Sayoni Mandal
Psychotherapist
- Referred by a therapist
Hi, I'm Sayoni. I grew up as the kind of child who observed more than participated. I was drawn to people, to what made them tick, to the gap between what they said and what they seemed to actually feel. That curiosity never left. It just found a language eventually, and that language became the work I do now.
Further, psychology for me happened through literature. A professor in my literature department in Kolkata taught a course on psychology alongside his literature classes. Something in that combination caught me completely. I went into personal therapy for the first time, and I have not stopped since. I am someone who reflects constantly, on every session, on every pattern I notice, on my own reactions and what they might mean. That quality of ongoing reflection and curiosity is not something I switch off. It is simply how I think, and it is, I believe, what makes this work possible.
I moved to Paris to study at the university Jacques Lacan himself founded, the place where this tradition of therapy was born and where its deepest training still lives. That required learning French from scratch, which took three years before I could even begin. Once I understood where the real depth of this work existed, going there felt like the only logical next step. Living in Paris has also given me something I did not anticipate. I have been through the experience of leaving home, building a life in a completely different country, navigating a new language, a new culture, and the particular kind of loneliness and dislocation that comes with that transition. That experience lives in me, and it means that when someone comes to me having done the same, having left India to build something elsewhere and found that the inner life does not simply adjust along with the geography, I understand that from the inside.
My own therapy has also shaped how I practice more than anything else. It taught me that change rarely happens where you aim for it. You speak about something, work on something, and one day something else shifts entirely, something you were not directly looking at. The person is a complex, interconnected system, and a small movement in one area can quietly transform another. I do not see people through the lens of symptoms or diagnoses. I am interested in the whole person, their history, their relationships, the things they repeat without knowing why, the things they cannot quite put into words.
8920+ hours of work in therapy
I didn't stop learning after my masters, I have been continuously investing in practical case-based training, client work, and my own personal therapy.
We show therapy sessions so you can better understand a therapist's real-world experience.
Two therapists may both have five years in practice, yet one might have completed 500 sessions while another has completed 3,000. This depends on whether they practice part-time or full-time and how consistently they see clients. Session counts make that difference visible.
Just as you would not trust a surgeon who has only read about the human body but never operated, therapy cannot be mastered through textbooks alone. While many master's programs in India are heavily theory-driven, practical training develops the real skill of therapy - learning how to ask the right question, when to hold silence, when to challenge, and how to respond in complex emotional moments.
Therapists are human, and they carry their own histories. When a client's experiences resemble their own, old patterns can get activated.
For example, if a therapist grew up with a highly critical parent and a client shares a similar experience, that old pattern can get activated. They may unconsciously over-identify, rescue, or react instead of staying objective. Personal therapy helps therapists recognise their own triggers and patterns so they can respond thoughtfully and continue to hold a non-judgemental space. Nobody is born non judgemental, it takes a lot of personal work to get there.
2+ years of in-depth, practical training in psychotherapy post masters
- 1+ year of training in Psychoanalysis: A Practice of the Letter, Irish Circle of the Lacanian Orientation, NLS
- 1+ year of Reading Seminar X: Anxiety, Lacanian Compass, NLS
- The Analytic Act from Lacan Circle of Australia, NLS
- Challenges in Depressive Language Use: Developing Cognitive Tools for Depression Detection, School of Cognitive Science, Jadavpur University
- Children in Conflict with Law: Balancing Justice-Based and Care-Based Approach, Centre for Counselling Services and Studies in Self-Development and Mental Health Foundation
Educational Qualifications
- Bachelor's and Master's in English, Jadavpur University
- Master's in Psychology, IGNOU
- P.G. Diploma in Counselling, Jadavpur University
- Master's in Psychoanalysis, Université Paris 8, France
✨ Sayoni's commitment to psychoanalysis is rare. She trained through internationally recognised schools across multiple countries and moved to Paris specifically to study at the university where this discipline was founded, learning entirely in French to do so.
I've been privileged to work with a wide range of clients, from individuals navigating relational patterns and long-held suffering, to people sitting with grief, trauma, and questions about why certain things keep repeating in their lives, to those who have tried other approaches and are looking for something that goes deeper. My work is psychoanalytically oriented and does not follow a structured or directive framework.
You are in the right place if you are not primarily seeking support for conditions that require immediate psychiatric or medical intervention.
Approaches I Use
- Psychoanalysis
- Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
- Humanistic Therapy
Sayoni works with the unconscious dimensions of a person's experience, the patterns, repetitions, and ways of relating that persist even when someone understands them intellectually. Her approach creates space for those deeper layers to surface and shift, not through advice or structure, but through the work of speaking and being genuinely heard.
What sessions with me feel like
You can bring whatever you want to the session. A dream, a memory, something that happened this week, something that keeps repeating without explanation. I will listen and I will ask questions. What I am listening for is not just what you are saying but the shape of it, the patterns in how you speak about yourself, what gets repeated, what gets avoided, what you do not quite have words for yet. The first few sessions are exploratory. I am trying to get a sense of where you are, how you relate to others and to yourself, what has brought you here. I follow what you bring.
My sessions are variable in length. I do not end a session when the clock says to. I end it when something important has been said, when the right moment presents itself to stop. If I give you a few minutes less or more it is not because I am taking something away. It is because you said something significant and it matters to stay with it rather than move past it.
If you are new to this and unsure what to bring, I suggest noticing things between sessions. Painful experiences, recurring memories, dreams that feel significant. These tend to be where something important is waiting. Change in this work sometimes happens where you aim for it and sometimes it doesn’t. If I notice something has shifted in you, I will point it out. If something you used to bring has stopped appearing, I will not ask about it. Perhaps it has simply stopped existing for you. That is often how it works.
