Hello, I'm Shefali.

Counsellor & Psychotherapist Bengaluru, India |
Online & In-Person Therapy

I’m a Counsellor & Psychotherapist offering in-person sessions in Kalyan Nagar, Bengaluru, and online counselling across India and for Indians living abroad.

I believe therapy begins with being able to show up as you are — without needing to explain everything perfectly.

Together, we gently explore what you’re experiencing, the feelings and patterns beneath it, and the experiences that may have shaped the way you see yourself and relate to others.

What I bring to the room is also shaped by more than two decades of experience in people development and corporate leadership.

Those years have given me a deep understanding of change, pressure, responsibility and the many different roles we find ourselves navigating in life.

My journey into counselling brought together that experience with a deeper interest in people, relationships and what makes meaningful change possible.

My practice is inspired by the Parijat flower — known as Shefali in Bengali. It blooms quietly through the night, its fragrance gradually filling the air as it comes into bloom.

For me, it is a reminder that growth doesn’t have to be loud or immediate. With the right conditions, we gradually unfold into who we are — and what grows within us can gently reach the people around us.

Training & Qualifications

MSc in Counselling & Family Therapy
Advanced Diploma in Counselling Skills
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), University of Leeds, UK
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), with a trauma-informed lens
WHO Quality Rights: Mental Health, Recovery and Community Inclusion
MBA

Awards & Recognitions

I spent over 20 years in global corporate leadership, working across India, the US, UAE and Europe. Over time, I became deeply interested in what people experience beneath the pressures of work and everyday life.
I returned to study counselling, psychology and therapy, and went on to work in mental health hospitals and rehabilitation centres. Today, I bring these experiences together to offer a calm, confidential space for meaningful conversations and change.

20+ years in global corporate leadership
Leadership experience across major organisations
Worked across India, US, UAE and Europe
Experience in mental health hospitals and rehabilitation centres
Counselling and therapy training

I use an EFT-informed approach to create a calm, confidential and unhurried space where you can explore your emotions, relationships and what truly matters to you. I believe meaningful conversations begin with feeling heard, understood and safe enough to be yourself.

Perhaps you've been holding a lot for a while. Life can ask so much of us.

You may be navigating a difficult transition, feeling anxious or overwhelmed, or carrying stress that has been building for a while. Perhaps something in a relationship or marriage has become difficult — recurring disagreements, distance, uncertainty, or a feeling that you’re no longer connecting in the way you once did.

Looking Inward, With Someone Alongside You

We begin with whatever brings you here: a relationship, a transition, or a feeling you can't quite name. Often, the work takes us deeper — towards understanding yourself, healing what has shaped you, and creating different ways of relating to yourself and others.

At the heart of therapy is individual growth, healing, and more meaningful relationships.

During our sessions, I'll be there to guide and support you as you begin to look inward — to notice your thoughts, recognise and make sense of your emotions, and understand the deeper patterns that may be shaping how you respond.

Sometimes, we may gently explore the thoughts that keep you stuck. Sometimes, we may slow down enough to notice what you're feeling beneath them. We may look at your relationships, the experiences that have shaped you, or simply make room for what has been difficult to hold on your own.

With time and greater awareness, we can begin to notice the choices and actions that follow — and explore what you might want to do differently.

The process is about becoming more aware, at your own pace, with someone alongside you — so that new possibilities and meaningful change can begin to emerge.

A calm, confidential and unhurried space where you can feel heard, understood and supported.
A place to pause.
To be heard. To understand.
To find your way back to yourself
— and to each other.

Couples & Relationship Therapy

Couples and marriage counselling for recurring conflict, distance or disconnection, helping you understand your patterns and rebuild connection.

Individual Therapy

Support for anxiety, stress, low mood and overthinking: a place to understand your emotions and patterns, and explore what you'd like to change.

Support Through Life Transitions

Counselling through grief, loss, separation, relocation and other periods of change.

Children, Adolescents & Family Concerns

Counselling for children, teenagers and families navigating emotional, behavioural or relationship challenges.

Stress, Burnout & Emotional Overwhelm

Support for work stress and burnout when the demands of work or life feel too much, so you can find more sustainable ways of coping.

Supporting people and workplaces through change, pressure and complexity

Your people carry more than their job descriptions: deadlines, change, expectations, and lives outside work. I help organisations support their mental health and emotional wellbeing, so teams can work well and lead with care. Having spent over twenty years in senior leadership in global organisations, I understand those pressures from the inside.

