RESEARCH LAB

Living Lab​

Too often, research happens in academic “ivory towers,” disconnected from the realities it claims to represent. Lives are reduced to data points, stripped of context, and filtered through someone else’s lens. While academic research has its strengths, it can miss the nuance, humanity, and social contexts that shape lived realities.

By centering lived experiences, we aim to unmask research moving from studying people as subjects to collaborating with them as co-creators of knowledge. This approach values the wisdom gained through living, surviving, and thriving in specific contexts, treating it as expertise equal to formal qualifications.

Lived experience research bridges the gap between communities and academia. It ensures that knowledge is:
- Grounded in reality, not removed from it.
- Responsive to community needs, not just academic agendas. Research beyond academia!
- Inclusive and accountable to the people it represents.
This is our commitment: to make research not just about lives, but with lives - ensuring that the voices at the margins are at the centre of the conversation.

MEET THE TEAM

Research Leads

Atreyee Sikdar (she/they)

Pursuing Ph.D. in Psychology, University of Delhi
M.A. in Psychosocial Clinical Studies, Ambedkar University Delhi
B.A. (Honours) in Psychology, University of Delhi
Atreyee’s lens as a researcher is kaleidoscopic. She borrows from psychoanalysis, psychological anthropology, critical theory, cultural studies, and interdisciplinary art. She is a doctoral fellow at the University of Delhi. Through her fellowship, she aims to document the experiences of community mental health workers in India using qualitative methods for postulating an indigenised perspective on care-work. In the past, she has received scholarships from the School of Human Studies at Ambedkar University Delhi as well as Kakar Centre for Psychoanalysis and Culture to support her postgraduate training. In her side-quest as the co-founder of Living Lab, Atreyee leads projects that search for enclaves of health, wellbeing, and care, outside the clinic. In these searches, alongside her team, she heeds to postcolonial subjectivities and epistemic marginalities when reckoning with issues of mental healthcare. Through this approach she finds ways in which communities can be empowered with agency and not exhausted as a resource when universalising the right to mental health.
Areas of Interest: Local in Global Mental Health; Psychosocial Residues of Care Labour; Rhizomorphic Care Models; Out-of-Clinic Possibilities and Pathways of Support; Relations of Self with Material and Internal Objects; Experiences of Self in Polycrisis.

Preferred Methods: Psychohistory; Case Study; Patchwork Ethnography; Sensory Ethnography; Autotheory; Literary Criticism; Diary-based Inquiries for Experience Sampling; Arts-based Inquiries for Testimonial and Hermeneutic Justice; Qualitative Methods for Programme Design and Evaluation.

Shriya Gaur (she/they)

M.A. Clinical Psychology
Teachers College, Columbia University
Shriya is the Founding Research Lead of the Living Lab at Unmasking Collective. Her work is grounded in a sustained engagement with lived experience - particularly the ways individuals narrate, negotiate, and make meaning of identity within complex social and cultural contexts. At the Living Lab, Shriya leads qualitative research initiatives that prioritize careful listening, ethical reflexivity, and methodological rigor. She is committed to building research spaces where marginalized voices are not treated as data points, but as knowledge-bearing narratives shaped by power, culture, and history. Their practice bridges clinical sensitivity and research discipline, with particular attention to how heteronormativity, stigma, and institutional norms shape self-understanding. Across projects, she centers personhood over pathology and complexity over simplification, ensuring that inquiry remains accountable to the communities it seeks to represent. Through her leadership, the Living Lab advances research that is both analytically rigorous and attentive to the emotional and relational dimensions of lived realities.​
Areas of Interest: LGBTQIA+ lived experiences in South Asian contexts, Sexuality and identity negotiation, Gender dysphoria and self-identity formation, Reproductive identity and narrative meaning-making, Heteronormativity and sociocultural barriers, Queer mental health and personhood, Community-based and socially accountable research, Cross-cultural experiences.

Preferred Methods: In-depth semi-structured interviews, Narrative inquiry, Thematic analysis, Reflexive qualitative research, Autoethnographic approaches, Mixed-method designs (qualitative-led), Community-engaged research practices

Projects Under Pipeline

For Healing to be Legitimate,
It Needn’t be Hospitalised

September 2025 to September 2026 (Proposed)

First-ever review of evidence from low-and-middle-income countries to scope the potential of third places, as a viable community-based pathway towards better mental health.

A Museum for the
Unmoored Generation

October 2026 to August 2027 (Proposed)

Phenomenological and arts-based inquiry to pay homage to the selves of young adults, carrying the psychosocial burden of living in precarity while witnessing multiple global crises.

