Articles by Ajay Khandelwal

24Aug

What Running an Ultramarathon Taught Me About Resilience and Psychotherapy

Ajay Khandelwal

exercise, mindset, resilience, sport

Therapists

In his spare time, psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal runs marathons and, now, ultramarathons. He reflects on what the endurance event taught him about resilience and the nature of psychotherapy
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31May

What Succession Tells Us About Families

Ajay Khandelwal

childhood, family, TV

Therapists

The final episode of the HBO series Succession showed the sibling rivalry and search for acknowledgment amongst Logan Roy's children at its most intense. Psychoanalytic psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal explores the family structure
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04May

Beef: What Does Netlfix's Hit Show Reveal About the Psychology of Human Relationships?

Ajay Khandelwal

couples, marriage, psychology, relationships, TV

Therapists

Netflix series Beef follows the relationship between two people caught up in a road rage incident. Psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal unpacks what the show reveals about human relationships
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24Apr

Marathons and Long-Term Therapy: Balancing Hard Work and Rest

Ajay Khandelwal

exercise, experienceoftherapy, psychology, sport

Therapists

Training for and running a marathon involves a particular kind of stress and reward. Psychotherapist Dr Ajay Khandelwal explores the parallels between marathon running and psychotherapy, and the value of rest and recovery
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29Dec

Healing and the Role of a Therapist: What Fracturing My Arm Taught Me

Ajay Khandelwal

body, health, psychoanalysis

Therapists

When psychotherapist Dr Ajay Khandelwal fractured his arm, he learnt about different mechanisms of healing. Here he wonders what this means for the therapy process and the different roles of a therapist.
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16Dec

What a Therapist thinks of Disney Plus’ The Patient

Ajay Khandelwal

therapists, TV

Therapists

Disney Plus’ The Patient follows the plight of a therapist kidnapped by his patient, who wants him to cure him of his murderous impulses. Psychotherapist Dr Ajay Khandelwal reviews this psychological thriller.
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09Nov

Elon Musk and Free Speech: A Psychoanalytic Perspective

Ajay Khandelwal

celebrity, psychoanalysis, society

Therapists

Elon Musk has recently purchased Twitter, his views on free speech being a seemingly key motivator in his decision. Psychoanalytic psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal explores the difference between uncensored speech and free speech.
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01Feb

Why Is Boris Johnson the Way He Is? A Therapist Reacts to Partygate Report

Ajay Khandelwal

boardingschool, coronavirus, identity, politics, self, society

Therapists

Therapist Ajay Khandelwal looks into the psychology of prime minister Boris Johnson and his formative childhood experiences. Boarding School Syndrome can affect attachment and cause aggression and despair.
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26Jan

What a Therapist Thinks of 'Couples Therapy'

Ajay Khandelwal

couples, couplestherapy, love, marriage, relationships, sex, TV

Therapists

Hit documentary Couples Therapy offers an illuminating insight into the world of couples counselling and the complexity of relationships. Psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal explores why so many of us can't look away.
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27Oct

Dune: A Mystical Film About Human Nature

Ajay Khandelwal

dreams, film

Therapists

Psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal reviews new release Dune, starring Timothee Chamalet and Zendaya.
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02Jun

Naomi Osaka, Mental Health and the Inner Game

Ajay Khandelwal

celebrity, depression, society, sport

Therapists

Grand Slam 2018 champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open this week, citing mental health issues. Psychotherapist Dr Ajay Khandelwal explores how success, guilt, pressure and depression might interplay.
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08Mar

Harry and Meghan and Universal Family Dynamics

Ajay Khandelwal

family, society, TV

Therapists

Harry and Meghan's revealing interview with Oprah Winfrey, being broadcast in the UK this evening, addresses why the royal couple stepped down. Psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal considers the potency and complexity of family dynamics across the generations.
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30Nov

The Undoing: A Psychological Review

Ajay Khandelwal

TV

Therapists

The Undoing is a Sky Atlantic murder mystery starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant. Psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal offers a psychological review.
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24Nov

Childhood Trauma and Self-Destruction: A Psychological Review of The Queen's Gambit

Ajay Khandelwal

childhood, psychology, TV

Therapists

Netflix's hit drama The Queen's Gambit touches on childhood trauma, creativity, addiction, and relationships – psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal offer a psychological review
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20Oct

The Shipman Files: What Motivated Harold Shipman, and How Did He Get Away With It?