1

Workshops & leadership training

On workplace mental health, emotional resilience, stress and burnout, and leading with care.

2

Employee counselling

Confidential, short-term support for personal or work-related challenges, using solution-focused and brief approaches.

3

Critical incident support

For teams after a distressing event: support for immediate needs, risk assessment and onward referral where appropriate.

How it works

Every programme is designed around your organisation, your people and the pressures they face. I have delivered bespoke programmes grounded in behavioural psychology for:
• Executive leadership • Customer support and service teams • Sales and frontline staff • Back-office and operations teams

Programmes run in person or online for multi-location delivery, as a single workshop or an ongoing series, and can include behavioural assessments and team sessions to understand where support is most needed.

Individual conversations stay private. Organisations receive only anonymised, overall themes, and only if agreed in advance.

Discuss a programme for your team

If you're looking for support for your people or organisation, you're welcome to get in touch for a conversation.

A few answers to help you feel comfortable before taking the first step. If you have another question, you are always welcome to reach out

How do I know if therapy is right for me?

You don't need to be in crisis or have a clearly defined problem to consider therapy. Sometimes a sense that something feels difficult, stuck, or different from how you would like it to be can be enough.

A first conversation can help you explore whether therapy feels right for you.

What happens in the first session?

The first session is an opportunity to talk about what brings you to therapy, understand a little about your experiences and what you would like to work on, and begin to get a sense of how we might work together.

You do not need to prepare. I am here to support you through the process.

How often do we meet?

The frequency of sessions depends on what you're looking for, what you're working through, and what feels appropriate for you. We can discuss this together and adjust it as your needs change.

Do you offer individual and couples therapy?

Yes. I work with individuals as well as couples and relationship concerns.

Sometimes a relationship concern may also open into deeper individual work around patterns, emotions, attachment and personal growth.

Do you offer online and in-person sessions?

Yes. Sessions are offered online, and I also offer in-person sessions in Bengaluru.

How long does therapy take?

There is no fixed timeline for therapy. The length of the process depends on what brings you to therapy, what you would like to work on, and how the work develops over time.

What are your fees?

I'm happy to share my fees during our first conversation, so you have everything you need to decide whether you would like to begin.

Where are you based, and do you offer online counselling?

I'm based in Kalyan Nagar, Bengaluru, and see clients in person there. I also offer online counselling by secure video, across India and for Indians living abroad.

Do you offer marriage counselling?

Yes. I work with couples at every stage, whether married, engaged or in a long-term relationship, around conflict, communication, trust and reconnection.

Every person’s experience of therapy is different.
These are a few words from those I’ve worked with.

"Hi Shefali, As the name resonates 'Safe Space' I felt a connect when I spoke with you for the first time It was and till date a no filter conversation that has always helped me think from a different point of view. A place where I don't get judged and a place where you are there to support me with my mental and emotional health as both of them are interested connected. Thanks for being there."

"Shefali is a one of kind therapist who has a great knack for understanding her patients and putting in a very customized approach. This is particularly unique I found as other therapists I’ve seen in the past would just go by the book and give recommendations that at times didn’t even make sense in our case. She makes a true effort at finding the root cause and working on it to improve the overall mental health. I highly recommend her emotion based therapy as it has done wonders in many ways. Thanks Shefali!"

"Ms. Shefali therapy services have worked wonders on my mental health - Working with her has been so easy, and I feel welcome to share anything that's on my mind, without judgment. These last few months have been the most challenging I’ve ever faced, and her suggestions on mindfulness have shifted my perspective on my thoughts and myself, making me a happier person than who I was before therapy. I’m very grateful to know that I have her by my side as my therapist and look forward to future sessions with her! I highly recommend Ms. Shefali Sonpar for anyone who may be thinking about starting therapy in hopes of a happier and peaceful mind!"

"As a single mom, I carried constant guilt, stress, and exhaustion—feeling like I was failing both myself and my child. Counseling with Shefali gave me tools to heal, manage emotions, and rebuild confidence. Now I feel more empowered to parent with calm, strength, and renewed hope."

"Shefali is very genuine and has a beautiful willingness to listen. It's truly rare to find someone who wants to help people the way she does. Her creativity and expertise actually make a difference."

Let's Start a Conversation

Warmly,
Shefali