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ABHYA SHARMA
RCI Licensed Associate Clinical Psychologist
Professional Diploma in Clinical Psychology
SGT University

Therapy with Abhya is rooted in a relational, Existential-Humanistic approach — a space where you slow down and explore your pressing concerns against the backdrop of existential themes like freedom, mortality, meaning in life, and loneliness. A session with Abhya might look like slowing down time, where we don’t rush to solve a problem, but just stay with the experience to let the answers emerge.


Therapeutic modalities and approaches:

Relational Therapy, Existential-Humanistic Therapy, Psychometric Assessment & Diagnostic Evaluation


Concerns she works with (but not limited to):

Emotional dysregulation, Depression, Anxiety, Anger issues, Relationship concerns.

SANIYA KAPUR
Consultant Clinical Psychologist (A) -
RCI Registered
UNESCO-CID Certified Expressive Arts Therapist
MA Psychology (Psychosocial Clinical Studies)
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Delhi.

Therapy with Saniya is an intentional and light space where you can slow down, reflect, and build tools to navigate what feels overwhelming or stuck. Her approach is authentic and grounded in deep respect for each person’s unique lived experiences. Sessions balance reflection with practical strategies, allowing space for insight as well as skill-building. She views art as a powerful medium for emotional expression and integrates an eclectic blend of talk-based and art-based modalities within sessions.


Therapeutic modalities and approaches: 

Person-Centered Therapy, DBT-informed techniques, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Expressive Arts Therapy.


Concerns she works with (but not limited to):

  Mood dysregulation, anxiety, emotional regulation, relationship concerns, work stress, adjustment issues, substance use, self-esteem, life transitions, and more.


Concerns she does not work with presently: 

Active crisis cases.

ISHA NAGPAL
Clinical Psychologist (A) - RCI Registered
MSc. Applied Clinical Psychology
University of Bath

Therapy with Isha is a safe and supportive space where you can slow down, talk openly, and understand yourself better. Isha sees therapy as a space that belongs to you, where we explore your thoughts, emotions, and experiences together without judgement. Her aim is to help you feel more aware of yourself, more confident in making choices, and better able to handle difficult thoughts and emotions.


Therapeutic modalities and approaches: 

Person-Centered Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Behavioural Therapy


Concerns she works with (but not limited to):

Mood dysregulation, Anxiety, Relationship concerns, Grief, Work stress, Adjustment issues, Confidence and Self-esteem.


Concerns she does not work with presently: 

In-patient clients.

KHETAN MAHESHWARI
Consultant Counselling Psychologist
MSc Clinical Psychology
CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore

Therapy with Ketan is a space for depth, reflection, and honest exploration. His work invites individuals to move toward understanding their emotional experiences, relationships, desires, conflicts, and patterns that shape their inner world. Together, therapy becomes a process of uncovering the visible and invisible parts of the self – the experiences carried from childhood, the ways one has learned to protect themselves, and parts of the past that continue to echo in the present.

His approach is relational, trauma-informed, queer-affirmative, and deeply attuned to the emotional, cultural, familial, social, and political realities that influence a person’s lived experience. Therapy with him is not about being “fixed”, rather, understanding, developing greater awareness, self and emotional insight, and the ability to make choices in one’s life and relationships, beyond conscious and unconscious patterns.

 

Therapeutic modalities and approaches:

Psychodynamic Therapy, Humanistic-Existential Therapy, Trauma-Informed, Queer-Affirmative, Relational, Socioculturally sensitive. 

 

Concerns he works with (but not limited to):

Childhood trauma, anxiety, relationships and interpersonal concerns, attachment, family, parent-child relationship, self-image, borderline states of mind, grief, adjustment and transition concerns, gender and sexual identity exploration, emotional regulation and self-exploration, and men’s mental health. 

 

Concerns he does not work with presently:

Active suicidal ideation and active high risk self-harm requiring immediate intervention, active psychosis. 

MRIDU GOEL
Consultant Counselling Psychologist
MSc. in Counselling Studies,
University of Edinburgh

Mridu is a counselling psychologist who offers a safe, inclusive space grounded in empathy, compassion, honesty, trust, and unconditional positive regard. She aims to creates an authentic environment where every layer of an individual is welcomed and valued, meeting them where they are. Her approach is cool, collaborative, and curious, balancing depth with ease, and supporting growth through vulnerability, meaningful conversations, and engaging activities.

 

Therapeutic approach and modalities: 

Eclectic approach tailored to clients’ needs, Person-centred Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Narrative Therapy
Culturally sensitive and socially informed lens.

Concerns she works with (but not limited to): 

Low mood, anxiety, relationship, childhood & family issues, sexual health & well-being, self-esteem, confidence issues, emotional neglect, work & academic issues, body image issues, attachment issues, grief, adjustment issues.

Concerns she does not work with presently: 

Addictions, active psychosis clients, OCD.

