The person behind The Self Academy.
Dhanalakshmi has spent 15+ years working closely with teenagers, parents, couples and professionals navigating the ordinary and extraordinary difficulties of being human. Her work sits at the intersection of social work, psychology and law — a combination that shapes how she listens: carefully, without judgment, and with an eye for the systems people live inside.
Over the years she has supported 500+ families through coaching, counselling and learning programs — many of whom have shared their experience on Google. The work is practical and reflective in equal measure. It is not about fixing anyone. It is about helping people understand themselves better and make more intentional choices.
She founded The Self Academy to make that work accessible — in Chennai and online — to anyone willing to begin a thoughtful conversation.
“I do this work because I’ve seen how much of our life can be shaped by emotions we don’t understand, beliefs we’ve never questioned, and relationships we don’t know how to navigate. I want to help people pause, understand themselves, and discover that they have more choice and possibility than they may have believed.”
Trained across social work, psychology and evidence-based therapeutic frameworks.
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
- Background in Psychology & Law
- Certified in Emotional Intelligence (EI)
- Certified in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
- Certified in Transactional Analysis (TA)
- Certified in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Certifications are indicators of training and ongoing practice — they do not guarantee outcomes.