Online and In-person sessions.

The Alchemy of Change

If you’ve landed on this page, you might be feeling stuck, overwhelmed, at a crossroads or simply curious about understanding yourself better.

Maybe things aren’t necessarily “wrong,” but something inside you is asking for more clarity, more alignment, more room to breathe.

Whatever brought you here, I’m glad you’re taking this step.

We see hear you.

You're not alone in this.

Does this sound familiar?

Exhausted from the constant worry?
Lying awake at night replaying conversations?
Relationships feel strained, and you barely recognize yourself?

The good news?

You can feel better.

Not overnight, but step by step

With our experienced team, you don’t just recover—you build lasting skills and resilience for the future. Discover the long-term benefits and see exactly how we can support you on your journey.

Pooja Alex

Psychotherapist | Counsellor | Queer Affirmative | Life Coach | NLP Practitioner
Mumbai & Thane, India

I believe clarity rarely comes from being told what to do. It emerges when we’re given the space to pause, reflect, and reconnect with our own strengths. Growth begins the moment we stop long enough to understand what’s actually happening within.

My work at WishLadder offers support across a spectrum — from navigating everyday challenges and finding direction, to deeper emotional exploration and meaningful psychological change.

My Journey

Before entering this field, I spent over a decade working in India’s airline and telecommunications industries. Those years brought me into contact with people from vastly different backgrounds and circumstances, and taught me invaluable, hard-earned lessons about communication, relationships, responsibility, resilience, and what it really takes to navigate change lessons that would go on to shape everything I learned through formal training.

In time, I found myself drawn back to something I had always been curious about the deeper question of why people think, feel, and behave the way they do. That pull led me back to academia: a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (Hons), followed by a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Mumbai University, and alongside it, counselling training at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences building on my earlier training as a Life Coach and NLP Practitioner.

Returning to the classroom after all those years taught me something I now carry into every room I sit in with a client: growth doesn’t have an age limit it simply asks that you stay willing to begin again.

Today, I bring all of these different experiences together in my work. I don’t see therapy, counselling, and coaching simply as ways of solving problems. I see them as opportunities to develop a deeper understanding of yourself.

Sometimes we need to process what has happened. Sometimes we need clarity about where we’re going. And sometimes, we simply need a space where we can stop, reflect, and hear our own thoughts without the noise of everything around us.

My role is not to give you ready-made answers, or to tell you who you should be. It is to help you understand yourself well enough to make choices that are informed, intentional, and truly your own. I walk alongside you as you explore your inner world, understand your patterns, find greater clarity, and work towards the changes that matter to you.

Because growth doesn’t always mean becoming someone new. Sometimes, it means coming home to yourself.

Long term benefits

Over time, a mental health counselor can help you transform your life.

Get unstuck

Break free from negative patterns and find clarity in your direction.

Connect deeply

Deepen connections and navigate conflict with compassion.

Gain confidence

Break free from negative patterns and find clarity in your direction.

Find peace

Cultivate inner calm and resilience amidst life’s challenges.

What I offer

There are different ways of seeking support, and not everyone comes to this process with the same needs.

My work brings together psychotherapy, counselling, and life coaching, so we can choose the approach that best fits where you are and what you’re looking for.

Psychotherapy

Understanding yourself beneath the surface

Psychotherapy gives you space to explore your thoughts, emotions, experiences, and patterns more deeply. Together, we can understand what may be shaping the way you feel and respond, process difficult experiences, and find healthier ways of moving forward.

Counselling

Finding clarity when life feels complicated

Counselling offers space to talk through situations, emotions, decisions, and challenges that feel difficult to navigate alone. Sometimes, having the space to pause, organise your thoughts, and see things from a different perspective is all you need to find your way forward.

Life Coaching

Turning awareness into action

Life coaching focuses on where you are now and where you want to go. Through structured conversations, we can work on clarity, confidence, decisions, goals, and meaningful action — helping you turn “something needs to change” into “I know my next step.”

Not sure which one you need?

You don’t have to know before you reach out a conversation can help us understand what you’re looking for and what kind of support may be most appropriate for you.

Psychotherapy

Understanding yourself beneath the surface

Psychotherapy is a collaborative process of exploring the thoughts, emotions, experiences, beliefs, and patterns that shape the way we understand ourselves and relate to the world around us. It can provide space to understand recurring patterns, process difficult experiences, explore emotions and beliefs, and develop healthier and more adaptive ways of responding. Psychotherapy is not about being told what to do or finding a quick solution — it is about understanding what is happening, why it may be happening, and what can change.

Counselling

Finding clarity when life feels complicated

Counselling offers a supportive space to talk through situations, emotions, decisions, and challenges that may be difficult to navigate on your own.

Life Coaching

Turning awareness into action

Life coaching is generally focused on the present and the future — helping you understand where you are, where you want to go, and what may be standing between the two.

