles were rarely about intelligence or effort. They were about fear—fear of disappointing others, fear of making the wrong choice, fear of not being enough. Psychology gave me a lens to understand these emotional undercurrents, while career counselling gave me a way to help people translate self-understanding into real, practical decisions. Over time, the two merged naturally in my work, and that integration became the foundation of Hashtag Counselling.

 

2. How does it feel to be featured in India’s Pride: Icons Who Inspire the Nation?

 

It feels deeply humbling and honestly a little surreal. Counselling is not loud work. It doesn’t come with applause or instant results. Most of it happens quietly—in closed rooms, in long pauses, in moments when someone finally feels safe enough to say what they’ve been holding in for years. These are conversations that rarely make headlines, but they change lives in subtle, lasting ways.

To see this kind of work recognised on a national platform feels affirming—not just for me, but for the entire field of mental health and counselling. It sends a powerful message that empathy, emotional intelligence, and inner work are no longer seen as secondary or “soft,” but as essential to personal and professional growth.

On a personal level, this recognition is a reminder that patience matters. That showing up consistently, listening deeply, and doing the work even when it’s invisible does make a difference. It reassures me that choosing depth over speed, and integrity over visibility, was the right path.

Professionally, it signals a meaningful shift in how India is beginning to view mental health and career guidance. We’re slowly moving toward a culture that values self-awareness alongside success, and emotional well-being alongside achievement. I see this recognition not as a destination, but as gentle encouragement—to continue this work with even more responsibility, honesty, and care, and to keep creating spaces where people feel safe to pause, reflect, and choose better for themselves.

 

3. How did you identify the need for an integrated approach to career and emotional wellbeing in the Indian context?

 

In India, career decisions are rarely individual choices. They are deeply woven into family expectations, social comparison, cultural narratives, and an unspoken pressure to “get it right” the first time. From a very young age, people learn that their career is not just about livelihood—it becomes a measure of worth, success, and even belonging.

In my work, I kept seeing the same patterns repeat themselves. Anxiety was often celebrated as ambition—long hours, constant restlessness, and the inability to switch off were praised as dedication. Burnout was mistaken for laziness. Fear of failure was reframed as a lack of discipline. On the surface, people looked driven, but internally they were exhausted, confused, and quietly unhappy.

What became clear to me was that most people weren’t struggling because they lacked options or capability. They were overwhelmed by the emotional weight attached to their choices. They didn’t just need career direction; they needed permission to understand their fears, question inherited expectations, and separate external pressure from internal desire.

That’s when I realised that addressing career questions without addressing emotional well-being was incomplete—and sometimes even harmful. In the Indian context, where identity and career are so closely linked, an integrated approach isn’t a luxury. It’s essential for helping people make choices that are not only successful on paper, but sustainable and mentally healthy in real life.

 

4. How do you balance empathy with objectivity when counselling someone facing conflicting expectations?

 

For me, empathy and objectivity are not opposites—they work together. Empathy is what creates safety in the counselling space. It allows people to lower their guard, to speak honestly without the fear of being judged or rushed. I always begin by listening, not with the intention to fix, but to understand. When someone feels truly heard, something important happens—they stop defending their choices and start examining them.

Once that safety is established, objectivity can gently enter the conversation. We begin to slow things down and look at the situation more clearly. Together, we explore which expectations genuinely belong to the individual and which ones they are carrying out of obligation, guilt, or fear of disappointing others.

The goal is never to push someone toward rebellion, nor to encourage blind compliance with family or societal pressure. Instead, it’s about helping them arrive at conscious choice. When people understand why they want something—or why they don’t—clarity naturally follows. And with that clarity comes balance, confidence, and the ability to move forward without constant inner conflict.

 

5. How important is digital content in changing perceptions around mental health and career guidance?

 

Digital content is often the first gentle entry point for many people. Before someone ever books a counselling session, they usually spend a long time sitting with their thoughts, unsure of what they’re feeling or whether those feelings even “qualify” for help. Content helps bridge that gap. It gives people language for emotions they’ve experienced for years but never knew how to articulate.

When someone reads a post and thinks, “This sounds like me,” a quiet shift happens. Reflection becomes normal. Emotional struggles stop feeling personal or shameful and start feeling human. This is especially important in professional spaces, where vulnerability has traditionally been discouraged and emotional conversations were considered inappropriate.

Of course, content can never replace the depth and safety of one-on-one counselling. But it plays a powerful supporting role. It reduces hesitation, softens stigma, and makes the idea of seeking help feel less intimidating. In many cases, digital content is not the solution—but it’s the doorway. It reassures people that they’re not alone, that their experiences are valid, and that reaching out is a sign of awareness, not weakness.

 

6. As a mother, writer, and entrepreneur, how do you maintain your own mental well-being?

 

I’ve learned to focus more on awareness than on the idea of perfect balance. Balance often sounds ideal on paper, but real life rarely fits neatly into it. What has helped me far more is paying attention—being honest with myself about my energy, my emotional state, and what I actually have the capacity for at different phases of life.

Writing plays an important role in this for me. I don’t always write to publish or share—it’s often a way to process my own thoughts and emotions, to make sense of what I’m carrying before it spills into exhaustion. I also protect quiet time very intentionally. In a world that constantly rewards visibility and productivity, choosing stillness can feel countercultural, but it’s essential for me.

I’ve also learned to pause before overcommitting, even to opportunities that look exciting or impressive. Just because something is good doesn’t mean it’s good for me at that moment. Allowing myself to say no without guilt has been a gradual but powerful shift.

Most importantly, I’ve given myself permission to be human—to have days that are slower, messier, or less productive. Letting go of the need to always perform has been one of the most meaningful changes I’ve made, both personally and professionally.

 

7. What are your aspirations for Hashtag Counselling’s future growth?

 

My aspiration for Hashtag Counselling is to make counselling more accessible, preventive, and genuinely relatable—especially for students, parents, and working professionals beyond metro cities. There is still a large section of people who either don’t have access to guidance or don’t see counselling as something meant for them. I want to change that narrative.

I hope to build services that reach people before they hit burnout, crisis, or complete confusion—spaces where reflection and emotional clarity are encouraged early, not as a last resort. This includes structured programs, workshops, and digital tools that combine emotional literacy with practical decision-making, so people can navigate career choices with both confidence and care.

At its core, growth for Hashtag Counselling will never be about numbers alone. It will always mean depth of impact—helping individuals make choices that don’t cost them their mental health, supporting careers that feel aligned rather than forced, and creating a culture where seeking clarity is seen as strength. If we can help people choose well and live with less inner conflict, that, for me, is meaningful growth.