How Aanandita Vaghani With UnFix Your Feelings Is Changing The Approach To Therapy

Mental health continues to be a topic often misunderstood or overlooked, despite its profound impact on daily life. Aanandita Vaghani, Founder and Mental Health Counselor at UnFix Your Feelings, is working to change that narrative. Through her approach, therapy is not about “fixing” people but about helping them reconnect with themselves, navigate modern-life stressors, and build emotional resilience. In this conversation, she shares her perspectives on redefining mental health care, breaking stigma, and fostering greater understanding and well-being in everyday life.

Below are excerpts from her conversation on how UnFix Your Feelings is helping shift perceptions around therapy in India. With a rich background in psychology and hands-on experience supporting individuals through diverse emotional challenges, Aanandita brings both depth and empathy to her work.

1. What inspired you to start UnFix, and what gap in mental health care were you hoping to address?

UnFix was born from a simple yet powerful realization: that therapy isn’t about “fixing” people, it’s about helping them come back to themselves. While studying and working across New York and India, I saw how often people hesitated to seek help because therapy felt clinical, distant, or stigmatized. Many didn’t see themselves in the language of “disorders” and “diagnoses.”

I wanted to create a space that felt human. A space where therapy wasn’t about being labeled but about being understood. At UnFix, the goal is to make mental health care accessible, relatable, and reflective of real life - where we explore the stories we tell ourselves, reframe them, and learn to live with more awareness and ease.

2. As a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, how do you explain CBT in simple terms to someone new to therapy?

I usually describe CBT as learning to understand the conversation between your thoughts, emotions, and actions. The idea is that our thoughts shape how we feel and what we do, and when we start noticing and gently questioning unhelpful thoughts, we can begin to respond differently.

It’s not about “thinking positive.” It’s about getting curious about how your mind works, testing new ways of seeing things, and, over time, changing patterns that keep you stuck. CBT gives you both awareness and tools so your emotions feel less like they’re running the show, and more like signals you can learn from.

3. In your experience, what are some of the most common struggles people come to therapy with today, and how are these changing with modern lifestyles?

Anxiety, self-doubt, burnout, and relationship challenges are still the most common reasons people seek therapy. But the texture of these struggles is changing. Modern life is fast, hyper-connected, and often isolating. We’re constantly comparing ourselves, juggling multiple roles, and trying to live up to impossible standards of productivity and calm.

Many clients come in saying, “I’m doing everything right, but I still feel empty.” What that tells me is that people are no longer just battling external stress; they’re grappling with internal disconnection. Therapy today often becomes about slowing down, learning to tune in, and redefining what “enough” feels like in a world that keeps asking for more.

4. What do you wish more people understood about therapy and the process of seeking help?

Therapy isn’t a quick fix or a one-way conversation. It’s a process of understanding yourself with honesty and compassion. Some weeks it feels lighter, other weeks heavier, and both are part of progress.

I wish more people knew they don’t have to be in crisis to start therapy. It’s not just for when things are falling apart; it’s also for when you want to grow, communicate better, or stop repeating the same patterns. Finding the right therapist is like finding the right fit for a pair of shoes; it should feel supportive, not restrictive. The courage to start is already a big part of the healing.

5. Caregivers and families often struggle alongside loved ones with mental health challenges. What advice would you give them?

Supporting someone with mental health struggles can be incredibly meaningful, but also exhausting. My biggest advice is: don’t forget yourself in the process. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

Try to separate “supporting” from “saving.” You can walk beside your loved one, but you can’t walk for them. Learn about the condition if you can, set gentle boundaries, and remember that empathy doesn’t mean over-involvement. Seek your own support too, whether that’s therapy, reading, or peer groups.

Most importantly, know that it’s okay to feel frustrated, helpless, or tired. Caring deeply comes with complexity. The goal isn’t to do it perfectly -it’s to stay connected, even in imperfection.

6. What is your vision for UnFix in the coming years, and how do you hope to shape the conversation around mental health in India?

My vision for UnFix is to help redefine what therapy looks and feels like in India. I want people to see mental health care not as a last resort, but as a natural part of life, as normal as going to the gym or visiting a doctor. Over the next few years, I see UnFix growing into a network of safe, aesthetic, and accessible spaces across cities - places that blend clinical depth with warmth and creativity. I also hope to keep building awareness through workshops, schools, and digital storytelling, bringing therapy into everyday conversations rather than keeping it behind closed doors.

Ultimately, I want UnFix to help shift the narrative from “mental illness” to “mental wellness” - from fixing to understanding, from shame to empathy, from silence to language.