At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Itu Vaish Gupta for an exclusive interview with us. Itu is an Entrepreneur, Life Coach, Counsellor and Founder of blissinyou.com. Let’s learn more about her background, journey and her advice for our community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Itu:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
My professional journey so far has helped me cross-pollinate ideas across a wide variety of industry sectors, including fashion, information technology, teaching, social services, counselling and mental health.
After my undergraduate degree from Lady Irwin College, Delhi University, I moved to the USA. I was recruited to join Hewitt Associates who funded my Master’s in Computer Applications course at DePaul University, Chicago. I worked as a systems analyst helping set up benefits systems for their various major clients using SAS and Cobol.
Thereafter, in the quest for more meaning in life, I moved to India, started volunteering for social service groups, joined Teach India, the Times of India corporate social responsibility division.
Furthermore, I moved to Singapore and did my Master’s in Counseling and Guidance at James Cook University. I started my journey as a mental health counsellor. My first clients were young adults struggling with autism. I felt in touch with the true realities of life.
After living for four years in Singapore, I moved back to the USA, with my family and started my own counselling practice online- (blissinyou.com). As a part of my continuing education, I joined the American Counseling Association and the International Association of Counselors, and received certification from the Beck’s Institute in Cognitive Behavior Therapy.
How did you discover your passion?
While working in a corporate job, I felt like a part of a big machine, where every person seemed to be a nut or a bolt, grinding in a giant wheel. I was sure life had a bigger meaning than that, and I started volunteering at a women’s shelter part-time. I was persistent in trying to find a solution to their life’s challenges.
I moved to India with my family including my two young children, after living 12 years in Chicago and the Bay Area of California. I realized how important the sense of belonging was to me, and I wanted to give that feeling to my children by raising them in their roots of origin, which was India.
I lived in India for 8 years, and worked at Teach India, a Times of India corporate social responsibility venture, while still volunteering at various other places, teaching and guiding in various life skills. Furthermore, we moved to Singapore and I joined a Master’s program in Counselling and Guidance at James Cook University.
This helped me gain insight into the mental health industry. I started working professionally with clients having mental health issues including behavioural, relationship, and many others. Helping people improve and be able to live better lives gives me a lot of happiness. It’s truly meaningful work for me.
In due course of time, these initiatives helped me identify the areas of my core passion – counselling and guidance. It was essentially about arriving at a destination to explore what really resonated with my personality and life choices.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
Challenges are stepping stones to success. I believe in not giving up, despite any circumstances. Every difficult situation comes with great life lessons, an opportunity to learn and grow.
Every time I face a difficult situation, I get stronger and more determined to get to my desired destination making necessary changes along the way.
I believe in living a happy life and that’s the first principle of my practice blissinyou.com. I believe all people are capable of change. It is important to understand people are shaped by their experiences and circumstances.
At Blissinyou, we envision a world in which all people have access to treatment that can help them improve their mental and emotional health and achieve harmony. Healing themselves first and then later promoting healthier families and communities.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
My life changed many times – my husband Rohit and my children Mehul and Mayuri – were constantly with me in my adventures and explorations of life.
We all went through the rollercoaster of life’s adventures on different continents, navigating through different cultures at different stages of life, all by choice. I realized that the love and support of your dear ones can really help move mountains and stay strong.
While in my journey through the different phases of life, I was also able to see the true colours in people, how they changed and our relationship changed based on their needs.
To be honest, real relationships are only visible in tough situations and that’s when you realize you only have a handful of people around you who you can trust. I have been very fortunate to always have my family, and particularly my twins, who always kept me filled with love. Their love has kept me smiling, shining, and warm. Both my parents have been very supportive in my life.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
1. Follow your passion, don’t compromise on education and life’s experiences.
2. Never give up! When one door closes, many will open simultaneously. Keep trying to get better every time you fail, and learn from your mistakes.
3. Do not sit and wait for opportunities to come to you. Be a go-getter. Seek opportunities, build contacts, develop skills and grow continuously.
4. Keep a positive attitude. Find goodness in people and good things will happen to you.
5. Live the best life, and find joy in everything.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
Getting great feedback from those who have been inspired through my website blissinyou blogs content and through my coaching sessions amps up my energy to deliver more value to them.
Seeing shifts in them and in their journey makes it satisfying because I see them overcoming their issues as my success, and their breakthroughs in happiness as mine.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
