On the Couch » 22 Questions with Manali Deolalkar, APCC

What is your favorite part about your work?

Exploring new perspectives

What is your favorite thing about San Francisco?

Smitten Ice Cream

What is your favorite place you’ve ever been?

Vieques, Puerto Rico

Name five things that are on your bucket list (things to do before you die)

Build something of my own: An organization/write a book/create a podcast

Travel to as many countries in the world as possible

Attempt to let go of certain fears

Support my friends and family in building desirable lives for themselves

What is your favorite memory ever?

Laughable moments until I am rolling on the floor, with friends and family

Where did you grow up?

Mumbai, India

In your free time, what are you most likely doing?

Reading and listening to podcasts

Where was your last vacation?

Colorado

What cause(s) are you most passionate about?

Women Empowerment, Destigmatizing Mental Health, Addressing Racism and Sexism, Domestic and Sexual Violence

What was your career before becoming a mental health practitioner?

One and only career

What is your favorite food?

Burritos, Korean BBQ and Caramel Custard

What is your favorite book?

A Thousand Splendid Suns: by Khaled Hosseini

What is your favorite movie?

Queen (Bollywood movie)

What was your favorite toy as a child?

A small toy-car gifted by my family on which I would travel around the house all my childhood.

When are you at your most creative?

When I feel the least pressure to be creative

What motivates you?

Waking up every morning with the ability to feel and think motivates me to be there for others.

Tell us about someone who inspires you … past or present.

I am inspired by my family’s acculturative journey to America from Africa and Lebanon.

Name one guilty pleasure, past or present.

Shopping for clothes while listening to dance-y bollywood songs.

Describe one of your first few jobs.

Volunteering at a carnival

What’s one fun thing you wish you could do more of?

Definitely indulge in a lot more humor- by watching more of comedy or surrounding myself with people who get me laughing

What made you want to become a mental health practitioner?

Volunteering at a suicide prevention helpline after being motivated by a college senior’s Facebook profile

What makes Well Clinic different?

It is a community-like structure where everyone is of great support to each other. The emails in itself create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

MANALI’S APPROACH TO THERAPY

My goal is to provide space to individuals to process their emotional world, relationship issues, identity development, life transitions and past experiences of trauma. We can together make use of this space to bring our focus onto our internal self and explore healthy ways of coping.

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