Akash Mohan

Pronoun – he/him

Practicing Counselling Psychologist
Queer Affirmative Counselling Practitioner
Trained Trauma-Informed Mental Health Professional

Founder, CEO and Chief Psychologist at
Akash Mohan – Therapy Beyond Labels.

Who the therapist is matters just as much, if not more, than what they do.”
– Akash Mohan

I am Akash Mohan (he or him), a counselling psychologist, queer affirmative practitioner, and trauma informed mental health professional. These are the formal titles, but they are not what define the work. What matters is how I sit with you, how I listen, how I hold your story with care, and how I stay present with the parts of you that have not always been met with gentleness. This page is not simply about where I trained or how many sessions I have done. It is about why I do this work and what guides me when we are in the room together. It is about a practice that centres your story, your context, your pace, and your agency.

I have always believed that the stories we carry shape how we understand ourselves. Some stories are inherited, some are enforced, some are born from survival, and some are whispered versions of who we hope to become. My journey into psychology began with a desire to make room for the stories that have been interrupted, dismissed, erased, or pathologised. Over time, I found myself drawn toward approaches that honour complexity, resist reduction, and invite co creation.

While my degrees, certifications, and clinical experience inform the work, they are not what matter most. What continues to shape my practice is the ongoing act of listening. Listening to people. Listening to context. Listening to culture. Listening to silence. Listening to the truths that emerge slowly when someone finally feels safe enough to speak. My work is grounded in the belief that therapy is not a place of correction, but a place of understanding and possibility. It is a relationship where your lived experience becomes the centre, not the backdrop. If we work together, you will find a space that meets you with presence, curiosity, and care, and a therapist who is committed to holding your story with the dignity it deserves.

My Story

I did not come into this work by accident. I chose it with intention.

From a young age, I was drawn to the emotional worlds people carried but rarely named. What began as quiet listening grew into a commitment to hold space for the unsaid, the complicated, and the parts of ourselves that do not always make sense. I was interested in the stories beneath the surface long before I knew what therapy was.

I trained as a counselling psychologist, but I have always been more interested in stories than in symptoms, in meaning rather than measurement, in context rather than correction. Along the way, I witnessed how caste, gender, sexuality, neurodivergence, class, and power shape our emotional lives, and how traditional therapy models often fail to see what systems make invisible. These gaps guided me toward trauma informed, trauma focused, narrative, and queer affirmative ways of working.

My own politics, positionalities, and identities shape how I show up in the room. I practice from a place that is anti pathologising, trauma informed, and queer affirmative not because these are fashionable words, but because therapy must be accountable to the lives it claims to care for. The work I do is shaped by the belief that distress is often a response to harm, not a personal flaw, and that healing requires safety, dignity, and context.

This section is not a list of qualifications. It is a glimpse into why I do this work. It holds the values I carry, the questions that shaped me, and the reasons I choose to show up in this field with intention, clarity, and care.

This work is not only professional. It is personal.
It is relational. It is political.
And for me, it is a quiet act of resistance to create spaces where people can be witnessed, not fixed.

What I Bring to Every Session

If you ask me what I feel most confident about as a therapist, it is the academic rigour, clinical grounding, and extensive training that support my work. Therapeutic safety is not created through intention alone. It requires well developed skills, a strong theoretical foundation, an understanding of trauma and systems, and an unwavering commitment to ethical care. My practice is shaped by years of structured training, supervision, reflection, and continued learning.

I hold a deep belief that trust does not begin only after therapy starts. It often begins in the moment someone is trying to understand who they are choosing to work with. That first encounter, whether through reading a website, reviewing credentials, or sensing values, can be the beginning of safety. This is why I choose to be transparent about my training, qualifications, and professional commitments.

You deserve to know who you are entrusting your stories to. You deserve clear, honest information that allows you to make informed and empowered decisions about your care. My hope is that this transparency helps you feel grounded before we even begin.

My Educational & Training Journey

2016 – Present

“Intentional, not accidental”

Becoming a counseling psychologist has been more than a career choice for me, it has been a lifelong calling. However, I believe that good intentions alone are not enough to hold space for another human being’s complexity. Ethical, effective, and meaningful therapeutic work requires not just empathy, but rigorous training, sustained supervision, and a commitment to continual skill development, which is a life long journey.

