Looking for a therapist near you? I am a counsellor in Bengaluru for adults 25 to 45, English or Hindi, video or in person. First conversation is free, booked through a form.
Short answer. If you typed 'therapist near me' and you are in Bengaluru, I can see you as a counsellor. Adults 25 to 45, English or Hindi, video or in person. A first conversation is thirty minutes and free, and you book it through a form.
In short:
Words matter here. I am a counsellor, which means we sit together in conversation and look closely at what keeps repeating, what feels missing, and what you want more of in your days, without diagnosing or promising a fast turn, because real change tends to be slow and ordinary work.
People use therapist as a casual label online, and it points to talking help. I will keep using counsellor for myself. My work is with adults roughly 25 to 45, in English and Hindi, over video or in person in Bengaluru, and I cannot prescribe because I am not a doctor, so if medication is on your mind we plan a medical consult.
Begin with the form. The first conversation is thirty minutes and free, and we use it to hear what is going on, what you are hoping to shift or understand, and whether my way of working fits your pace and practical life right now, without committing you to anything beyond that half hour.
After that, if you want to continue, we agree on video or in person and set a regular time that you can keep most weeks. I will say clearly what I can offer and what I will not do, and I will also ask what you want from me when you feel stuck or avoidant.
Adults only, 25 to 45. That keeps the room coherent, because the strain points, routines, and freedoms in those years have a flavour of their own, and it lets me stay honest about what I practise well rather than pretending range across life stages I do not work in.
If you are in immediate danger, or you cannot keep yourself safe through the day or night, please use Tele-MANAS at 14416 or go to the nearest hospital. I also will not write diagnosis letters for HR or insurance, and if you want formal assessment or medication we plan a referral to a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist.
Look at your days. If the same argument, the same shutdown, or the same late-night spiral keeps winning, and you want a steady place to say it aloud and try small, boring experiments that change what you actually do on Tuesday, this room tends to help because attention has weight.
Start by reading a piece that fits your doubt. If life feels colourless more than sad, try Depression as flatness rather than sadness. Worried you are making a fuss, read Do I need therapy or am I overreacting?. Those might do enough on their own this week.
Money and time are real constraints. If you are weighing whether to spend them here, read Is therapy even worth it? and What does online counselling in India cost, and how do you judge. Those are plain and specific, and they might save you from booking with me.
Choose what steadies you. Some people think clearly when they have a regular chair in a real room and a commute that marks the edge of their day, and some think clearly when they can sit at home in pyjamas and close the tab two minutes later because their life crowding starts again fast.
In person is in Bengaluru. Video helps if crossing the city would cost you the last of your patience that week, and we decide language each time if code-switching fits your head better. If traffic or weather blows up your day, the screen keeps the slot alive rather than feeding the cancel spiral that makes you feel worse.
Rafiq means companion. The name comes from my podcast, which has been running since 2020, and that word fits how I work: I walk with you, I do not try to fix you, and when I think something needs saying I say it in plain words and then we see what lands.
I also host a small gathering in a cafe in HSR, Bengaluru. Five or so people, loose conversation, and the day shifts each week. It is not counselling, and it suits you if you want company without the weight of a session, or you want to test how it feels to speak around strangers without performance.
Since 2015 I have worked with more than 140 people. If you want to talk, use the form and we will set a free thirty-minute first conversation. Then you can decide with a clear head whether Rafiq is where you spend your attention here next.
Are you a therapist or a counsellor?
I am a counsellor. People say therapist casually online, and they usually mean talking help. My work is conversation-based and focused on patterns and choices, without diagnosis or promises to fix you. If you need a prescription or a formal assessment, that is a doctor or a clinical psychologist; I can refer.
Do you diagnose depression or anxiety?
No. I do not diagnose. We can still work with flatness, dread, sleep, or the heavy fog that makes days blur, and we can talk about how those states move. If a formal diagnosis would help with medication or paperwork, I will point you to a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist. Read Burnout and depression look the same from the inside on my site.
How soon can I feel better, and how many sessions?
Humans change unevenly. Some people feel relief when they finally say things out loud in a room that holds. Others take longer to notice any shift. I do not promise timelines or outcomes. We review as we go and decide whether to continue. The first conversation is free and is there to help you decide with a cooler head.
Can you prescribe medication or write diagnosis letters?
I am not a doctor and cannot prescribe. I also do not write diagnosis letters for HR or insurance. If medication or paperwork is needed, a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist is the right doorway, and I will help you plan that alongside counselling if you want to keep working here.
What if I need help today?
If you feel unsafe or in immediate danger, please call Tele-MANAS on 14416 or go to the nearest hospital. That service runs 24/7 and is free. My calendar cannot handle emergencies. If you want to speak with me later, book the free first conversation through the form once you are steady enough to plan.
Do you work over video if I am not in Bengaluru?
Yes. I work over video in English and Hindi. If the commute or location makes in-person hard, video is a good option. We can decide language each time. If you prefer the feel of a real room and a regular chair, in person in Bengaluru is available when a slot lines up.
Written by Satlaj Sachan, a counsellor in Bengaluru working Book a first conversation.