Maybe home,
is not a place
not even a person
but instead a feeling
It is a feeling where you can finally
adapt to your society and
be comfortable to walk in your skin
without being afraid or scared anymore
And now I’m homesick.
– D Awanis.
This is the tale of a 21-years-old Tanvi, who is currently pursuing her Bachelors in Design from Anant National University. Born and brought up in Pune, Tanvi recently shifted to Ahmedabad for her studies. Tanvi belongs to a well-brought-up nuclear family. Travelling, reading books and watching Bollywood movies are some of Tanvi’s go-to activities in leisure.
“I went through my first therapy session in my first year as a result of being extremely homesick.”
Tanvi was going through a phase where she felt sensitive and emotional. Even the tiniest unexpected moments made her unhappy. Although she was sceptical about counseling, she surpassed the fear of being judged to try it out.
But before commencing the session, she was already aware of the reason for being homesick. What Tanvi needed was consoling from a person in front of whom she could vent without being judged.
“The first counseling session went really well and I felt lighter. Eventually, the pandemic led us to get confided in our spaces.”
During the pandemic, one of her friends was taking counseling sessions. Tanvi was suggested to take up the sessions too. Realizing that she could go for some self-development, Tanvi decided to take a random session with YourDOST again. But this time, Tanvi went through a deep-rooted experience that was very unexpected. Tanvi ended up crying a lot in that particular session but that also led her to find out a lot about herself.
“Meenakshi, my counselor from YourDOST, was like a motherly figure to me. She made me feel safe to open up and I felt heard.”
Meenakshi suggested certain techniques like journaling to Tanvi to cope with her situation. Tanvi used to freeze in some situations in which she was asked to take notes. She was also advised to practice being conscious about her behaviour and try to change it rather than blaming anyone.
Soon, Tanvi realised that she had been restricting herself in a lot of actions. Tanvi also saw a decline in her triggers and random breakdowns.
“I started my journey with a case of being homesick. But I discovered a lot of inner personality conflicts as I moved ahead.”
Tanvi described her counseling journey as “still-growing” as she got to reflect on herself. She also offered her gratitude to Meenakshi for listening with such attention and helping her in this journey. Tanvi rated her overall improvement through counseling with a 3.5 out of 5. We, at YourDOST, are very happy to see her grow and wish her luck.
Tanvi’s Warrior Tips:
1. Just go for counseling and try at least one session. It might no be like what you think.
2. You might think that therapy will solve your problems. However, it’s not exact like that. Therapy might end up discovering deeper problems but it will definitely lead you to a better place.
Are you someone who has gone through a difficult phase and emerged stronger and better, with some professional help? Share your story with us to encourage thousands of others who might be struggling. Click here to submit your story.