Rhea Gandhi

Biography

Background

  • PhD candidate in Counselling Studies
  • Psychodynamic and person-centred psychotherapist (MBACP) and group therapist (IGA)
  • Academic tutor at UoE and postgraduate visiting faculty and lecturer at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai
  • Liberation oriented qualitative researcher
  • Division of Psychoanalysis (APA) Scholar Award Winner (2022)
  • Research and professional interests seek to explore therapy as a space for working through not only intrapsychic & interpersonal distress but also systemic, transgenerational wounds & hegemonic trauma using a culturally relativist, anti-oppressive lens to contextualise individuals & groups.

Qualifications

The University of Edinburgh, UK - Master of Counselling (Interpersonal Dialogue) - Distinction 2014-2016

Institute of Group Analysis, UK + Hank Nunn Institute, India - Foundation year in Group Analysis 2020-2021, Intermediate year in Group Analysis 2021-2022

International Attachment Network, UK  - PgCert in Attachment Theory 2021

Mariwala Health Initiative, India - PgCert in Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice 2020

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai - PgCert in Couples and Family Therapy 2019

Responsibilities & affiliations

British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)- Registered Member

Association of Psychosocial Studies (APS) - Executive Committee

International Attachment Network (IAN -INDIA) - Executive Committee

Group Analytic Society International - Member

American Psychological Association (APA) - International Affiliate

Research summary

  • Decolonising psychotherapy and counselling
  • Post-colonial studies and psychotherapy
  • Psychosocial studies
  • Politics and  psychotherapy
  • Difference, Diversity and Power
  • Racism, Exclusion and Othering
  • Political Violence and psychotherapy
  • Internalised colonisation

Publication: 'Being brown: An autoethnographic exploration of internalised colonisation':  https://doi.org/10.1080/14753634.2021.1893211

Current project grants

The EDI Grant by the School of Health in Social Sciences for the Project 'The Disaster of not Being found: The Paradox of Psychoanalytic Training and Praxis within Community Mental Health' A Public Lecture by Dr. Ally Merchant

The Principal's Teaching Award Scheme with Dr. Nini Kerr (PI) and Dr. Mariya Levitanus for the Project 'Decolonising Counselling and Psychotherapy: Reflections from Psychosocial Perspectives'

The EDI Grant by the School of Health in Social Sciences for the Project - 'Certainty, Ambiguity and Evasion: What makes it difficult to talk about certain kinds of difference?' Public lecture and Experiential Workshop series for CPASS staff and students by Dr. Farhad Dalal & Angelika Golz in 2023

Student Experience Grant from the University of Edinburgh with supervisor Dr. Nini Fang (PI) for the project 'Counselling and Psychotherapy in Times of Political Violence' in 2023

Papers delivered

  • 'The Contagion of Suffering: A Collaborative, Long-Term 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)

  • '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 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)

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