therapy with neda

Room to untangle what’s weighing on you

Online therapy for adults dealing with anxiety, low mood, burnout, trauma, grief and the everyday pressure of holding it all together. Rooted in CBT, trauma-focused CBT and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.

Book a 30-minute discovery call About me
  • More than ten years in practice
  • Sessions online, for adults
  • Clients in India and worldwide
Neda Ansaari, therapist
Neda Ansaari MA Clinical Psychology, The Chicago School PhD scholar, Christ (Deemed to be) University

Hello, I’m Neda

I’m Neda Ansaari, a therapist with more than a decade of experience supporting adults in India and around the world. I trained in clinical psychology with a counseling specialization at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and began my career as a trauma counselor at a domestic violence shelter in Chicago.

Since then I’ve worked as a school counselor in Pune, led therapy and counseling teams at 1to1Help, Cult.Fit and Kaha Mind, and supervised other counselors along the way.

Alongside my practice, I’m a PhD scholar in Psychology at Christ (Deemed to be) University in Bangalore. My research looks at digital mindfulness-based programs for perinatal depression and women’s mental health, which keeps my clinical work grounded in evidence.

In sessions I draw on CBT, trauma-focused CBT and MBCT, adapted to the person in front of me. My aim is to give you a place to slow down, make sense of what you’re feeling, and build skills that last beyond the session.

How I can help

Individual therapy

One-to-one online sessions for adults, using CBT, trauma-focused CBT and MBCT. We start by understanding what you’re facing and what you’d like to change, then work on it together at a pace that feels manageable.

Book a discovery call

Supervision for counselors

A space to talk through cases, strengthen your clinical skills and reflect on your practice.

Ask about supervision

What brings people to therapy

  • Anxiety and overthinking
  • Depression and low mood
  • Stress and burnout
  • Self-esteem and confidence
  • Trauma and PTSD
  • Grief and loss
  • Abuse and emotional trauma
  • Work stress and career concerns

My research focuses on women’s mental health, including pregnancy and the postpartum period.

How it works

  1. Book a discovery callChoose a time that suits you. The call lasts 30 minutes.
  2. Talk it throughTell me what’s going on and ask anything you like. Together we decide whether we’re a good fit.
  3. Begin sessionsIf it feels right, we schedule your first session. Session details are shared on the call.

Start with a conversation

The discovery call is a chance to tell me what’s going on, ask your questions and see whether we’re a good fit. Sessions are booked after the call.

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Research

My doctoral work asks whether digital, mindfulness-based programs can help prevent postpartum depression and support women as they return to work after childbirth.

My complete, up-to-date publication list is on Google Scholar.

View my Google Scholar profile

  1. Efficacy of digital MBCT-PD in preventing postpartum depression and enhancing work motivation: a study protocol

    Ansaari N., Kuruveettissery S., Muralidhar A.

    Mental Health & Prevention, 2025, article 200392

    Protocol for a randomized trial in urban India, where 80 pregnant women receive either a digital MBCT program or enhanced treatment as usual.

  2. Efficacy of in-person versus digital mental health interventions for postpartum depression: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

    Ansaari N., Rajan S.K., Kuruveettissery S.

    Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 2024

    Across trials from 2013 to 2023 the overall effect was moderate (g = −0.69). Digital interventions showed a larger effect (g = −0.86) than in-person ones (g = −0.55), with substantial variation between studies.

Notes on mental health

Short, practical reads on things people often bring to therapy.

Overthinking or problem-solving? How to tell the difference Both involve a busy mind. Only one leaves you with a next step. 2 min read

Problem-solving has a direction. You turn a difficulty over, land on something you can do, and the thought quiets down once you’ve done it or decided to leave it. Overthinking loops. The same questions come back in new clothes, you rehearse conversations that haven’t happened, and the more you think the less certain you feel.

A simple check: after ten minutes of thinking, do you have a next step? If so, write it down and schedule it. If not, the thinking has probably become worry or rumination, and more of it won’t help.

Three things that often do help: notice the pattern and name it (“I’m looping again”); move your attention somewhere concrete, such as your breath, your feet on the floor or a short walk; and if worries keep arriving, give them a set time, say fifteen minutes in the evening, and postpone them until then.

If overthinking is taking up most of your days, disturbing your sleep or making decisions feel impossible, therapy can help. CBT-based approaches are well suited to this.

What is MBCT, and who is it for? A structured program that combines cognitive therapy with mindfulness practice. 2 min read

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) blends the tools of cognitive behavioural therapy with mindfulness practice. It was developed to help people who have had repeated episodes of depression stay well, and it is usually taught as an eight-week program.

The core idea is that low mood tends to pull us into familiar thought spirals. MBCT teaches you to notice those patterns early, to see thoughts as passing mental events rather than facts, and to respond with more choice and less autopilot.

Research has shown that MBCT can lower the risk of depressive relapse in people with recurrent depression, and it is now used for other concerns too, including anxiety and stress. Mindfulness is not about emptying the mind or feeling calm on demand. It is about noticing what is already there, kindly and without rushing to fix it.

MBCT is not a substitute for urgent care. If you are in crisis, please contact emergency services or a crisis line first. It is one of the approaches I use in my work and the focus of my research.

Stress or burnout? Why rest alone doesn’t always fix it Knowing which one you’re dealing with changes what helps. 2 min read

Stress usually means too much: too many demands, too little time, and a feeling of being pulled in every direction. Burnout looks different. The World Health Organization describes it as an occupational phenomenon that comes from chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed, marked by exhaustion, growing mental distance or cynicism about your work, and reduced effectiveness.

That is why a weekend off may not touch it. When you are burnt out, rest helps, but so does looking at what is driving the exhaustion: workload, lack of control, unclear expectations, or the habit of treating every request as urgent.

Small changes can begin to shift things. Protect one real break each day. Notice where you can say no or ask for something to change. Pay attention to how your body responds, since poor sleep, irritability and constant tiredness are common early signs. Talking it through with a friend, a manager you trust or a therapist often makes the options clearer.

If work stress is spilling into your health or your relationships, it’s worth getting support sooner rather than later.

Podcast and videos

Conversations about mental health, with a focus on maternal mental health.

Episodes are on the way. In the meantime, you’ll find short videos on Instagram.

Other questions

For anything that isn’t about booking, such as supervision, collaborations, speaking or press, write to me.