Ms. Shreshtha Malhotra | Child & Adolescent Psychologist in India

Shreshtha Malhotra

Counselling Psychologist

English | Hindi

RCI Reg No: CRR-A83341

About Ms. Shreshtha Malhotra

Child, Adolescent & Adult Mental Health | Parent & Family Work | Neurodiversity-Affirming | Queer-Affirmative | Counselling Psychologist

Ms. Shreshtha Malhotra is a Counselling Psychologist who works with children, adolescents, adults, parents, and families. She believes emotional distress is often invisible and that meaningful therapy begins with creating a safe, collaborative, and non-judgmental space where individuals feel seen, heard, and understood.

She has experience supporting children and adolescents experiencing anxiety, emotional dysregulation, behavioural concerns, school-related difficulties, developmental challenges, grief, identity exploration, and emotional overwhelm. Alongside her work with young people, she also works with adults navigating anxiety, trauma, relationship difficulties, grief, life transitions, self-esteem concerns, identity exploration, and recurring interpersonal patterns, helping them build greater emotional awareness, resilience, and healthier ways of relating to themselves and others.

A significant part of her practice involves working with neurodivergent children, adolescents, and adults, including individuals with ADHD and Autism. Her neurodiversity-affirming approach focuses on understanding each person’s unique strengths, communication styles, sensory experiences, and support needs while fostering self-understanding, autonomy, and emotional wellbeing. She also offers queer-affirmative therapy, creating an inclusive and affirming space for LGBTQIA+ individuals exploring identity, relationships, minority stress, and belonging.

Shreshtha works collaboratively with parents and caregivers to better understand the emotional meaning behind a child’s behaviour, strengthen parent-child relationships, navigate developmental and school-related concerns, and build emotionally safe family environments. Rather than focusing solely on behaviour change, she helps families understand the child’s emotional, developmental, and relational needs.

Her therapeutic style is warm, collaborative, and developmentally sensitive. Clients and families often describe her as patient, compassionate, and thoughtful—someone who sees the person beyond the diagnosis, behaviour, or presenting concern.

Areas of Specialization

Child & Adolescent Mental Health
Anxiety in Children & Adolescents • Emotional Dysregulation • Behavioural Challenges • Anger & Emotional Outbursts • School Refusal • School Anxiety • Academic Stress • Adjustment Difficulties • Developmental & Milestone Concerns • Low Self-Esteem • Social & Peer Difficulties • Grief & Loss • Identity Exploration

Adult Mental Health
Anxiety • Trauma • Relationship Difficulties • Emotional Regulation • Self-Esteem • Identity Exploration • Life Transitions • Personal Growth • Self-Understanding • Interpersonal Patterns

Trauma & Emotional Wellbeing
Trauma-Sensitive Therapy • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) • Anxiety • Stress • Emotional Overwhelm • Grief & Bereavement • Shame & Self-Criticism • Adjustment Difficulties • Life Transitions

Relationship & Interpersonal Concerns
Communication Difficulties • Boundary Setting • Attachment Patterns • Family Dynamics • Relationship Conflict • Relationship Loss & Endings • Interpersonal Difficulties

Neurodivergence-Affirming Support
ADHD • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) • Executive Functioning Challenges • Emotional Regulation • Sensory Processing Differences • Social & Communication Differences • Neurodivergent Identity • Parent Support • Adult Neurodivergence

Parenting & Family Support
Parenting Challenges • Parent-Child Conflict • Emotional Co-Regulation • Understanding Behaviour • Parent-Child Relationships • Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Strategies • Caregiver Stress • Family Communication • Parent Psychoeducation

Gender, Sexuality & Identity
Queer-Affirmative Therapy • Gender & Sexuality Exploration • LGBTQIA+ Mental Health • Identity Development • Minority Stress • Self-Acceptance • Relationship & Belonging Concerns

Crisis & Emotional Distress
Suicidal Ideation • Emotional Distress • Safety Planning • Crisis Stabilisation • Referral Planning

Therapeutic Orientation

Shreshtha follows an integrative, trauma-sensitive, and developmentally informed approach, drawing from:

Narrative Therapy
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Play Therapy
Trauma-Sensitive Practice
Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy
Queer-Affirmative Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-Informed Techniques
Strengths-Based & Collaborative Practice

Qualifications

Master’s in Psychology – University of Delhi
Advanced Diploma in Child & Adolescent Guidance & Counselling – National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD)
Post Graduate Diploma in Narrative Therapy & Community Work – Child First & Dulwich Centre
Certification in Queer Affirmative Therapy Practices – MHI

Therapy Philosophy

I see therapy as a collaborative process of understanding, healing, and growth. It begins with creating a space where you don’t have to perform, explain yourself perfectly, or arrive with everything figured out.

Some people come to therapy looking for practical tools, while others need space to process emotions, understand patterns, or make sense of difficult experiences. I believe therapy should meet you where you are and evolve with what you need.

When working with children, I pay attention not only to what they say but also to what they communicate through behaviour, play, silence, or emotional overwhelm. When appropriate, I work alongside parents and caregivers to help them better understand their child’s emotional world and strengthen the relationships that support healthy development.

While we cannot always change what has happened to us, we can change how we relate to our experiences and the stories we carry forward. My hope is that therapy becomes a space where you feel heard, understood, and increasingly able to write your story in your own words.