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In
The News
Excerpts from various articles / features
about us that have appeared in newspapers / magazines |
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LIFE
IS BEAUTIFUL
The Times Of India
Friday, September 13, 2002
The Heart to Heart Counselling
Centre is conducting a six-week certificate course in personal
counselling. Though the course is designed for those who are
involved in the "helping profession" like social
workers, teachers, doctors and HRD professionals, every one
is invited to enroll.
Says Dr.Rajan Bhonsle, one of the course coordinators, "
Our institute would like to see at least one trained cousellor
in every family, so that help is never far away for those
who require it." Spread over 20 sessions, the course
aims at meeting the need for updating and enriching oneself,
so as to be better individuals and raise the quality of service
that one would offer to others. The emphasis would be to train
yourself to change certain attitudes and habits, which are
not in agreement with correct counselling, acquire the tools
that facilitate the learning process that lead to growth and
actualization of human potential, master the art of listening,
study the methodology of correct and complete communication
and get in touch with the 'self' in order to have better understanding
of the 'other'. Group discussions and real counselling practices
under expert supervision would be added challenges in this
course.
Dr.Satnam Ahuja, a homeopath, who has trained under this system
earlier, says,"The counselling course helps patients
to understand themselves better, and thus aids their growth.
A person learns to cope with the challenges he faces in life.
Instead of changing the circumstances, the counsellors help
the patients to change their approach towards these challenges."
" A personal introspection is what I would call this
course," states Dr.Mansukhani a pediatric dentist who
completed this course last year. " I Have grown as a
person and understand myself better. The course forces you
to delve into your psyche, question your traits and behaviour
and thereby helps you grow both personally and professionally."
Sonali Sehgal, another participant, enrolled for the practical
training in couselling. Putting into practice what she has
learned as a student of psychology, she aspires to become
a counsellor.
For additional information about the certificate course in
counselling contact the 'Heart to Heart Counselling Centre'
at 23778624 / 23755866
| |
SOUTH MUMBAI'S BRAVEHEARTS
The
Times of India
Friday, June 7, 2002
Here's some good news for couples. The Heart to Heart Counselling
Centre-an institution devoted to the 'complete' well being of a couple-provides
all the amenities for a couple to attain excellent physical and psychological
health. Reportedly, the first such centre in south Mumbai, It was started last
year and is located in Byculla. The centre is the brain child of Dr. Rajan Bhonsle,
M.D. and his wife Dr.Minnu who has a doctorate in Psychotherapy and Counselling.
Says the 44 year old Dr.Bhonsle, " Along with counselling and Psychotherapy
for couples, this centre also has an elaborate arrangement for a complete medical
checkup through the in-house departments of Radiology, sonography, a computerized
pathological laboratory etc."
According to Dr.Minnu, a couple is the
smallest unit of community living and how a couple functions as a unit sets the
stage for the entire family. She explains, " A family is known as dysfunctional
when the desired goals of closeness, self-expression and meaning cannot be attained
by the family members. When this happens, symptomatic behaviour takes place. Thus
we understand how important it is for a couple to have a healthy and harmonious
relationship with each other not only for themselves, but also for their children."
Dr. Rajan Bhonsle cites the case of 42-year-old professional who was afflicted
by psoriasis whenever his wife was with him. During her absence, the disease would
disappear. He diagnosed it to be a stress-related syndrome and counselled the
couple accordingly. " Stress-related diseases are on the rise and are catching
their victims young. And because of an increase in failed marriages, more children
are either getting into drugs and criminal activities. That's why along with the
personal counselling, we also select a certain number of couples for our work
shops on stress management, sex education and the art of listening," explains
Dr.Bhonsle.
" A healthy communication is a continuous and healthy communication
which doesn't mean just talking to each other but also the ability to express
one's deeper emotions, anxieties and needs without apprehension," says Dr.Minnu.
The centre according to her is an effort to fulfill this need. It also offers
facilities for personal counselling, teenage guidance, pre-marriage counselling,
sex education, AIDS counselling, among others.
For additional information
contact the 'Heart to Heart Counselling Centre' at 23778624 / 23755866 |
UNBREAKING HEARTS
FEMINA
November 2001
>How difficult is to believe that a beautiful bond like wedlock
can cease to exist for matters as trivial as bad bathroom habits! But, says Dr.Minnu
Bhonsle, that's a fact she has to deal with almost every day, at the newly opened
'Heart to Heart Counselling Centre' at Byculla, Mumbai. Maybe then, trivial is
the wrong world, and 'serious need for counselling', are the right ones.