SAMADRITA
Consultant Consultant Psychologist
M.A. in Clinical Psychology, NSFU, Gujarat
PG Diploma in Psycho-Oncology, Texas School of Mental Health (Pursuing)

Therapy with Samadrita (Sam) is a gentle, safety-minded walk together. We’ll collaborate on the pace and priorities, slow down to have meaningful conversations, and hold space for your emotions and depth. My focus is on your lived experiences, core values, and the personal narratives that have shaped immensely who you are today. My role is to walk alongside you, helping you feel heard, seen, and more connected to yourself, especially during life’s difficult or confusing phases.

 

Therapeutic modalities & approach: 

Person-Centered Therapy, Narrative Practices, Trauma-Focused ACT (TF-ACT), Advanced EFT Practitioner (Certified by EFTMRA, UK), Matrix Re-Imprinting Therapy (Childhood & Trauma)

Concerns she works with (but not limited to):

Anxiety, low mood and depression, loss & grief, childhood trauma, identity exploration, understanding sense of self, relationship difficulties, life transitions (migration, empty-nest)

Concerns she does not work with presently:

Addictions, eating disorders, and sexual health. 

AFRITI MOSES
Consultant Counselling Psychologist
M.Sc in Clinical Psychology
CHRIST (Deemed to be University)

Therapy with Afriti is a collaborative and steady space to slow down and understand what feels confusing, overwhelming, or repetitive in your life. She works alongside you to explore relationship dynamics, emotional patterns, and the ways your past experiences may be shaping your present. Sessions move at your pace and centre what you wish to bring, while also offering reflections and practical tools to help you respond with greater awareness and intention.

Therapeutic modalities and approaches: 

Person-Centered Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), DBT-informed techniques, Culturally sensitive and trauma-informed lens.

Concerns she works with (but not limited to):

Anxiety and emotional overwhelm, trauma and childhood-related themes, low mood, relationship difficulties, grief and loss, self-esteem concerns, stress and burnout, life transitions, identity, self-understanding, and more. 

Concerns she does not work with presently:

Eating disorders, clients experiencing active psychosis

NICOLE MENEZES
Consultant Counselling Psychologist
MA in Clinical Psychology, Mumbai University

Therapy with Nicole is a space where you don’t have to constantly edit yourself. With safety we try to slow down, untangle patterns, and gently make sense of all feelings. It’s collaborative, compassionate and sometimes humourous, helping you move towards places you want to be at. 

Looking at your relationships, triggers, stories, and figuring out what feels fitting vs what doesn’t, you’re met with curiosity, not judgment, and we work at a pace that is best suited for you. All parts are always welcome. 

Therapeutic modalities and approaches: 

Integrated Modalities + process oriented (trauma informed, ND and Queer Affirming): Transactional Analysis (T.A.), Internal Family Systems (I.F.S.), Relational, Gestalt, etc.

Concerns she works with (but not limited to):

Neurodivergent umbrella, anxiety and emotional regulation, C-PTSD and trauma, interpersonal difficulties, work-related stressors, grief and loss, life transitions, and more.

Concerns she does not work with presently:

Active psychosis

SANJANA SARIN
Consultant Counselling Psychologist
MA Applied Psychology, specialization in Clinical psychology, University of Delhi

Therapy with Sanjana is collaborative and client-led, shaped by what feels most important to bring into the room. Sessions are conversational, reflective, and paced gently. The therapeutic relationship is central to her work; feeling safe, understood, and able to be honest matters. She brings curiosity and encourages exploration rather than rushing toward solutions. Over time, the process supports deeper self-understanding, more emotional awareness, and greater choice in how you respond to yourself, your relationships, and your life.

 

Therapeutic modalities and approaches: 

Person-Centered Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, queer-affirmative, social justice-oriented, and non-pathologising. 

Concerns she works with (but not limited to): 

Grief and loss of different forms, self-exploration and identity, life transitions, loneliness, navigating social and familial expectations, attachment-related concerns, emotional concerns, and more.

Concerns she does not work with presently: 

Active suicidal ideation and emergencies, addiction, active psychosis. 

SANYA BAGGA
MSc Global Mental Health,
King’s College London

Therapy with Sanya is a collaborative and gentle space where you don’t have to perform or “have it all figured out.” She walks alongside you, helping you explore your emotional world, understand patterns, and reconnect with parts of yourself that may feel distant or overwhelmed. Sessions integrate reflective depth with practical tools, supporting both insight and meaningful change.

Therapeutic modalities and approaches: 

Trauma-focused practice, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Transactional Analysis 101 (ITAA Certified), psychodynamic lens, culturally and socially informed perspective.

Concerns she works with (but not limited to):

Trauma and its long-term impact, OCD (including lived experience-informed support), anxiety and overthinking, emotional regulation difficulties, identity exploration and self-understanding, relationship patterns and attachment dynamics, self-worth and inner criticism, life transitions, feeling disconnected from oneself and more.