Yajnika Pillay

About Me

Why I became a psychologist?

I grew up in a community where people were often supported in meaningful ways when they were going through difficult times- family, spiritual guidance, practical help or well-meaning conversations. These forms of care were important, but it was only when I began seeing a psychologist that I encountered a very different way of understanding human behaviour, and a form of support unlike anything I had experienced before. I encountered a space where thoughts and emotions were approached with curiosity and their complexity acknowledged, rather than reduced to simple explanations or quick solutions. I began to see the value of first trying to understand another person’s experience as fully as possible before attempting to help them change.

I’d also grown up often unable to engage in a conversation about severe mental illness without the word “crazy” coming up. Learning about the deeper roots of behaviour taught me to appreciate that complicated psychiatric presentations rarely appear suddenly. Instead they grow out of many smaller struggles that were unseen, unheard or unsupported. These realisations cultivated in me a deep sense of advocacy and a desire to honour the fullness of people’s inner lives within the process of emotional healing.

What Makes Me Different?

I approach therapy as a collaborative process. I always hold in mind that while I may sit with you for fifty minutes each week, you have lived with your experiences your entire life and are therefore the person who knows your inner world best. My role is to think alongside you as we explore your emotional landscape together.

People often come to therapy feeling unsure about where to begin. Sometimes there are clear struggles- depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties. Other times there is simply a sense that something in life isn’t quite making sense. In our work together, there is room for all of it: the daily frustrations, the long-standing questions about childhood experiences, the parts of yourself that feel contradictory or confusing and the things you may have never said aloud before.

Training

My work is grounded primarily in psychodynamic thinking, which means I approach therapy with a deep understanding of how our past experiences shape who we become. Every experience in your life has contributed to the person you are today- your values, emotional habits, and ways of relating to others. My training informs my approach to therapy: taking time to understand that history while also holding an important question in mind-how do you want to live and relate differently going forward?

I also remain attentive to the broader contexts that shape our lives. Experiences of race, culture, political history and intergenerational trauma can profoundly influence how we understand ourselves and move through the world. Religion and spirituality are also areas of deep interest to me, and I welcome conversations about how these aspects of life shape ones’ sense of meaning, identity and healing.

My own personal therapy has also been an important part of my professional journey. Doing this work myself has given me a deep respect for the courage it takes to sit down with someone and begin speaking about the more private and vulnerable parts of your life. For many people this can feel incredibly daunting, and I carry that awareness with me in the care and thoughtfulness I bring to the therapeutic space.