"People
in India especially, still have a tremendous mental block against counselling,
and a suggestion to go in for counselling is treated as an insult by most,"
points out Dr.Minnu Bhonsle. "We attempt to establish a caring human interaction,
which allows the distribute individual to explore and understand herself, and
finally create a change that will solve the problem she faces. This is counselling
at its best," she explains.
At the 'Heart to Heart Counselling Centre',
Dr.Minnu Bhonsle, equipped with a doctorate and several years of experience in
the field, offers customized counselling workshops and sessions, depending on
the need of the patient. Dr. Rajan Bhonsle, M.D, director of the centre, has been
a practicing consultant for over 15 years. Together, this warm couple spends their
days making life easier for many.
The centre offers personal counselling,
family therapy, teenage guidance, pre-marital counselling, and lifestyle makeover
programs and AIDS counselling.
Most recently, the centre has launched and
has been emphasizing couple of therapy sessions. Couple therapy involves a face-to-face
interaction between both spouses. This is followed by a free and encouraging flow
of communication that helps break the ice.
Dr. Minnu Bhonsle advocates that
a family's being functional or dysfunctional, starts and ends wholly with the
couple. When family members fail to express themselves, it affects the emotional
health of the couple, often reflecting badly on the child. " The time and
effort that goes into creating harmony with therapy, reaps dividends," says
Dr. Rajan Bhonsle " every small aspect is discussed, questioned and hopefully
solved." " Women are generally more open and willing to opt for therapy
and counselling," points out Dr. Minnu. " Most of the women who approach
us, come with symptomatic manifestations of depression. Women are trained to keep
matters regarding their sexuality, and suppress their personal opinions, which
builds into an acute frustration. Generally, women feel the need to ventilate
their feelings more often than men. But they do not often get the outlet since
the husband discourages such discussions." Couple therapy and listening workshops
target such estranged couples.
But let's not presume that it's only couple
who requires counselling. In the joint family system that most Indian household
adhere to, problems often stem from the friction between various family members.
Everyone needs counselling. "Relationships are a creation of nature. Let
us hope that what we do can help alter the fabric of society in some miniscule
way."
For additional information contact the 'Heart to Heart Counselling
Centre' at 23778624 / 23755866 | |
Matters of the Heart
Afternoon Despatch & Courier
Thursday, September 6, 2001
'
Heart to Heart Counselling Centre' is a unique counselling
centre, which considers it important to treat people as couples. The centre encourages
them to talk and more important to listen to each others needs. Couples are free
to come for counsellinhg individually or together as a couple.
For the first
time in the city, theirs is a centre devoted to the complete well-being of a couple.
The unique 'The Heart to Heart Counselling Centre', located within the sprawling
Jerbai Baug at Byculla, provides a full-fledged facility for the physical and
psychological well-being of couples.
Started by Dr.Rajan Bhonsle and his
wife, Dr.Minnu Bhonsle, who together, have over 15 years experience as counsellors,
this place offers a complete medical check-up, through the in-house departments
of radiology, sonography and the computerized pathological laboratory.
"The
reason for us starting this centre is simple, said Dr.Bhonsle. We consider it
important to treat people as couples. Each individual has their own problems but
in a relationship, the problem appears ten-fold. The beginning of the family,
whether functional or dysfunctional starts with the couple."
He continued,
" The biggest problem that couples today face is the total lack of communications
between themselves. They just don'' talk, about anything, their preferences, their
sexual needs... nothing...""Both are encouraged to talk and more importantly
listen to each other needs. Couples are free to come for counselling individually
to them or together as a couple.
But they point out, that in most cases they
ask the partner to bring the spouse, so eventually, it becomes a counselling session
for partners. Together, the duo have helped over a thousand couples, but with
this new 'couple therapy centre' they can assist couples to understand how important
it is for them to have a healthy and harmonies relationship, not just for themselves
but for their children as well.
The centre also offers pre-marriage counselling,
where a couple can come and talk about their insecurities and fears. Said Dr.Bhonsle,
"By helping couples to deal with their apprehensions before marriage, we
are teaching them to cope with any problems that might occur during the partnership.
Both feel that sex education should be made compulsory in schools. When is
the right age to start… Dr.Rajan Bhonsle said the right age is when the child
begins to ask questions. "Parents must never lie… that is very important.
So often, the proposal of introducing sex education in schools has risen but parents
are apprehensive about what will be taught. And who is going to teach the children.
