The MyndStories Podcast

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Sometimes we lose ourselves in the quest to achieve our goals.  Everyday stress can turn into chronic fatigue, overwhelm can turn into exhaustion, and bad days can trickle into dysfunctionality. Before we know it, we realize we're burnt out and we simply can't continue the way it's been.  How do we recognize this early so we can prevent this? What...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Have you ever felt a song so deeply that it brought tears to your eyes? Or experienced a piece of music that seemed to understand your pain better than any words could?  In this inaugural episode of the Mynd Durbar, host Anitha Aswath takes us on a soul-stirring journey through Karuna Rasa - the emotion of compassion and sorrow in Indian classical music.  We&apos...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Smitha Murthy converses with Sumit Singla, an independent HR consultant, taking listeners on an emotional journey through life-altering experiences, the transformative power of animal companionship, and the enduring hope that keeps us moving forward.  From near-death experiences to the joys of parenthood, Sumit's story is a testament to the resilience of the...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Life can throw a lot of curveballs. There are a lot of factors that impact quality of life, but the ability to handle these emotions effectively can sometimes be the deciding factor.  How different can our life be if we’re truly able to understand ourselves, master our emotions and foster healthy relationships with the people that really matter to us? It's a...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. What happens when your body doesn't cooperate? This is Snigdha Roy's story - a raw, honest account of an eight-year battle with infertility that ends in an unexpected miracle. In this episode, Snigdha opens up to Smitha about the physical and emotional toll of her journey, challenging societal norms, and finding strength in vulnerability. Whether you&ap...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. In this deeply personal and moving episode, we sit down with the witty copywriter Shantesh Row for a raw, unscripted conversation about vulnerability, the beauty in melancholy, life's struggles and everything in between.  From navigating professional setbacks to confronting personal demons, Shantesh opens up about his journey with refreshing honesty and unex...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Have you ever had a deep, unguarded conversation with a stranger that left you feeling unexpectedly connected? That's exactly what happens in this unscripted episode of the MyndStories Minis. Smitha has an intensely candid discussion with writer Shailya Jaggi about life, fears, relationships and finding happiness - without any plan. What starts as casual int...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Conflicts. They are the inevitable speed bumps on the journey of every relationship.  How we navigate these conflicts can either strengthen the bond or slowly erode it until it frays completely. Do we shut down or lash out? People please until we're a hollowed version of ourselves? Or do we learn to embrace conflict as an opportunity for growth and understan...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. How do you manage difficult emotions? Kaajal Ahuja has some answers.  In this insightful episode, host Smitha Murthy has an unscripted conversation with Kaajal Ahuja about vulnerability, grief, and the importance of sitting with difficult emotions.  Kaajal gets refreshingly real about the exhaustion of living behind emotional masks. For years, Kajal focused on ke...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Have you ever felt consumed by grief and loss, struggling to cope with the overwhelming void it creates? Whether it's the heartbreaking loss of a loved one, a devastating breakup, or even a job loss that shatters your identity, grief comes in many forms. Yet, there's an unspoken pressure to "move on" quickly, leaving many to grapple with compl...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Socializing can be great -  it can help build connections, it helps you learn from different perspectives and it can help take your mind away from a bad day.  It can also be challenging, especially if you go through social anxiety because it can force you to face your imperfections. If you’re unable to be comfortable in your own skin, things can spiral downwards...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Attachment styles - we all have one, but do we really understand how they impact our relationships?  In this fascinating episode of The Therapy Room, host Smitha sits down with therapist and Unfix Clinic founder Aanandita for an enlightening discussion on the different attachment styles and how they play out in romantic relationships. Whether you're anxious,...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. In this thought-provoking and emotionally candid conversation episode, Smitha Murthy talks to Renuka, a mental health advocate and suicide prevention activist, unfolding Renuka's life journey. It's one that has traversed darkness and light, tragedy and renewal, pain and profound healing. Renuka peels back the layers to reveal how creative self-expressio...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Entrepreneurship is a roller-coaster. It’s a journey that takes tremendous courage to even start because there’s nothing guaranteed.  In a lot of ways, it’s a great metaphor for life. It teaches you life lessons - how to fail, how to handle adversity, and how to get back up. Ultimately it’s worth it because you get to truly make an impact on people’s lives. We ex...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. ADHD has challenges. But it also has its superpowers. Join Ankit Narasimhan in this enlightening episode of The Therapy Room as we delve into the complex world of ADHD with Vaishnavi Madarkal, Psychologist, Life Coach and Trauma Therapist.  From dispelling misconceptions to exploring the nuanced manifestations of ADHD, Vaishnavi shares her views on the importance...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. What are mental health conversations without the diversity of neurodivergence? Smitha Murthy talks to Akshay CM, who was diagnosed with C-PTSD and Autism last year. But Akshay is more than that. He tells us just how he leads life through all the invisible disabilities, finds joy in everyday conversations and interactions, and the power of manifestation.  It'...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Do you think anger is a "bad" emotion? Is there a difference between emotions and feelings? In this episode of The Therapy Room, we talk to Kanika Choudhary, Lead Clinical Psychologist at DocVita about examining our inner selves with curiosity and compassion.   Kanika shares some powerful guidelines on understanding emotions, and the underlying needs/st...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. This was one of the most vulnerable conversations you can find. One where two people who really don't know each other all that spoke about the raw beauty of pain, the small glimmers of everyday gratitude, and the iridescent rays of hope.   Quote from the conversation "Just tell people you love them" We talk about Why pain and vulnerability are both...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. In this episode, Smitha talks with author Shreya Ramachandran about writing, books, and mental health. Well, that's a given. Shreya talks about how she managed anxiety from a young age and the process of writing a fictional book about a girl who lives with depression.  Shreya gives us simple ways to manage anxiety, including meditation, investigating our tho...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. In this very first episode of our new podcast series, The Therapy Room, we talk to Sanchita Agrawal, a licensed Clinical Psychologist at DocVita for some answers. Very often, every day, we are all dealing with unresolved emotions, past experiences, and behaviors that act as triggers.  Sanchita shares insightful tips and outlines grounding and relaxation exercises...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. What does it mean to be a life coach? What does it mean to be a parent? And how do you balance life around all the things you love?  Smitha has an interesting conversation about life, parenthood, life coaching and a lot more with Krusha Sahjwani Malkani an ICF certified life and career coach. This was a long and truly joyful chat with lots of takeaways and much t...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. Trigger warning : This episode mentions suicide. Please find a list of helpline numbers here with the Suicide Prevention Helpline Directory (India). In this new episode of the MyndStories Minis, Smitha Murthy talks to Shilpa Kulkarni, the founder of Shiv's Third Eye, a non-profit in the US dedicated to the cause of youth mental health. Shilpa is an active me...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. A free-ranging conversation this one, touching on life, parents, childhood, friendship, boundaries, and self-care. It's not often that two people can meet on a podcast, and walk away as friends. But that's what happened.    Quote from the conversation "I get this comment saying that sometimes it's okay to let go and chill and enjoy and laugh....

Tell us what you feel. Message us. How can we make kindness the focus of our life? Is it even worth it? What's the difference between being kind and being taken for granted? Or people-pleasing? These were some of the questions that Nirmala Peters Mehendale answered. This was a joyful conversation that shows us that mental well-being is also this: being kind and taking care of ourselves and ot...

Tell us what you feel. Message us. None of us want to be weak and none of us want to be seen as weak. But that does not mean we suffer in silence, which a lot of men seem to be doing. There is a big difference between vulnerability and weakness and in this episode we dig deeper into this.   Why is depression so misunderstood? What does research tell us about how masculine depression differs from a...