If one worry keeps bending your week out of shape, that is enough reason to talk. I explain how I think about overreacting and how to decide whether to book a first conversation.
Short answer. If a feeling or a fight keeps taking more space in your week than you want, that is reason enough to talk to a counsellor. Overreacting is a word people use on themselves; I pay attention to impact, not labels, and a short first chat can help you decide.
In short:
It feels too much. That is usually how overreacting shows up in the body: heat in the chest, a rush of thoughts, a tight jaw, and the sudden fear you are making a scene while everyone else looks calm. I read that as your system trying to guard something that matters, even when the situation would look small on a spreadsheet. The label rarely helps and often shames. Nobody has ever told me they overreacted about something that did not matter to them.
I pay attention to the cost you are carrying. If a fight with a colleague ruins three days, or you cancel plans because a text set you off, that is data you can use, even when the original problem looked tiny. Small issue, big footprint. Counselling is a place to test small, specific moves and then watch what shifts in the hours after the call and across the week.
Patterns tell a story. The same argument keeps returning, work dread creeps in every evening, sleep turns patchy, and the body stays wired enough that a free weekend still leaves you wrung out; if Sundays feel heavy, try this: The Sunday evening feeling. None of that needs to be dramatic for it to matter.
Sometimes the question is mood or energy. Burnout and depression can feel the same from inside your head; I wrote about that here: Burnout and depression look the same from the inside. Flatness also counts. When life turns greyscale more than tearful, this might help: Depression as flatness rather than sadness, and we can watch whether small tweaks to sleep, food, light, and your calendar shift anything over a fortnight.
You get to choose. If this is eating time, sleep, money, or relationships, and your own experiments have stalled, a conversation can give you a fresh angle while staying practical enough that you do not have to reorganise your whole week. Quiet tinkering beats grand plans. I care about what changes between sessions, like what you say differently in a meeting or how your Sunday night feels.
Start small. There is a first conversation, thirty minutes and free, and booking runs through a form first. If you want a peek at the shape, read What happens in a first conversation. Limits matter; this is where I write about them: What therapy cannot do.
Here is the frame. I am Satlaj Sachan, a counsellor in Bengaluru, practising since 2015. I work with adults roughly 25 to 45 and we can meet in English or Hindi, on video or in person in Bengaluru; the practice is called Rafiq at heyrafiq.com, and the name comes from my podcast running since 2020. Rafiq means the friend who walks with you rather than correcting you; that is the posture here.
More than 140 people have worked with me since I started. My posture is simple: I walk with you rather than trying to fix you or judge your pace, and we focus on practical experiments you can actually attempt in the week you already have. I am not a doctor and I cannot prescribe; when medication is worth considering, I refer and we plan around that.
Quick note about community. I also run a small gathering in a cafe in HSR, Bengaluru, five or so people, the day moves week to week, and it is a place to think together. It is not counselling and it is not a pitch. Some people like a room where they can sit quietly with a warm drink and leave when they want.
Your safety comes first. If you are in immediate danger or cannot keep yourself safe, please call Tele-MANAS on 14416 or go to the nearest emergency department before you try to book. A psychiatrist can look at medication, and I refer when that might help.
Some needs ask a different door. If you want a formal diagnosis for paperwork or insurance, you need someone who offers that service. Anyone under 25 needs another room. If you want a quick fix, a certificate or a letter, please choose elsewhere, and we can still talk through options in the first conversation if you are unsure.
Try this one tonight. On two evenings, ask yourself four things: What took my energy today, what steadied me even a little, did it work enough that I would repeat it tomorrow, and what small thing will I try next; if the answers feel thin twice, consider booking a first chat. Write it down on your phone so you do not forget the texture by morning.
Money and time matter; set a budget you can live with and pick a slot you can protect. Give yourself permission to reassess after a handful of sessions rather than making a forever decision on day one. If you want more to chew on first, read Is therapy even worth it? and Do I need therapy if nothing is actually wrong?. I work in English and Hindi, and I meet on video or in person in Bengaluru.
What if I am overreacting and wasting your time?
If you are asking this, you care about being fair. That already helps us work. We can use the free thirty-minute first conversation to check whether talking is useful right now. If it is not, I will say so plainly, and I can point you to other options that may fit better.
How many sessions will I need?
There is no set number. We decide the rhythm together and keep checking whether it is helping you think and act differently. Some people come for a short phase, others dip in and out over longer stretches. You can pause and resume as your life needs and as your budget allows.
Do you diagnose anxiety or depression?
I am a counsellor. I do not diagnose. If you want a diagnosis for treatment or paperwork, a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist is the right door. If safety is a worry, call Tele-MANAS on 14416 or go to the nearest emergency department, and we can speak later if needed.
Can I speak in Hindi or meet in person?
Yes. I work in English and Hindi. Sessions happen over video or in person in Bengaluru. We choose what fits your schedule and attention best, and we can switch if your week changes. The first conversation is where we sort logistics, money, and timings without pressure.
What do counsellors actually charge in India?
Fees vary across cities and experience. If you want a sense of the range, I wrote this guide: What do counsellors actually charge in India?. It can help you plan a budget and compare options so you can pace your sessions.
Written by Satlaj Sachan, a counsellor in Bengaluru working Book a first conversation.