Smiley Chakraborty

Smiley holds an MSc. in Psychology from the Indian Institute of Psychology and Research, Bangalore, and a B.A. in Psychology, English Literature and Journalism from Jain University, Bangalore. She has an advanced diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy along with a certification in Psychological First Aid from the John Hopkins University. She has about 3 years of experience in the field of mental health.

Smiley has over 500 hours of on-ground experience dealing with clinical and non-clinical clients across different hospital and online settings. She has worked with leading psychiatrists in different hospitals, assisting in counselling, assessments, psychiatric interventions such as ECT and Ketamine therapy, as well as collective diagnoses of various clients. As part of her private practice, Smiley has worked with clients with a wide range of concerns such as anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, relationship and family dynamics, work-related stress, grief, guilt, trauma, and life transitions. Her diverse clientele has consisted of various age groups, cultural backgrounds, and geographical locations, both within the country and abroad, allowing her to develop a deep understanding of the complexities of human experience in a multicultural context. Her skills entail a strong background in various therapy models, assessments and techniques including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Person Centred Therapy. While she generally takes an eclectic approach, tailoring her methods to the unique needs of each client, her approach is more CBT leaning.

Smiley also possesses extensive training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). She has worked with a U.S.-based company to develop an AI-driven tool designed to identify various behaviours in children with autism. Additionally, she also has experience as a conversation designer for chatbots offering mental health services.

Smiley is known for her empathetic, warm, and welcoming approach, creating a comfortable environment where clients feel truly heard and supported. She views therapy as a journey towards greater self-awareness, believing that increased understanding of oneself often leads to the discovery of solutions to life's challenges.