For me, competence is a practice, one that involves deep engagement with evolving psychological frameworks, contextual awareness, and an openness to unlearn and relearn. I have always prioritised building a robust and diverse training foundation that aligns with my values of being trauma-informed, queer-affirmative, and socially just in my approach. This not only ensures that I bring a high standard of care into every session, but also allows the people I work with to make informed choices about who they are entering into a therapeutic relationship with.

Below is a comprehensive list of my academic qualifications and specialised trainings, which reflect my dedication to clinical excellence and ethical responsibility.

Formal Educational Qualifications

I hold a Master’s degree in Applied Psychology with a specialization in Clinical and Counselling Practice from the School of Human Ecology, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. My foundational training in psychology began with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the School of Behavioural Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala. This academic journey has grounded my practice in reflective, relational, and ethically anchored approaches to mental health.

Bachelor of Science in Psychology, School of Behavioural Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala (2016–2019).
Master’s Degree in Applied Psychology (Clinical and Counselling Practice), School of Human Ecology, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (2019–2021).
Certification in Trauma-Informed Care, School of Human Ecology, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (2022 – 2023)
Post Graduate Certificate Programme In Couple And Family Therapy, School of Human Ecology, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (2024)
Post Graduate Diploma in Trauma Focused Therapy, School of Human Ecology, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (2025 – 2026)**

I pursue additional certifications to deepen my clinical insight, stay responsive to evolving client needs, and ensure that my practice remains grounded in ethically sound, research-informed, and socially aware frameworks.

Additional Certifications

In addition to my formal education, I have completed over 30 national and international certifications focused on trauma-informed care, queer-affirmative counselling, sexuality and relationship counselling, and postmodern therapeutic frameworks. These include specialized training in Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (TF-ACT), Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice, and Consensual Non-Monogamy (Level 1 & 2). My learning is ongoing and supervised, ensuring that my practice remains nuanced, research-informed, and aligned with evolving mental health needs.

Training in Sexuality and Sexual Counselling, Alternative Stories, Bangalore (2020).
Certification in Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice, Mariwala Health Initiative, Mumbai – April/May Cohort (2021).
Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (TF-ACT), Dr. Russ Harris, Psychwire (2022).
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Beginners, Dr. Russ Harris, Psychwire (2023).
Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions, Martha Kauppi, Institute of Relational Intimacy – AASECT-approved CE Activity (2023).
- This achievement has also granted him certification from the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) for approved Continuing Education Activity.
Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 2: Consultation Group – Maple, Martha Kauppi, Institute of Relational Intimacy (2024)**.
ADHD Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP) Certification Course: Strength-based Interventions to Thrive with ADHD from Childhood to Adulthood, PESI UK (2025) **.
Complex Trauma Certification Training Level 1 & 2 (CCTP/CCTP-II) Course with Janina Fisher, PESI UK (2025)**
Janina Fisher’s Master Class in Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment, PESI UK (2025)**
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for ADHD by Dr. Russ Harris, Psychwire (2025).**
Completed 30+ MOOCs, CPEs, and PDEs from national and international platforms as part of ongoing professional development (2019–Present).

** – currently taking.

Work and Professional Background

Professional Overview

2021 – Present

Since beginning my practice in 2021, I have accumulated over four years of clinical experience and have facilitated more than 4,000 therapy sessions across diverse concerns and populations, for client around the global. My work spans individual and relational therapy, with a focus on trauma, gender and sexuality, systemic oppression, and non-normative relationalities.

In this time, I have had the privilege of working with and being associated with several national and state-level organisations and agencies in multiple capacities—including as a consultant, affiliate consultant, advisory board member, guest faculty, resource person, trainer, mentor, external consultant and associate member. These roles have enabled me to contribute meaningfully to clinical practice, training, public advocacy, and systemic change within the mental health landscape.