Who can provide for so many sex educators?"
The best option is to introduce
a television channel or any channel that can devote a few hours in the evening
to provide this information. "If children are obsessed with television, then
the best way to teach them is to provide them the information through the medium
they enjoy the best," Dr.Bhonsle said.
The child of psychologically immature
parents feel like an emotional orphan and when he or she cannot find it at home,
the child starts looking for support system elsewhere. "And, since the emotional
health of the couple directly affects the emotional health of the children and
family, it is high time parents start focussing on their relationship as a couple
and work towards strengthening it," they said.
For additional information
contact the 'Heart to Heart Counselling Centre' at 23778624 / 23755866 |
Wedding Bliss versus Marital Blues
GURLZ
January 2002
Today, couples have the opportunity to hire wedding planners
to make their dreams of a perfect wedding come true. Dr.Rajan Bhonsle and Dr.Minnu
Bhonsle, a couple who initiated the first full fledged premarital counselling
program, have a battery of about thirty odd tests which also diagnose any genetic
problems that you might have, that you will have to eventually deal with when
you plan a family. Dr.Rajan emphasizes on the importance of counselling, especially
for couples in the Indian set up where marriages are still arranged. He also talks
about how the myth of the first night should be clarified and spoken about as
it really colours a couple's relationship negatively. Apart from counselling,
they also help couples rule out any reproductive disabilities and problems like
Thalassemia (a hereditary disease) traits, which can affect a couple's marital
life.
Do whatever but do not make the mistake of ignoring issues that you
would like to clarify and talk about with your partner. After all, you are planning
to spend the rest of your life with him and the least he can do is to hear you
out. The idea is not to scare you but to prepare you. So you go ahead and have
a ball. Enjoy your wedding, it is your D-Day and we wish you well. At the same
time, be prepared to enjoy your marriage so that you do not regret it and do not
have to hear people say " We told you so…" make sure you are not
getting married to the idea of marriage…and not getting into it with your
eyes wide shut!
For further information on pre-marital counselling and check-up
facility, contact the 'Heart to Heart Counselling Centre' at 23778624 / 23755866 |
|
SHARING OFFICE SPACE
Match Maker
Friday,
April 11, 2003
Dr. Rajan Bhonsle, a marital counselor has been working with
his wife Dr. Minnu Bhonsle for the last 12 years. He says, "It all depends
on the 'uwnderstanding' between the two. Working with the spouse, can make you
see other dimensions of your partner, which you would have otherwise not known.
One also gets to learn a lot from each other and grow professionally and personally."
His wife, after the birth of their son, took time off from her career to stay
at home and care for her child. But as the years passed she stepped back into
the action with her husband for company.
The concept of couples working together
is a relatively new one especially here in India. Most couples are apprehensive
about such an arrangement and the consequences it will have on their personal
life. "This apprehension arises only if the husband assumes a 'superior'
position at work. However, if the husband acknowledges and respects the contribution
of the wife at work, there would be no problem." states Dr. Rajan Bhonsle.
The Bhonsles say, "We do not feel the need to segregate our personal and
professional lives, as the work that we do is more of our 'passion' rather than
our work. It is deeply fulfilling and not a stressor, which needs to be put aside."
Though like most couples they make the time for individual pursuits. "We
write separately as well as together. We plan our workshops and training programs
together, but conduct them either individually or together." Dr. Minnu Bhonsle
concedes, "Just as for any good relationship, for a smooth working relationship,
the only ingredients necessary are care, commitment and communication."
| | Heart
to Heart- The Swish set
The Indian Express
Monday, April 26, 2004
| |
Did
you know that around 2500-odd couples file for divorce in Mumbai every year? And
that there has been a marginal 10-per cent increase over the last decade?
