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Barkha has a Masters’ degrees in Clinical Psychology (University of Pune) and in Counseling Psychology (Texas Woman’s University, USA), and has 18+ years of experience in the mental health field, working extensively in the US and in India.

She is a Relational Cultural Therapist who does affect-oriented work, and is also trained in Emotion-focused therapy. Barkha later also included Emotion-focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) in her work, and now combines EFCT and Gottman techniques in her work with couples. Barkha integrates process-oriented therapy and here-and-now work to attune with couples, and has experience working with heterosexual and same-sex partners.

Unalome is Barkha’s brain child which she started in January 2020. Unalome has brought together psychologists and psychiatrists to provide holistic therapy and wellness to the community through individual, family and group therapy. Unalome focuses on process-based therapy – something Barkha is proficient in and trains the whole team on regularly. 

Barkha is also the Founder Director of Aks Foundation, which is an NGO that provides compassionate, comprehensive services to those impacted by Gender Based Violence.   She is an expert consultant on POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment Law), POCSO (Protection of Children against Sexual Offences) and Mental Health with corporates and schools, around Pune city and across the country. 

In the US, she worked as a staff counselor with Denton County Friends of the Family, working specifically with trauma, and also pioneered Project REV – Resources for Ending Violence – as a campus counselor. 

In the past Barkha has headed the Counselling Department at Mercedes-Benz International School (Now MIS) for 8 years and worked primarily with children and families.

When not at Unalome, Barkha loves travelling solo, trying different cuisines, writing stand-up comedy material (that she will never perform!) and of course spending time with Zimbardo and Zoe, her retrievers who are the loves of her life (you will get to see them at the Center now and again!).    

Additional Trainings & Certifications:  

• AAIE- The Association of Advancement of International Education- International Child Protection Leadership Certification- 2 day workshop, 2016. Certificate course Advances in Trauma Therapy- Cape Cod Institute, Massachusetts – 5-day workshop, July 2017. 
• Certificate course in Narrative Therapy – Ummeed Child Development Centre- 2-day workshop, Oct 2015.  
• Certificate in Emotion Focused Therapy- Level 1, 3-day workshop Caperspring, Singapore through the Association of Emotion Focused Therapy, USA, Dec 2015. 
• International Baccalaureate workshop- IB DP Psychology workshops- Category 1 (Zurich, 2012) and Category 2 (Hong Kong, 2014). 
• SAIBSA Job Alike Conference in Mumbai, Feb 2013. 
• International Baccalaureate certificate in International Mindedness- Renaissance College Hong Kong, Oct 2011. 
• 4th Annual Statewide BIPP Conference – Battering Intervention and Prevention Program Conference- for continued education in working with perpetrators of domestic violence, Apr 2007. 
• Training on Diversity in the workplace at Friends of the Family, Sept 2007.  
• Workshop on working with Self Injurers- University of Behavioural Health, Jun 2007. 
• Using strengths to work with Domestic Violence Workshop, July 2007. 
• The Broader Scope of Relationship Violence Conference, Oct 2007.