At BrilliantRead Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited Sunita Rajesh for an interview with BrilliantRead Media. She is an Entrepreneur, Coach, Mentor, Trainer, Therapist and Influencer. Let’s learn more about her background, her inspiring journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Sunita:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
As a child, I was interested in only three things: Law, Psychology and Teaching. After graduation, I became an Associate Company Secretary and a General Law Graduate. I worked in JM Financial and then shifted to Dubai after marriage. I used to teach my friends in school and later I started reading to children with special abilities in my son’s school in Dubai.
So, in this way, I pursued my dreams in Law and teaching. Now the only thing remaining was psychology. So, I started doing all the courses mentioned below. This is my second innings now and am really enjoying the field of Coaching and Therapy.
I am an NLP trainer, life Coach and therapist. I have done various courses like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) where we work on self-limiting thoughts, Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), where we go into the subconscious mind to understand past traumas and Beliefs, Emotion-Focused therapy (EFT) and Emotional Intelligence program (EI) which deals in emotions and helps in couple counselling, Subconscious Habit Mastery (deals in ways to come out of negative habits), Motivational Interviewing program ( deals in motivating people to move forward), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (DBT&ACT) where we deal with acceptance of your current situation and then try to change for the better.
As you can see, I have done various courses relating to psychology. I believe all my clients have the power to take the right decisions regarding their life. I do not advise, I only facilitate. I make my clients strong enough so that they can take their own decisions. I have given a talk on Beliefs and Patterns in MFA company and Happyness factory, Vile Parle Mumbai.
I am available for online one-to-one coaching and counselling. My knowledge and experience in Reiki, the Art of Living, Pranic healing and other social activities have made me a more empathetic and compassionate person.
How did you discover your passion as a ‘Coach’?
As a child, my friends used to come to me with their problems. The human mind always intrigued me. I used to read a lot about the human mind and how it works. As explained earlier, I wanted to go further in the field of psychology. So, when the opportunity arose, I grabbed it with both my hands.
I did all these courses, met a lot of wonderful people along the way, learned a lot from my clients too. Helping people deal with their problems and the gratitude, love and affection they shower me, kindles my passion in this field.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
The biggest challenge I face is the taboo around counselling. People even today hesitate to see a therapist. They have the fear that they will be labelled as mad or having mental problems.
Secondly, people feel that they don’t need professional help, that they can always turn to their close friends, or family or elders for help. The truth is that even if you have close friends and family, sometimes they are biased and give wrong advice. E.g., I had a client who was on the verge of divorce when she came to me. I realized her close friend, whom she used to go to vent out was a single woman and at every stage used to tell her to leave her husband. After doing some sessions with her, she herself concluded that her marriage was worth fighting for.
Secondly, sometimes there is a danger that your secret will be revealed or used against you in a fight, or sometimes the relationship changes and then you may regret that you confided in that person.
Thirdly, there is fear of being judged. This is where a professional therapist enters the picture. A therapist will not judge you; your privacy is maintained and there is no personal bias. I know I can help people make their life easier and more comfortable, so feel very sad when people don’t seek professional help when needed. Wherever possible I educate people on the above. The Millennials and Gen Z are more open to therapy however Gen X we must educate them. Now through this interview, I hope many more will realize it. My desire to help people drives me forward and keeps me going.
What do you think is the most important thing that a life coach can help their clients with?
Each client comes with a different problem. However, I believe the most important thing I can help my clients with is, to find their purpose in life. Most of the time, people go through life without knowing what they really want. I can help my clients figure out their dreams, aspirations and passions and help them to turn those passions into a career or bring meaning to their lives.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
The main strategies that helped me grow as a person are:
> Honesty
> Respect myself and others
> Willingness to accept mistakes.
> Willingness to change.
> Knowing that life is not black and white, there are shades of grey in it.
> Efficient usage of time
> Proper planning and execution
> Courage to take responsibility for my actions.
In your opinion, what do you think are the most important qualities of a successful Life Coach and therapist?
For me, the main keys to success are:
– Hard work
– Honesty towards your clients
– Good Listening skills
– Being non-judgmental
– Caring for my client’s wellbeing.
– To be compassionate, empathetic, and understanding.
– Good communication skills, ability to build rapport.
– The ability to help people set and achieve their goals.
– Willing to accept responsibility for your mistakes.
– Secrecy is maintained at all costs.
What do you think are the biggest challenges that people face when trying to make changes in their lives?
Some of the challenges that people face are:
~ Fear of failure
~ Being judged
~ Rejection
~ Lack of motivation
~ Past trauma affecting their present
~ Procrastination
~ Lack of confidence
~ Lack of support from family and friends
~ Negative thoughts
~ Negative Beliefs
~ Lack of resources
~ Lack of time
What do you think are the biggest mistakes that people make when trying to improve their lives?
Some common mistakes people make are:
1) Not having a clear goal or plan.
2) Setting unrealistic goals
3) Setting goals based on what others are doing or what the family wants you to do, without giving importance to what you really want.
4) Giving up easily
5) Lack of determination and focus.
6) Lacking belief in oneself
What advice would you give to our readers?
When you fall sick, you go to the doctor. You have no qualms about telling people also that you went to see the doctor. In so same way, when you are mentally disturbed, you should go for counseling or coaching. There is nothing to be ashamed of.
Good mental health leads to good physical well-being and good relationships too. If you are happy and at peace, your near and dear ones are also happy.
Finally, what part of your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
The most satisfying part of my profession is the positive feedback from my clients. They get so overwhelmed with emotions, start crying and thank me again and again for making their life enriching and joyful. Nothing can beat that feeling.
Today what is needed most is how to handle stress. Stress has become a way of life no matter which profession you belong to. You have personal stress, professional stress, financial stress, physical stress etc. I feel happy that I am contributing to society’s wellbeing in my small way. At the end of the day, I feel good that I have touched many people’s lives and made them happier.
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.