Session Basics
Languages
Fluent in English, French, Bengali & Hindi;
Understands Sylheti
Location
Paris, France
Mode
Online only
Duration
60 minutes
Available for
Individual Therapy
Rescheduling/Cancellation Policy
24-hour notice required
Outside therapy
I lift weights most days, which people find surprising until I explain that it is the one hour where my mind goes completely quiet. When I travel, I spend an embarrassing amount of time photographing trees, rivers, and skies, never myself. I am not sure I am any good at it but that has never stopped me. I love cooking, I love long walks, and I have a general suspicion of any activity that requires sitting still for too long. Paris, fortunately, has been a very good city for someone like that.
What clients say
"I started therapy with Sayoni in 2020 during a challenging time, and it has been one of the best decisions I've made for myself. She takes the time and has the patience to facilitate a journey of self-understanding and care. Over the years, I’ve had many learnings and un-learnings, and I’ve felt supported throughout the entire process. It’s been a meaningful experience, and I highly recommend working with her."
Female, 30, Delhi, Finance Consultant
"I started my sessions with Sayoni at a point in my life when my emotions felt overwhelming and I was very unsure of many of my major life decisions. The therapeutic process was helpful in helping me uncover many of the unconscious beliefs and patterns that were guiding my life. When I reflect on my journey through therapy with Sayoni, I am immensely grateful for her warm and consistent presence through some of the most difficult periods in my life. Therapy can be a convoluted and confusing journey, and I am glad I have her support in sifting through the confusion and chaos to a clearer understanding of my scars and how to heal them."
Female, 35, Berlin, Post-doc researcher
"I was skeptical at first, thinking this only replaces regular conversations with a reliable friend. But I began analysis because I didn't have friends I could talk to. Through the process, I got to learn that analysis can be so much more: friends are too invested in trying to break, shape or fix us; they distance themselves or embrace us and for this we perform for them. I found Sayoni to be entirely unjudgemental, even when I was begging her for labels. She patiently gained my trust, and released decades worth of traumatic attachments. She really helped me get back on my feet."
Male, 38, Kolkata, Student
"It's been two years since I entered psychoanalysis, two years of reorienting my life within and towards psychoanalysis. A pleasure, though a rough one, I might say. I came into psychoanalysis not "to see" to be very precise, but because I had no other choice but to seek refuge. Existence had become a complete suffering. From this experience, I can articulate fragments: I had psychosomatic symptoms, fixations over medications. And so I can testify that psychoanalysis does indeed have a therapeutic effect. It liberated me from the mode of suffering I had been caught in. And all this came about solely through the means of speech. It has been an interesting journey, and precisely the cure in my case. The path still has a long way to go."
Male, 28, Kolkata, Translator
"What I appreciated the most about working with Sayoni is the clarity with which I came out of every session. It was a journey towards understanding the self better . She would often pose a question in a session that would change my approach to my life and living more generally"
Female, 34, Minnesota, PHD student
"My experience with Ms. Sayoni has been pretty good. Kind, insightful, and empathetic, she has always created a safe and non-judgemental space for me to open up and be vulnerable. For someone like me who struggles with everyday anxiety and introvertedness, she was a grounding presence. What stands out most about her approach is her attention to the smallest of details that eventually helped me identify my patterns and conflicts. She comes off as deeply sincere and professional, yet flexible enough to be approachable during emergencies. Her ability to combine sensitivity with analytic depth has guided me a lot in my mental health journey."
Female, 31, Kolkata, Assistant Professor
"Working with Sayoni has been a really meaningful experience. She makes it easy to talk about anything without fear of judgment and has helped me understand myself better. I’ve come away with more clarity, self-awareness, and tools to handle things in a healthier way. I am really grateful for her support."
Female, 29, Hyderabad,Consultant
I've been referred to Mindbun by therapist Haseena Abdulla.
Therapists know what good therapy feels like. That's why this referral is stronger, and why you can trust it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What approaches do you work with?
I work primarily with Psychoanalysis, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Humanistic Therapy.
What languages do you offer sessions in?
I offer sessions in English, French, Bengali and Hindi. I understand Sylheti.
What type of people may not be the right fit for you?
I may not be the right fit if you are primarily seeking support for conditions that require immediate psychiatric or medical intervention.
Are your sessions more structured or exploratory?
My sessions are exploratory by nature, guided by what you bring, though I will punctuate and intervene when something important surfaces.
Will I get exercises or reflection work between sessions?
No, I may suggest reflections but only if they support your pace and goals rather than overwhelm you.
What if I disagree with you?
I genuinely welcome disagreement in our work together. If something I say doesn't sit right with you, I encourage you to share it openly. Therapy is a collaborative space, and your voice matters deeply here. Often, moments of disagreement lead to powerful insights, about patterns, boundaries, needs, or past experiences. Exploring these moments together can become an important part of your therapeutic growth and help us build a more honest, trusting relationship.
What if it doesn't feel like it's working after a few sessions?
Let's talk about it openly. Therapy is a collaborative process, and it's important that you feel safe sharing if something doesn't feel right. Sometimes, naming what isn't working can lead to meaningful shifts in the work itself. You are always free to pause, take a break, or explore a different therapist if that feels better for you. We can have that conversation together first, or you can also reach out to the Mindbun team for support in finding a better fit. Your comfort and growth matter more than pushing through something silently.