The contemporary world has granted us a heaven-sent lifestyle, full of opportunities. However, most of us are struggling with a lot of perplexities and nerve-wracking conditions, which are often unseen; hidden like a vicious thief. Mental health concerns! They are hiding everywhere, and you may probably have one at your home too. And the journey towards healing it can often feel like an uphill battle. That's where Smita Melling comes in. As the Managing Director of Empowering London, Smita is a mental health professional with a unique approach that blends coaching, therapy, and mentoring services to create a comprehensive approach to care. Her primary focus is on cognitive behavior therapy, but also has extensive experience in providing integrative psychotherapy.
Her expertise extends beyond the scope of psychology and mental health and includes a diverse and multicultural group of individuals, primarily professional women. Smita never turns away anyone seeking help, offering sessions during late evenings or weekends in urgent situations. Passionate about delivering the highest quality of services, Smita provides her clients with services in multiple languages to better understand and serve their needs. In an interview with Women Entrepreneur Magazine, Smita Melling shares how she’s redefining mental health carethrough Empowering London.
Introduce us to Empowering London. Tell us about the underlying idea behind the venture.
Empowering London is dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate, ethical, and empathetic therapy that promotes solution-focused outcomes in a non-judgmental and non-advisory setting. We specialize in providing online counseling services in multiple languages, ensuring that our clients receive the support they need, regardless of their language preferences.Empowering London was born out of a long-term dream to create a practice that provides high-quality therapy services that are accessible to everyone who needs them. One of the key aspects that sets us apart is our commitment to taking on anyone and everyone who approaches us for support. We understand that everyone's mental health needs are unique, and we strive to provide customized approaches that work for each individual. Our adaptability factor is what makes us stand out from other therapy practices, as we are dedicated to tailoring our services to meet each client's unique needs.
"Seeing My Clients Develop And Grow, Overcoming Their Mental Health Challenges, And Achieving Their Full Potential Is The Most Rewarding Feeling In The World"
Throw light on the most critical challenges you encountered as a mental health professional.
Having launched in Jan 2020, we weren't aware of the extent of the perceived impact on this Private Practice in Central London. One of the biggest obstacles I encountered was launching my private practice just before the pandemic hit in early 2020. We had high setup costs and had rented an office space, but by April, in-person therapy sessions were no longer possible due to the lockdown and stay-at-home orders.Despite this setback, I was determined to break even within a year, and I transformed a spare bedroom in my apartment near St. Paul's Cathedral into a home office. We switched to online sessions using video and audio, and it proved to be a success. We broke even in less than three quarters, which was a great achievement.
"Empowering individuals through mental health care is not just my job, it's my passion"
But my passion to help more people never waned. We offered pro-bono services to clients who had lost their jobs due to COVID and provided significant discounts to those who couldn't afford high-quality private therapy. We also affiliated with others in the industry to reach as far as possible, and we ran advertisement campaigns on social media platforms, offering free consultations during the holiday season of 2020 for those who were lonely and isolated during the trying times.Now, as for the challenges I face as a mental health professional on a day-to-day basis, I would say it's more to do with assessing a client's needs, clarifying their goals, and figuring out what they want to achieve at the end of therapy. It's like a puzzle that needs solving, and it's my job to find the right tools and techniques, apply my learnings and insights, and work through the sessions' dynamics and behavior. It's both challenging and rewarding to help clients develop and grow, and every day is an opportunity for progress.
What are the various responsibilities you shoulder as the Managing Director of Empowering London.
As the founder and managing director of Empowering London, my primary responsibility is to provide high-quality psychological services that support the mental health and well-being of our clients. This involves working with clients at different stages of their journey, providing counseling, and taking a holistic approach to their care. Managing the entire private practice is a responsibility that I take seriously, as I see it as my calling and a way to positively impact people's lives.
My responsibilities include overseeing all aspects of our operations, from the initial client inquiry to the end of the therapeutic journey. Despite the challenges, we remain committed to finding solutions and achieving success with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Through our work, we strive to make a tangible and noticeable positive impact on our clients' lives.
Tell us about some of the key milestones you have achieved throughout your professional journey.
We started small, but with the goal of breaking even within the year, we were able to surpass expectations and achieve financial sustainability by the second or third quarter. Another key milestone was serving over 100 clients with high-quality, affordable therapy tailored to their individual needs and cultural backgrounds.
While mental health isn’t often discussed openly, I take great pride in receiving many of whom have shared anonymous feedback on my website. The biggest milestone for me is seeing the relevant changes in my clients' lives and knowing that I've played a part in that progress. In addition to this personal satisfaction, I'm honored to have received several awards and accolades for my work in the field, including recognition as the Leading Private Psychotherapy Practice of the Year 2021 in London and the Most Client-focused Psychotherapy Practice in 2021 from GHP Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Awards. Most recently, I was named the Most Client-focused Psychotherapy Practice in the UK for 2023 by GHP Mental Health Awards.
What has been your success mantra of life?
My success mantra is centered on leaving a positive legacy. Throughout my personal and professional life, I've always believed that the interactions we have with others and the impact we make on their lives are crucial. It's about leaving a lasting impression that adds value to their lives, even long after we've parted ways. To me, success is about creating a positive impact, and that's what drives me to do what I do.
What advice would you give to young women leaders?
“There's always a way, believe in yourself”. No matter what challenges or obstacles you face in your business or industry, remember that there is always a solution, always a way forward. Some things may be out of your control, but don't let that discourage you. Keep doing the good work that you're good at, and success will surely follow. Believe in yourself, trust your abilities, and keep pushing forward. Remember, nothing is impossible. So dream big, work hard, and never give up.
Smita Melling, Managing Director, Empowering London
Smita Melling is a Practitioner Psychologist with double Master's degrees in science and double board licenses and certifications. Her expertise in psychology and human behavior, coupled with her educational (HCPC, MBACP, MSc, MBA, MBPsS, BPS Level A&B) and professional background, positions her to provide exceptional subject matter expertise.
