About Aroha
Aroha in Sanskrit, signifies ‘ascent or rising’. This metaphorical connection to psychological growth and development inspires us to strive for personal and emotional elevation.
In other cultural contexts, such as the Māori, "Aroha" translates as "love" or "compassion," encompassing empathy, affection, and care for others.
The name ‘Aroha’ signifies ‘ascent, rising, love and compassion' which are values we integrate into our psychological practice. It complements our mission statement, where we endeavor to support individuals striving to rise above their current emotional state towards greater self-awareness, emotional well-being, and fulfilment.
We aim to support, and scaffold you during your emotional journey by working together to find ways to foster healthy relationships, emotional resilience, and community well-being.
About Me
My name is Neerja Thergaonkar
I am a licenced Clinical and Rehabilitation Psychologist with 23 years of experience. Currently, I am based in Cambridge, UK.
I work with parents of infants, toddlers, children and teenagers. I also enjoy working with teenagers, young adults and adults to offer support through their emotional journey. My endeavour is to set the foundation for positive mental health through early intervention.
My Journey
I am a Clinical and Rehabilitation Psychologist who has worked in the government and private sector for 23 years. I am registered as a Rehabilitation Psychologist with the Rehabilitation Council of India (CRR No. A36795) and a registered Practitioner Clinical Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (PYL039396 HCPC, UK). I obtained a post-graduation degree in clinical psychology from SNDT University Mumbai, India, in 1998, followed by PhD in Psychology from the University of Pune, India, in 2007.
My work during this time ranged from establishing mental health centres in India to working with the Indian Navy and in various private hospitals. I have a keen interest in working with children and their families and have worked extensively in Infant mental health over the years as I believe that laying the correct foundation as early as possible for infants and children is important for addressing mental health issues.
My work over the years ranged from establishing mental health centres in India, (Port Blair (2007-2008), Visakhapatnam (2008-2012) and Delhi (2012-2016) while working with the Indian Navy and in various private hospitals. In 2016, after some work in developmental assessment and working with children and families with needs, I wanted to understand the developmental trajectory of children born preterm and the impact it has on the family. This led to me completing training in Family and Infant Neurodevelopmental Evaluation (FINE) from London, UK, in 2018 and Newborn Behavioral Observation (NBO) in Brazelton, UK; Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) Brazelton the UK and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) from EMDR Association Asia.
From 2019-2022, I had the opportunity to contribute to establishing the CHETNA early intervention centre (EIC) in Mumbai, India, run by the Indian Navy. This centre was the first for the armed forces in India, aiming to provide an early head start for infants born early or babies needing medical /surgical intervention. My work majorly focused on training multidisciplinary staff and parents in the EIC to understand infant behaviour and provide support from as early as in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to providing home-based intervention support, providing timely neurodevelopment assessment to monitor optimal development of the child and reducing incidences of developmental delay.
I am currently a board member of the CHETNA Early Intervention Centre in India. My current outside work framework is establishing Family Infant Neurodevelopmental Education (FINE) training in India. I have been working closely with the Edmonton NIDCAP training centre in Canada and have successfully organised FINE 1 training in India. I am a professional and scientific sub-committee member of the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) Federation International (NFI).
I am an experienced clinical supervisor of psychology colleagues and deliver regular multidisciplinary training. I trained as a certified Career Decision-Making coach and COGMED coach, as well as a tester for the Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants (DASII) and The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Fourth Edition).
My therapeutic approach is guided by my training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Therapies, Motivational Interviewing, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR), Art-Based Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Newborn Behavioural Observation (Brazelton) and Family and Infant Neurodevelopmental Education (FINE levels 1 & 2).
I moved to Cambridge, UK, in 2022 and continued my work in the neonatal intensive care unit and pediatric oncology/haematology with the NHS and in private practice. I also continue to provide private consultations remotely in India and the UK.
Over the years, my work with parents and families led to my work in trauma and trauma-informed care. I work extensively with children, teenagers, and adults to help them process their traumatic past. I provide support for individuals presenting with:
· Adjustment Problems
· Parenting Support
· Depression
· Generalized Anxiety
· Health Anxiety
· Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
· Adult Survivors of Childhood Trauma
· Birth Trauma and Postnatal PTSD
· Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
· Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
· Bereavement