Professional Experience

Current Roles

Founder, CEO and Chief Psychologist at Akash Mohan – Therapy Beyond Labels
Advisory Board Member and Mentor Trainer, Sexuality Education Kerala Foundation
Central Circle Member, Psychology Circle
Associated with MAVA (Men Against Violence and Abuse, Mumbai)
Affiliate Consultant Counselling Psychologist at That Safe Space, Thiruvananthapuram

Previous Roles

External Consultant and Faculty Trainer at iHEAR AffirmCare, Sangath, Bhopal
Central Circle Member, Psychology Circle
Consultant Counselling Psychologist, That Safe Space, Thiruvananthapuram
Affiliate Consultant Psychologist, HealMind, Thrissur
Expert Consultant, StandWeSpeak, Goa
Consultant Counselling Psychologist and Queer-Affirmative Counselling Practitioner, Mind Weavers, Calicut, Kerala
Counselling Psychologist, Sneh Therapy, Mumbai
Mission Officer – SOGIESC in Mental Health, Central Circle of Psychology Circle

Professional Contributions

I have facilitated over 75 national and state-level training programs, workshops, and panel discussions, engaging with diverse audiences across educational, clinical, and advocacy spaces. My work reflects an ongoing commitment to advancing inclusive, trauma-informed, and LGBTQ+ affirmative mental health practices.

These contributions span:

Public engagements promoting de-medicalised, context-sensitive mental health care
Academic sensitisation programs in medical and legal institutions
Capacity-building workshops for early-career mental health professionals

Selected Events & Achievements

Facilitated 75+ national and state-level trainings, workshops, and panels across leading universities, premier medical institutes, and professional platforms on mental health, trauma, relationships, and human sexuality.”

Keynote Speaker, National Seminar on Sexuality and Sexual Behaviour, Department of Psychology, University of Calicut.

Invited Speaker, National Online Conference on Queer Mental Health, Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Kozhikode.

Faculty, National Social Work Conference and Student Meet, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady.

Webinar Presenter, Gender Sensitisation and Sexuality-Affirming Practices for mental health professionals, Department of Psychology, Central University of Tamil Nadu.

Session Facilitator, Making Campus Trauma-Informed, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit.

Resource Person, Sensitisation Workshop on Social Equity and Gender Justice, Centre for Human Rights, National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS).

Guest Speaker, Addressing Men’s Mental Health, Bhavan’s College (Autonomous), University of Mumbai.

Faculty Speaker, Mental Health and Well-being, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy.

Facilitator, SamaBhav – International Travelling Film Festival, MAVA, Govinda Pai Memorial Government College, Manjeshwar.

Resource Person, Session on SOGIESC, invited by the Medical College Students’ Union, Calicut Medical College.

Session Facilitator & Panelist, Gender Affirmative Care & Medical Curriculum Reform, Faculty Improvement Program, Government Medical College, Kannur.

Lead Facilitator, Narrative Questioning as Resistance, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Devagiri, Kozhikode.

Guest Faculty, Relationship Education Courses, Sexuality Education Kerala Foundation.

Speaker, Gender – A Psychological Perspective, Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad.

Session Facilitator, LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Healthcare, organised by iHEAR AffirmCare in collaboration with SCTIMST, State Health Systems Resource Centre Kerala, and Trivandrum Medical College.

Me as Your Therapist

Therapy, for me, is not about fixing what’s broken. It’s about walking alongside you as we make meaning together. I’m not a distant expert with all the answers, but someone who listens deeply, asks intentionally, and holds space for your complexity with care and curiosity. My role isn’t to pathologize, but to help you make sense of your experiences in ways that feel authentic and empowering.

I show up with my politics, my questions, and my hope that therapy can be a space where you don’t have to perform or explain yourself. A space that invites pause, presence, and possibilities. What we co-create will always be shaped by your context, your values, and your pace, not a predetermined goal or protocol.

And that’s what led me to start Therapy Beyond Labels.

Over the years and across thousands of conversations, I’ve come to witness what truly supports people: not rigid diagnoses or standardised interventions, but care that centres their stories, context, and agency. That realisation gave shape to Therapy Beyond Labels—a practice rooted in the belief that healing doesn’t come from fitting into categories, but from being deeply seen, heard, and accompanied.

It’s a commitment to offering therapy that moves away from pathologising frameworks and towards relational, collaborative, and justice-informed ways of being with people.

Learn More

“Under Development.”
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