Ajay Khandelwal

psychology, TV

Therapists

Psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal offers a psychological review of BBC's recent documentary The Shipman Files, delving into how Harold Shipman got away with it for so long
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13Oct

Netflix's Bad Boy Billionaires India: A Psychological Review

Ajay Khandelwal

psychology, TV

Therapists

Psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal offers a psychological review of Netflix's Bad Boy Billionaires, an investigative documentary series focusing on the corruption surrounding a number of infamous Indian tycoons
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29Sep

The Psychological Meaning of the Tour de France

Ajay Khandelwal

identity, psychology, self

Therapists

Psychotherapist Dr Ajay Khandelwal explores why the Tour de France offers such strong symbolism for our own journey through life
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27Feb

What Does Netflix's Sex Education Tell Us About 'Wounded Healers'?

Ajay Khandelwal

sex, therapists, therapy, TV

Therapists

Therapist Ajay Khandelwal looks at Netflix's popular Sex Education based on Jungian ideas of the wounded healer
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11Feb

Why Living An Ordinary Life is Victoria Pendleton's Real Challenge

Ajay Khandelwal

sport, suicide

Therapists

Elite sports stars like Victoria Pendleton are always looking for the next challenge. But, writes therapist Ajay Khandelwal, this can lead to depression and serious mental illness
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02Oct

Carl Jung and the Value of Active Imagination

Ajay Khandelwal

creativity, imagination

Therapists

What can we learn from our dreams, creativity and imagination? Therapist Ajay Khandelwal explores Jung's method of active imagination
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21Aug

Making Time for Fun in August

Ajay Khandelwal

holidays, self, wellbeing

Therapists

Play is something that many of us leave behind in childhood; psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal encourages us to do otherwise
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25Jul

How Do I Know if I'm An Introvert or Extrovert?

Ajay Khandelwal

extrovert, introvert, personality, relationships, self

Therapists

Most of us know whether we are introvert or extrovert; but did you know that you can change with time? London psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal explains
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10Jul

This Might be Why That Person Gets Under Your Skin

Ajay Khandelwal

friendships, relationships, self

Therapists

Some people and things just really wind us up, don't they? Have you ever wondered why? Psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal describes an experiment to test what really irritates you -- and why.
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27Mar

The Importance of Altitude Sickness: What the Alps Taught Me About Life

Ajay Khandelwal

psychology, self, society

Therapists

Though altitude sickness is unpleasant, it ultimately keeps us safe by stopping us from going too high: psychoanalyst Ajay Khandelwal reflects on what he learnt about life on a recent ski trip
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07Mar

Bradley Wiggins Has a Dark Shadow - And So Do You

Ajay Khandelwal

identity, self

Therapists

We all like to believe that we are 'good', however often we are ignoring our dark shadow. But in this shadow is huge opportunity for learning and self-development, says psychoanalyst Ajay Khandelwal
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26Feb

Should I Depend on Others?

Ajay Khandelwal

codependency, couples, friendship, loneliness, love, marriage, relationships, single, society

Therapists

In a society that prises individualism, depending on others can be seen as a weakness. But what if that's the wrong way round, asks psychotherapist Ajay Khandelwal, and actually it's a sign of strength?
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06Feb

Hostiles: A Realistic Portrait of Long-Term Relationships?

Ajay Khandelwal

films, relationships

Therapists

Psychoanalyst Ajay Khandelwal considers what new movie Hostiles might be able to teach us about long-term relationships
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25Jan

The Shape of Water: Exploring the 'Other'

Ajay Khandelwal

films

Therapists

Psychoanalytic therapist Ajay Khandelwal looks deep into the meaning of Oscar hopeful film The Shape of Water
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16Dec

On Surviving a Family Christmas, and Cooking Golden Potatoes

Ajay Khandelwal

Christmas, family, identity, self

Therapists

Just when you need them most --- Christmas -- therapists take a break. So psychoanalyst Ajay Khandelwal has tips for how to survive a full-scale family Christmas gathering
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08Dec

Meet the Therapist: Ajay Khandelwal

Ajay Khandelwal

meetthetherapist, therapy

Therapists

South London-based therapist Ajay Khandelwal believes his clients "bring me material that challenges my psyche as much as theirs"
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