The Story Behind InnerSaga
InnerSaga began with a belief that our physical and emotional wellbeing are deeply interconnected.
Our work began with a focused approach to Yoga Therapy — not general yoga classes, but therapeutic practices designed to help people living with back pain, neck pain and other persistent physical difficulties. As we worked closely with individuals to manage pain and regain mobility, we began noticing something beyond their physical symptoms — the stress, emotional struggles and life experiences that sometimes accompanied their pain.
Our work with Reiki brought another dimension to this understanding. During self-healing practices, people sometimes encountered emotions, memories and experiences that needed more than quiet reflection. They needed space to be expressed, explored and understood.
These observations gradually shaped InnerSaga’s evolution towards Counselling & Talk Therapy.
Today, InnerSaga brings together Counselling, Yoga Therapy and Reiki — different approaches connected by a common intention: to understand the person, not just the difficulty they are experiencing.
The Experiences That Shaped My Work
My professional journey began with teaching French, followed by a career in finance. I spent 16 years in the corporate world, and there were aspects of it that I genuinely enjoyed. But over time, the work became monotonous. I felt that I wasn’t working to my full potential, and my natural inclination towards listening, observing and analysing had little room to grow.
Looking back, I realise that I had entered finance much like many of us make our early career choices — boarding the first train that came our way, without really knowing where it was taking us.
Leaving the corporate world was a difficult decision. Even after leaving, I spent nearly two years not knowing what I wanted to do next. Eventually, I found my way to Medical Yoga Therapy.
Medical Yoga gave me an opportunity to use my eye for detail in ways I hadn’t experienced before — observing closely, understanding individual difficulties, and exploring how therapeutic practices could be adapted to each person’s needs. Reiki healing and, later, counselling nurtured another part of me: the natural listener who had always been there.
I knew these were fields where I could bring something meaningful of myself. Yet knowing that didn’t make the transition easy.
My professional exploration has now spanned 22 years, taking me through different fields, challenges and discoveries. And it continues to evolve.
This exploration wasn’t simply about learning healing techniques. It involved looking at uncomfortable aspects of myself, questioning long-held beliefs, and gradually developing a deeper understanding of my emotional world.
These experiences continue to influence the way I listen, relate to others, and approach my work today.
What Guides My Practice
If every person responded to the same exercises, techniques and advice, therapy would be wonderfully straightforward. Fortunately, or perhaps inconveniently, human beings are far more interesting than that. They are far more complex than the methods we use to help them.
Whether it is Medical Yoga, Reiki or Counselling, one principle has consistently guided my work — to understand the person seeking therapy, not just the difficulty they have come with.
Even something as specific as sciatica pain cannot be approached with a standard sequence of exercises and fixed counts. Two people experiencing similar symptoms may have very different lifestyles, occupations, daily routines, physical limitations and expectations from therapy. What works for one may need to be adapted considerably for another.
The same understanding guides my work with Counselling and Reiki. Each person arrives with their own experiences, beliefs, emotional needs and ways of making sense of life. I believe these differences deserve attention before anything else.
It begins with listening, observing, asking questions and understanding what the person is seeking. From there, we explore what might be helpful, at a pace that respects their circumstances and readiness.
It is the approach that needs to be attuned to the person, rather than expecting the person to fit into the approach.
This has remained constant throughout my professional journey, even as the nature of my work has evolved.
Learning, Training & Influences
My learning has never been limited to classrooms, certifications or formal training. Some of my most valuable lessons have come through personal experiences, working closely with people, and the guidance of teachers who have shaped the way I think, observe and practise.
The Teachers Who Shaped My Learning
Dr. Niru Kumar — Reiki
I met Dr. Niru Kumar in 2007, during a particularly difficult period in my life. Her guidance introduced me to Reiki, initially as a personal practice of self-healing and exploration. What began with the 21-day self-healing practice gradually became an important part of my life, eventually leading me to become a Reiki Master.
Dr. Niru Kumar was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021.
Dr. Deepak Sachdeva — Medical Yoga
My introduction to Medical Yoga came through Dr. Deepak Sachdeva in 2009. His teaching helped me develop what he calls a “Yogic Eye” — the ability to observe closely, notice details that might otherwise be missed, and understand how yoga practices can be adapted to individual needs. I completed my Medical Yoga certification in 2013.
Dr. Vineeta Ketkar — Rope & Belt Therapy
After moving to Pune in 2014, I had the opportunity to deepen my understanding of Rope & Belt Therapy under Dr. Vineeta Ketkar at Gnosis Medical Yoga Center. Her attention to detail and clinical perspective further refined my approach to therapeutic yoga.
Personal Work & Self-Exploration
An equally important part of my learning has been my own therapeutic journey. Over more than a decade of working closely with a psychoanalyst and psychotherapist, I had the opportunity to explore my inner world, question deeply held beliefs, recognise recurring emotional patterns, and understand aspects of myself that had previously remained outside my awareness.
This work gave me a deeper appreciation of the complexities of the human psyche and helped me develop greater emotional grounding. It also taught me that self-understanding is rarely a straightforward or comfortable process.
My own therapeutic work helped me understand what it means to sit on the other side of the room — to be vulnerable, to struggle with difficult emotions, and to gradually find clarity.
That perspective continues to influence the way I relate to people who come to me for therapy.
Professional Qualifications & Training
- Mental Health & Counselling — Certification through an initiative of the Psychoanalytic Society of India.
- Medical Yoga — Certified in 2013 under Dr. Deepak Sachdeva.
- Rope & Belt Therapy — Advanced training under Dr. Vineeta Ketkar, Gnosis Medical Yoga Center, Pune.
- Reiki Master — Trained under Dr. Niru Kumar, Padma Shri awardee.
I remain deeply grateful to my teachers, not only for the knowledge they shared, but also for the different ways of seeing and understanding people that they introduced me to.
Beginning a Conversation
You may come to InnerSaga seeking relief from physical pain, a better understanding of your emotions, or simply a space to explore something that has been troubling you.
Whatever brings you here, I believe the starting point is the same — taking the time to understand what matters to you and what you hope to find through therapy.
If you would like to explore whether my approach is right for you, we can begin with a conversation.