Plug “emotional wellness” into a search engine and it shows up 291 million hits – and a lot of advice. Everyone, from certified experts to click-bait writers, has an opinion about what’s good for us.

Emotional Well-being or Mental Health – be in the workplace or in our home lives – is still touch-me-with-a-20-foot-pole topic achingly in India. Vastly prominent but barely revealed. Closed-door conversations are common but widespread recognition to finding solutions and confiding in others is still rare. Rajeev Mokashi spoke to Niati Mariiyya, Founder IDHAYA-Conscious Living about how she helps her clients to deal with the combination of reactions to stress, also known as the “fight-or-flight” response.

Meet Niati Mariiyya

…Emotional Wellness Coach, Hypnobirthing Childbirth Educator, Sound Healer and a Theta Healer. Having personally been diagnosed with and conquered some of life’s most excruciating health issues, Niati Mariiyya has come a long way in empowering herself and providing positive support for individuals, families and couples.

As a client centered therapist and holistic healer, Niati has been through the most telling moment in her health history where she physically and emotionally hit rock bottom to consequently rise like a phoenix by self practicing disciplined restoration to bodily health. With a decade of experience in the field of emotional health and a staunch believer in holistic approach and adhering to natural methods for healing, Niati has made much more than the proverbial “lemonade” with what could have been some very bitter lemons.

OK. Let’s dive in and learn about what you are doing with your wellness journey? Rather, what led you to working in wellness – the way you doing today?
Being born in a humble family setting with brilliant upbringing and education, everything was hunky-dory, and then this happens. A few years on the job and I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It took a toll-n-while to gather courage and accept what hit me. I diligently followed homeopathy and ayurveda, while staying averse to chemotherapy till I had to give in. What came as fresh breath of relief was hypnotherapy for physical and mental balance along with counselling from psychologists. The complete recovery took more then three years and IDHYA was born.

After marriage had I barely settled with a wonderful son, destiny threw another challenge in the form of my mother being detected with breast cancer. Our willpower to defeat cancer and claim her life back grew doubly stronger. Unfortunately, we lost her despite her valiant battle. Recognizing the suffering that I underwent and the serious negative impact on my health and mind made me quit my job and learn hypnotherapy skills to help overcome others from the same ordeal.

So, what’s it really like working as a Emotional Wellness Therapist?
Having struggled with life-threatening diagnosis very early in life, when I look back, the journey was worth it. I’m in a profession where the universe gave me the process to help people. I love the clients that come to me, dive into the healing process and the healing that happens in their lives. It is super rewarding to watch someone go from living life in agony, as a victim in pain and suffering to empowering them to control their life and help them take charge.

What sets you apart from others in this profession?
Well, I definitely cannot comment anything on others. Of course there are a lot therapists working in different kinds of modalities but the feedback I receive from people I’ve worked with is the fact that having come from a background where I’ve used enough of my left brain, logic and science to my present
profession, I am able to seamlessly merge the suit. I make my clients logically understand what they are thinking about their lives and how it is impacting them. They feel empowered. I provide them with tools or exercise to follow as emotions don’t follow a 9-to-5 pattern.

Like for instance, if something triggers them in the middle of the night, they feel empowered to handle and overcome it by themselves. I believe in giving away something in each of my session. Merging the left and right creativity along with logic and science is the foundation of IDHAYA – neuro-scientific techniques with ancient wisdom. So while we may be using the principles of ayurveda they would be connected with more new aged technique. So we merge all of them to work on your mind as well as your body.

Who inspires you?
Every time I’m able to make a difference in somebody’s life is a reboot of inspiration for me. I look for inspiration in my day-to-day life. I don’t wait for any one individual to inspire. I think its the inherent trust in the universe with a positive attitude and looking at life around me and taking inspiration is what keeps me going. The universe is constantly dropping me signs of directions I should follow.

What are you manifesting in 2023?
I’m not manifesting anything. I honestly do not believe in manifestation. There is one thing I do in my morning prayers that whatever is meant for my highest interest, I am open to receiving it and open to letting it come into my life, being the universe’ favourite child.

On a parting note, any advice for our Glitz readers?
You are much more powerful than you think to be. Negative thoughts take away a lot of positive energy so don’t let your power go away. Its like giving away the remote control of your life to someone else. Trust the universe. Trust yourself. Your existence is for a reason. So appreciate your uniqueness.