But
let's not wallow in grim statistics. Like others of their small tribe, husband-and-wife
team Dr.Rajan and Dr.Minnu Bhonsle have been sewing tattered marriages together
for the last 18 years. Equipped
with an x-ray unit, sonography machine and a computerized pathology lab, the Heart
to Heart counseling center at Byculla might just be the place to visit before
you decide to call it quits. Here, the regimen includes one-on-one sessions, workshops
and seminars that have steadied many troubled marriages. According
to Dr.Rajan, circumstances in Mumbai are more conducive to opting for counseling
than in smaller places. "You can attend workshops discretely. People don't
hesitate to seek help out of fear of being noticed." Dr.Minnu
agrees, "Awareness is up because of access to international television shows
and the media. Mumbai is a bustling, cosmopolitan city and people are receptive
to approaching a marriage counselor," she says. The
Bhonsles, who use an eclectic mix of techniques as they are trained in both Eastern
and Western models of psychotherapy, believe the couple is the smallest social
unit in community living. Therefore, a healthy marriage is the foundation of a
strong family, society, nation and world, they explain. As
a husband-wife team, the Bhonsles often counsel according to their individual
strengths. Dr.Minnu usually focuses on the emotional aspect, while her husband
tackles physical concerns. And the gender balance helps a lot. For instance, should
a client need a 'man-to-man' discussion, Dr.Rajan will step in. There's
another advantage. "Since we have such a strong marriage, we can serve as
role models for our clients and bring a personal note to our sessions," explains
Dr.Minnu. | | -
Aparna Sosamma Wilder | | |
|
Parents learn how to discuss sex with kids
Mid-Day
March 19, 2004
| |
Parents
are queuing up, and it is not to get their wards admitted to schools, but to learn
how to discuss sex with their children. At
the new and only Sex Educator's Training programme introduced by a counselling
centre in Byculla last month, parents and doctors have been enrolling themselves
to learn more about the traditionally taboo subject. Dr
Rajan B Bhonsle, MD and consulting sex educator, therapist and counsellor said
he started the programme to help ease the discomfort people face while discussing
sex. "Be it parents, doctors or even counsellors, the subject is not an easy
one to talk about," he said. This programme aims at creating a core group
of adults with greater awareness trained to conduct sex education programmes,
workshops and classes at school, college or community level. Many
of the enrolled parents have teenage children. Anjali Singh, a parent, said, "With
the internet and adult films on television, children know more than what we did
when we were the same age. To make sure my daughter understands things the right
way, I need to know what to say," she said. Dr
Bhonsle expressed surprise that many doctors have also joined the class. "I
was expecting more parents, but doctors want to learn how to communicate better
with their patients," he said. Dr
Subodh Gujarati, MD, agreed. "I have male patients who come in with sexual
problems and sometimes it is difficult to explain how these problems can be solved.
One needs patience to explain these things and should also learn the proper method
of doing so," he said. Counsellors
too said they wanted to know how to discuss sex. The
sessions are on at Heart To Heart Counselling Centre, Byculla (E).
| | -
Lajwanti D'Souza | | |
|
Doctor
couple starts sex educator's course
Mid-Day
September 23, 2003
| | Jerbai
Baug on a bustling Byculla road in Mumbai could be straight out of Rohinton Mistry's
book, Such A Long Journey. Geriatric Parsis shuffle along in this colony. The
flavour of dhansaak wafts through the air. The silence hanging over the residential
hub speaks eloquently of single existences and migration abroad by a dwindling
community. The
Heart to Heart counselling centre run by a doctor couple called the Bhonsles is
housed in this colony. It is a centre for psychotherapy and counselling and offers
personal counselling, couple counselling, family therapy, teenage guidance, pre-marriage
counselling and sex education. Now,
Dr Rajan B Bhonsle of Heart to Heart has decided to act upon a two-year-old government
resolution saying that sex education must be compulsory in schools. Seeking to
formalise sex education, which is mostly taught by biology teachers if imparted
at all, Bhonsle is offering a one month sex educator's course at the end of which
participants go back with a 'Sex Educator's' certificate from the centre. Dr
Bhonsle, trainer of the course and his wife, Dr Minnu Bonsle who is course director
admit, there was a rush for admission to the course by people "who were merely
titillated by the words sex educator." She added, "I rejected many applicants.
After interviews, I chose eight students though my first batch for the one-month
course to be held on weekends has place for 16. Only if I am convinced that the
person has a genuine desire to learn and teach sex education do I admit the student." Dr
Bhonsle goes on, "I have some teachers as applicants, some counsellors and
parents who still find it difficult to talk about sex to their children."
Dr Bhonsle cautions, "Care will be taken to see the 'graduates' from my class
do not misuse the certificate stating they are sexologists. They are not. They
are educators and can't be called sex counsellors or sex therapists."
|
| -
Hemal Ashar | | ……………………………………………………………………………… |
Address:
Heart To Heart Counselling Centre
Institute of Human Technology
10 Jerbai Baug, Ambedkar Road,
Near
Gloria Chuch, Byculla (East),
Bombay 400 027 , India
Tel : 23778624 /
23755866 Telefax: 22184528
Email : hthindia@gmail.com
|
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