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I am a COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland) qualified and BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) registered psychotherapist and group therapist. I have a diverse background of experience working with adolescents and adults with a range of psychological vulnerabilities, individually and in groups. I adhere closely to the ethical frameworks laid out by COSCA and BACP. I am a passionate, ethical and reflective practitioner and work within the dialogue of the psychodynamic and person-centred theoretical orientations with group analytic and psychosocial influences.

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My primary research and therapeutic interests take a qualitative, psychosocial stance. They intend to critically inquire how the dynamics of our socio-political past and present, diversity, difference and power are all interwoven into complex narratives, seeping into our inner world and influencing our relationships with ourselves and others. I therefore also view therapy as a space for healing systemic wounds and undoing hegemonic trauma, using a social justice framework to contextualise equality and power. 

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I also have a specific therapeutic interest in the relationship between the pelvic floor and trauma (thinking about disability, sexual health, 'dys'function and psychosomatic symptoms) in female bodies, using a bio-psycho-social feminist lens to contextualise and inform how these issues manifest and inform one's relationship with the body.

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Educational background:

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  • PhD candidate in Counselling Studies at the University of Edinburgh (2022-ongoing) - Funded by the School of Health in Social Science Studentship

  • Master of Counselling (Interpersonal Dialogue) : University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

  • Bachelor of Arts- Psychology: St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, India

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Further Educational/Professional Qualifications:

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  • Group Analysis - Diploma in Group Work Practice (2021-2022):  Institute of Group Analysis (UK) & Hank Nunn Institute, Bangalore

  • Group Analysis - Foundation year (2020-2021): IGA (UK) & Hank Nunn Institute, Bangalore.

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Attachment Theory (2021): International Attachment Network (UK)

  • Certificate in Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice (2020) : Mariwala Health Initiative

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Couple and Family Therapy (2019): Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, India.

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Conference Presentations & Publications:​

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  • 'The Contagion of Suffering: A Collaborative, Long-Term, Digital Autoethnography That Explores Two Indian Psychotherapist’s Experiences of Working Through the Pandemic in Times of Misinformation' by Smiti Srivastava and Rhea Gandhi presented at the Association for Psychosocial Studies Conference in London (June, 2024)

  • 'Therapy as Political Resistance' a presentation and workshop by Rhea Gandhi & Isaac Yu for the 'Decolonising Counselling and Psychotherapy: Reflections from Psychosocial Perspectives' seminar series at CPASS, University of Edinburgh (May, 2024)

  • 'Therapy as relational democracy in action?' by Rhea Gandhi - excerpt from the GASi Symposium paper presented at a panel on the 'Intersectionality, Activism and Therapy' Event organised by the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh (November, 2024)

  • 'Suspended barefoot: An Indian psychotherapist’s authoethnographic exploration of internalised colonization and finding her voice as a practitioner' presented at the Association for the Psychoanalysis of Culture and Society Conference (October, 2023)

  • 'A decolonial reimagination of the purpose of group analysis and psychotherapy' by Rhea Gandhi for the Group Analytic Society International Symposium in Belgrade themed 'Where divided worlds meet' (August, 2023) and for the Institute of Group Analysis in Scotland Quarterly Meeting (June, 2024)

  • 'Coloniality as Political Violence' a performance research piece presented by Rhea Gandhi, Kartika Ladwal, Sarah Nghidinwa & Mingxi Li at the Symposium on 'Counselling & Psychotherapy in Times of Political Violence' at the University of Edinburgh (June, 2023)

  • Rhea S. Gandhi (2021) Being brown: An autoethnographic exploration of internalised colonisation, Psychodynamic Practice, DOI: 10.1080/14753634.2021.1893211

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Continued Professional Development

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  • International Research Group for Psycho-Societal Analysis (SQUID Symposium) in Dubrovnik, Croatia (2024)

  • American Psychoanalytic Association - Externship (2023)

  • The Unconscious and Everyday Life Conference 2020: The Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies at the University of Essex

  • Body work in Psychotherapy Lecture Series (2020) : Hank Nunn Institute (Online)

  • 6 lecture series on Couple Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (2020) - Tavistock Relationships, London 

  • Psychosexual studies - Sexual dysfunctions: Female disorders (2019) - Tavistock Relationships, London 

  • All India Psychoanalytic Conference - 'Changing World: Inside & Outside' (2019) - Indian Psychoanalytic Society (Mumbai)

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Present Teaching Positions:

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  • Academic Tutor and visiting faculty at the University of Edinburgh, Department of Counselling, Psychotherapy and Applied Social Sciences.

  • Visiting Faculty - St. Xavier's College, Postgraduate Department of Psychology (2019 - Present)

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Professional memberships:

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  • British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP) - Registered Member

  • Association of Psychosocial Studies (APS) - Honorary Membership Secretary

  • The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN) - Member

  • Group Analytic Society International - Member

  • International Attachment Network (IAN) - Founding Member and Chairperson of IAN India from 2020-22

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