Ms Sharanya Venkataraman
Sharanya Venkataraman is a Licensed Psychologist based in Dubai, bringing over seven years of experience in culturally sensitive and evidence-based mental health care. She holds a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychopathology from Durham University in the UK and a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from the University of San Francisco in the US. Her global perspective is enriched by living in four countries and practicing in three.
At Monarch Health Centers, Sharanya specializes in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), providing therapy for adolescents and adults. Her practice addresses challenges such as depression, anxiety, personality disorders, trauma, and substance use, integrating third-wave treatments with culturally responsive care. She also assists clients facing workplace stress, relationship difficulties, and minority stress, tailoring interventions to individual needs.
Collaboration is central to Sharanya’s approach. She works closely with families and caregivers, creating supportive environments for sustainable growth. Beyond therapy, she leads parent and family groups and conducts neurodevelopmental and psychoeducational assessments to guide treatment and planning.
Sharanya is deeply committed to mental health advocacy and education. She is a member of the scientific committee for the Middle East North Africa Trauma Association (MENATA), ensuring the quality of submissions and workshops. As a workshop facilitator, she addresses topics such as stress management, intergenerational trauma, and leadership development, focusing on fostering emotional intelligence and resilience.
A neurodivergent professional, Sharanya champions inclusivity in mental health. Her professional Instagram raises awareness and promotes understanding, blending humor with psychoeducation.
In every role, Sharanya strives to empower individuals, families, and communities to overcome challenges and build meaningful, values-driven lives. Whether in therapy, assessments, or public outreach, she aims to break barriers, create connections, and inspire positive change.
Unlearning the Old, Embracing the New: Decolonizing Mental Health Practices
Decolonizing therapy and mental health is a critical movement that seeks to dismantle the lingering effects of colonialism embedded within psychological practices. Mainstream therapeutic models, often grounded in Eurocentric frameworks, can fail to resonate with the lived experiences of individuals from diverse cultural and historical contexts (Fernando, 2014). By challenging these dominant paradigms, decolonization invites mental health professionals to reimagine therapy as a space for collective healing, social justice, and cultural humility.
Central to this process is the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems, which offer holistic approaches to well-being by addressing the interconnectedness of mind, body, spirit, and community (Duran, 2006). These systems often prioritize relationality and communal healing over individualistic interventions, making them particularly valuable in collectivist cultures. Additionally, decolonizing therapy calls for the recognition of systemic oppression and its role in perpetuating mental health disparities. Therapists must adopt a critical lens to examine how power imbalances, racism, and historical trauma shape clients’ experiences of distress (Adams, 2017).
The practice of decolonization also challenges the notion of therapists as neutral experts, advocating instead for a collaborative approach that empowers clients as equal participants in their healing journey (Gone, 2013). This paradigm shift requires therapists to confront their own positionality and biases, engaging in continuous self-reflection and cultural competence development.
Furthermore, the movement underscores the importance of adapting therapeutic practices to align with local cultural and spiritual values. For example, in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, integrating Islamic teachings into therapy has been shown to enhance its relevance and acceptance (Rassool, 2016). Similarly, embracing storytelling, rituals, and other cultural practices can foster deeper connections with clients and amplify the therapeutic process.
Decolonizing mental health is not merely about inclusion but about transformation—of practices, systems, and worldviews. As mental health professionals commit to this process, they create opportunities for meaningful change that honor the richness and diversity of human experience. In doing so, therapy becomes not just a tool for individual well-being but a vehicle for collective liberation and societal healing.
References
Adams, G. (2017). Decolonizing psychological science: Introduction to the special thematic section. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 5(2), 387–411.
Duran, E. (2006). Healing the soul wound: Counseling with American Indians and other Native peoples. Teachers College Press.
Fernando, S. (2014). Mental health worldwide: Culture, globalization, and development. Palgrave Macmillan.
Gone, J. P. (2013). Redressing First Nations historical trauma: Theorizing mechanisms for Indigenous culture as mental health treatment. Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(5), 683–706.
Rassool, G. H. (2016). Islamic counselling: An introduction to theory and practice. Routledge.