Dr. S, as she is affably referred to by many, has been in the field of human development, mental health, and inclusive education since 1997. Her prolific learning, deep passion, inner journey, and strengths bring her the expertise to effectuate Quantum Change.
Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do today.
Tim Fargo
Her Learning
Her expertise has been shaped by two advanced post-graduate degrees from the USA. She earned her PhD from Purdue University, USA, with a focus on neurocognitive deficits caused as a secondary effect of psychoactive drugs. Prior to this, she completed her Education Specialists degree at the University of Virginia, USA, which focussed on early learning and interventions with its underpinnings in human behaviour. She also has a Master’s and double Bachelor’s degrees from India.
Her Professional Journey
Dr. Sharanya wears many professional hats given her extensive training and experience. She works with individuals across the life-span addressing a range of challenges and excels in seamlessly bringing a different set of skills and knowledge to bear.
As a Cognitive Specialist, she works on optimizing human cognition through training and rehabilitation. Both of these passions are the cornerstones of her organization, DIRECT, established in 2002. In addition to providing therapy to individuals, DIRECT also trains young psychologists to take these nascent fields forward therapeutically in India. Being an artist herself, Dr. Sharanya strongly believes that Art is both a therapeutic and rehabilitative medium and has therefore embedded its use within Expressive Arts Therapy at DIRECT.
As an Educational Specialist, Dr. Sharanya is invested in pedagogical approaches to learning and in building inclusive societies. She was the Founder of Grassroots Global, an IB school which brought visual learning, critical thinking and holistic development of young minds into an inclusive space. She is a firm believer that learning is continuous and the world is the best classroom to experience new learning. She is passionate about research with a deep-rooted belief that good research is essential to inform best practices.
As a Psychotherapist, Dr. Sharanya is Neuro- and Queer- Affirmative and works with the mind-body connect. She has an integrative approach that is informed by neuroscience, cognition and psychological therapies while simultaneously bringing change through holistic mind-body practices. Her own Quantum healing journey has brought profundity and perspective into her approaches with clients. She is a registered member of the prestigious American Psychological Association (APA 11942164), as well as the American Counseling Association (ACA 6612036). She has received several awards in recognition of her outstanding work in these fields both from USA and India. She is a licensed and recognised Fellow in Adult, Child & Adolescent Psychology Counseling from NHCA Singapore (76008344426) and by Counsellors Council of India (CRN5760336).
“In my early professional years I was asking the question: How can I treat, or cure, or change this person? Now I would phrase the question in this way: How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for his own personal growth?”
― Carl R. Rogers
Her Research
One may think a PhD solely trains to specialize in a niche area. The doctoral and Post-doctoral training went beyond that for Dr Sharanya. It provided her with several utilitarian skill sets such as researching, writing, mentoring, and managing projects effectively, which she uses to this day across all her undertakings.
Research persists to play a vital role in her learning and work. For her research is a process of investigation aimed at finding solutions to real life problems, expanding knowledge, and advancing her understanding of the field – to extend it from theory to practice. Research emerges from an innate desire to seek to improve current practices and to grow the body of knowledge and awareness. Through this scientific exploration she has found that beyond the quantitative findings often associated with research it is the impact of experience, culture and language that lends meaning to the findings. A central goal of research is to reveal the truth as seen by those being researched. This means going beyond the notion of objective truth and into subjective truth that is personal to the individual. She found single-subject designs and grounded theory methods to be most akin to her journey of discovery and open-mindedness and continues to publish empirical evidence using these methods.
Her Outreach
She pursues several outreach activities to engage large audiences and/or to bring knowledge and expertise on a particular topic. These activities have taken several forms, spanning from school-based training on pedagogical approaches, neuro-inclusion workshops at college and organizational levels, to public talks that build awareness or various aspects of human development. Over the years she has also been involved in a variety of training events at different workspaces that highlight human cognition and its use/disuse in specific STEM based setups, with a focus on neuroplasticity and building a healthy brain. She is passionate around all events that strive to brings awareness on Neurodivergence to the fore and those that aim to build an inclusive society.
Her Strengths
Dr. Sharanya’s CliftonStrengths form the building blocks of her work. Her ideation prompts her to connect her passion through continued learning. This allows her to strategize unique solutions, making her an achiever and a seasoned professional.
Drawn to novel ideas and approaches (IDEATION), practice and protocols are informed by academic research and transdisciplinary professional insights. To constantly be at the forefront of innovation in therapeutics, Dr. Sharanya considers herself a lifelong student who is convinced of and is invested in the joy of learning (LEARNER). She has woven this desire to learn more and do better into the fabric of human development by fostering an environment of collaborative learning. Her unique life-experiences and her exposure at work have further heightened her belief that everything in life has purpose and is serendipitously connected (CONNECTEDNESS). This conviction helps her see beyond the seemingly disparate to recognize patterns and complex connections (STRATEGIC) that are useful in diagnostics and design of customized therapy protocols. Ultimately, Dr. Sharanya’s goal is to productively use her skills and strengths (ACHIEVER) to help change lives by maximizing one’s own potential, realize their goals and find purpose.
Her Balance
Aside from her alacrity for work, she is an avid reader, enjoys travel, connecting with nature, adventure and the arts. She is energized by a morning run or HIIT and enjoys solving word and mental puzzles. She tends to see life through new lenses and enjoys the experiences each day brings. She is an animal lover and de-stresses through mindfulness, yoga, cooking and watching movies.
“A man is but the product of his thoughts and what he thinks he becomes.”
– Mahatma Gandhi
Quantum Change 