Anonymous

I used to volunteer as a counselor for simple issues people have. Counseled for 100+ people in 5 years. Mostly listening therapy and talk therapy.

When I suffered myself, I was failing to help myself even after having some idea of psychology. Got connected to a very good psychological counselor in the beginning while the situation kept deteriorating. Probably because of the counselor, I kept surviving while deteriorating with deteriorating situations, but it's surely because of counselor that I recovered rather than collapsing. I was diagnosed borderline personality disorder by psychiatrist (and bells pallsy which was most probably stress induced) and I was hopeless of mental recovery but counseling always helped, supported and developed hope. I choose to not take medicine prescribed by a psychiatrist (with medicine dispensing strategy for suicidal individuals) and try counselor help only for 3 months and continue if it benefits. It was of basic listening therapy, talk therapy, various 100 simple tasks, CBT and DBT combined with the huge patience of counselor and it helped a lot. I recovered fully in 8-9 months while parallelly my situation (cause of stress) also went well and Bell's palsy resolved in 2 months along with that.(Psychology is not for bells palsy but counselor can help any physically/ mentally sick person).

Did time helped?
Did improved situations helped?
Or Did counselor helped?

I believe the biggest role was of counselor, for two reasons.
1) It must have accelerated healing.
2) It surely protected me from collapse.

It's same as what's meds do. 50% of allopathic meds don't have strong/much evidence (kind of pseudoscience). 80% of all illnesses are resolved by themselves (I am avoiding to search for reference, discussed in one forum a few years back). Allopathic meds in case of those 80% diseases that can be solved by time alone but allopathy (evidence based and also those effective but evidence not yet) accelerates healing.

A lot of psychology is evidence based now, but surely practitioner biases and other biases are possible for less effect but still its very good and useful.

I am very thankful to my counselor and sharing here her contact as currently she volunteer to help people. Still a learner.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/narmeen-shah

Anonymous

Hello! Miss Sunshine.

Hope you are doing well. My couselor a small gratitude note to you. My sunshine counselor.....who.....literally saved me or else I would have end up in a disposal bag. Lol...Jokes apart.

Thank you for dealing with all my crap...emotions cringy weird thoughts. My anxiety and even with my low-self esteem.

I was going through such a bad phase of my life when I literally felt I was good for nothing. My anxiety, stress was out of control and even I was unable to hold a grudge even on my emotions.

Despite being such a turmoil chaos I was going through I ended up at yoyr doorsteps and you being my counselor gave me abundance of love in a form of therapy, had patience on me, u believed on me.

Thank you! for bearing me up with a glimpse of thought that I do have a worth! I am still on my healing journey but I have come a long way.

Kuddos to you...Counselor.

Anonymous

My life was a wreck and to a point where it stagnated. I was sure that may be six months down the line from that point I would have given up. I know for sure I needed help and one of my friends sugeested talking to Narmeen, initially it was difficult but she has helped me walk through priorities, helped me identify various patterns that I have been doing in my life among other things. These sessions have helped me a lot in restructuring my life. It's been quite some time since I joined her for these sessions and there is gradual difference that has happened and is still happening which I could see within myself. Although I haven't yet broken my patterns completely, I am on the path to break them and make new patterns which is helping me to change the outlook of my life in a much more positive way. I would advise everyone to reach out to her If you are facing similar issues.

Anonymous

Hello mam,
I don't understand where to start.

Ok Start:
I am a medical student. I get only 4 attempts in 2nd year exam in college. If you are not able to pass in 4 attempts then you will be dropout from college. Same happen to me then I come back home. I had a very cute girlfriend in college. After leaving college, a lot of problems started that what should I do now. I was just facing all this one day my girlfriend said that she is no longer with me and said that there is a lot of struggle in your life and I can't struggle with you and she blocked me everywhere. I tried a lot that she should talk to me but she never talked to me.

All this happened suddenly in my life and when I went into depression even I try to kill my self twice. I shouldn't have done this but at that time it seemed right to me. One day I was very depress if a college friend of mine doesn't pick up my phone at 3'clock in the night so may be I would not have been writing this short story today. First time I told him what I am facing since 2 years. He explained to me a lot then he prefer me to Narmeen mam.

Narmeen mam->
What can I tell about mam. She is ultimate person. You are a Goddess to me. First time on 9march I talked to mam, that day i spoke for 4 hours and mam listened to everything patiently. Then many sessions happened she explained a lot and told some exercises like breathing exercises, writing, book reading, meditation, workout. I did all this trust me it help me a lot. It was not that everything suddenly went well, it took time and panic attacks, break downs, depression all this subsided. Now I feel bad just thinking about how low I had put myself at that time. Mam helped me a lot to get out of this bad condition. My confidence level gets boosted by just talking to mam because her voice has a lot of positivity. No matter how much I can praise for mam it is less. I am very thankful to you.

I went back to college to complete my medical studies because the university change the 4 attempts rule to 6 attempts.

What I learn from my past:
-> If you fail now, work 10 times harder than before, get up 2 hours earlier than before, think 4 times bigger than before.
-> Take your failure as a motivation. Make your self more stronger and more motivated.
-> Everyone will experience failure in their journey but those who move forward by becoming brave and who are ready to work extra more hours than before can only experience a better future.
-> Bad time don't last forever. It teaches us a lot that's why bad time come in life too.

Your warrior!

Anonymous

I used to take pride in the fact that I was emotionally strong... And strong I was until I broke & the floodgates opened!

Having Narmeen Shah as my psychological counselor was and is a blessing!

She makes me realize that there is strength in vulnerability. Her practical yet calm approach is the light in the dark tunnel, not the one that shows up only at the end but the one that's always there; Guiding!

Anonymous

Narmeen ji, you are a gifted counsellor, especially your ability to help the subject open up.

Your ability to see through stereotypes makes you an asset for counselling behavioral outliers, who may be normal otherwise but don't fit social norms.

Development? Well, be more assertive about your professional opinion. And be skeptic about established practices / protocols.

As for effectiveness? Short term is exemplary. Long term - I will let you know after 45!

Anonymous

Before counseling and meditation my inner peace and strength was very disturbed that disturbed my mind. After counseling my body diverted and I feel waaoooo feeling Alhumdulillah. Now I manage my stress very calmly and smartly. Infact thanks God I completed my counseling sessions and I learn a lot very affective techniques and I still work on it. Thanks Narmeen for continued support since last 8 months. I will be in touch.

Anonymous

Counseling se pehle meri life me bahut Problem thi. Anxiety ki wajah se mujhe samjh nahi a raha ke use kese sahi karun life men jeene ki iccha khatam ho gai thi. Fhir mujhe Narmeen Ji mili. unki help se mujhe anxiety ko kese calm karte hai wo seekha or ab meri life hange ho gai hai after counseling. Thanks Narmeen Ji apne mujhe continued help kiya 2 month session and abhi mai bhut happy hu apne life se only for you mam.

Anonymous

Respected Madam
I have two daughters. They are 18yrs and 15 yrs old. Last year I was very upset regarding my elder daughter. Her health condition wasn't good. We went to local doctor but we didn't get proper treatment. Our Anxiety goes on. Education get affected.

Afterwards she had a proper health check up and we come to know about you.

My daughter used to watch mobile phone a lot. She was very unhappy regarding her new school. Mathematics is very tough to her. Her sleep cycle was irregular. She likes sweet dishes very much which is not good for health.

The day when she has started talking to you my daughter feels happy. Currently she didn't have mobile recharge (using my data). She watch mobile less. She wants to go to school. She keeps her books properly. She plays guitar.