My Therapeutic Approach

Different people need different approaches.

I don’t believe therapy should be a one-size-fits-all process.

My approach is integrative. Rather than working from a fixed framework, I draw from CBT, REBT, Psychodynamic, IFS, Mindfulness-Based, Trauma-Informed, Queer-Affirmative, and Coaching & NLP-based approaches depending on the individual, their experiences, and what we’re working towards. Rather than trying to fit a person into a particular technique, I believe in understanding the person first and then considering what approach may be most helpful.

The technique is never more important than the person.

My aim is to create a space where you can explore yourself with curiosity rather than judgement, develop greater awareness, and find ways of moving forward that feel meaningful and authentic to you.

My Therapeutic Approach

Different people need different approaches.

I don’t believe therapy should be a one-size-fits-all process.

My approach is integrative. Rather than working from a fixed framework, I draw from CBT, REBT, Psychodynamic, IFS, Mindfulness-Based, Trauma-Informed, Queer-Affirmative, and Coaching & NLP-based approaches depending on the individual, their experiences, and what we’re working towards. Rather than trying to fit a person into a particular technique, I believe in understanding the person first and then considering what approach may be most helpful.

The technique is never more important than the person.

My aim is to create a space where you can explore yourself with curiosity rather than judgement, develop greater awareness, and find ways of moving forward that feel meaningful and authentic to you.

How I Work

A collaborative process.

You don’t have to arrive with everything figured out. You don’t need to know exactly what to say, or even know which kind of support you’re looking for.

We begin with where you are.

Together, we explore what is happening, what may be contributing to it, and what you would like to be different. Depending on your needs, our work may involve deeper exploration and reflection, developing practical strategies, understanding patterns, challenging perspectives, or working towards personal goals.

My role isn’t to tell you how to live your life. It is to help you understand yourself well enough to make choices that are informed, intentional, and truly your own.

I believe in asking questions, offering perspective, challenging when appropriate, and creating space for you to discover your own answers.

There is no fixed formula for growth. We work together to find what works for you.

LET'S TALK

You don’t have to have all the answers before you begin.

If you’re curious about working together, the first step can simply be a conversation. You don’t need to know whether psychotherapy, counselling, or life coaching is right for you before reaching out.

A 30-minute Chemistry Session gives us an opportunity to understand what you’re looking for, answer any initial questions, and explore whether we might be a good fit to work together.

Ready to take the first step?

Why WishLadder?

I chose the name WishLadder because I don’t believe growth happens in a single leap.

A wish may begin as a thought: I want something to change.

But turning that wish into reality often takes awareness, courage, reflection, and many small steps. Sometimes those steps involve understanding an old pattern. Sometimes they mean seeing yourself differently. Sometimes they mean setting a boundary, making a difficult decision, or simply giving yourself permission to want something different.

You don’t have to become someone else. You may simply need the space to discover more of who you already are.

Why WishLadder?

I chose the name WishLadder because I don’t believe growth happens in a single leap.

A wish may begin as a thought: I want something to change.

But turning that wish into reality often takes awareness, courage, reflection, and many small steps. Sometimes those steps involve understanding an old pattern. Sometimes they mean seeing yourself differently. Sometimes they mean setting a boundary, making a difficult decision, or simply giving yourself permission to want something different.

The Ladder is the journey.

Each step brings you a little closer to greater self-understanding, authenticity, and the life you want to create. And that is what The Alchemy of Change means to me — the possibility of transforming what is already within you into something new.

You don’t have to become someone else. You may simply need the space to discover more of who you already are.

We work with major insurance providers

Areas of focus

Specialized support for specific challenges.

Welcome to Wishladder,
The Alchemy of Change
Pause. Understand. Reflect. Choose. Grow.

Meet our founder - Pooja Alex

Because growth doesn’t always mean becoming someone new. Sometimes, it means coming home to yourself.

If you’ve landed on this page, you might be feeling stuck, overwhelmed, at a crossroads — or simply curious about understanding yourself better.

Maybe things aren’t necessarily “wrong,” but something inside you is asking for more clarity, more alignment, more room to breathe.

Whatever brought you here, I’m glad you’re taking this step.

We’re a team of licensed counseling psychologists united by one belief: therapy should feel like a safe conversation with someone who truly understands. Each therapist brings unique expertise, but we all share a commitment to meeting you exactly where you are—without judgment, without pressure.

This is where you don’t have to have it all together. Where messy is okay. Where your feelings are valid—all of them. You can be honest here. We’ll listen without judging, without fixing, without telling you how you “should” feel. Just understanding. Just support.

Different people need different approaches. I don’t believe therapy should be a one-size-fits-all process.

My approach is integrative, drawing from different psychological and therapeutic frameworks depending on the individual, their experiences, and what we are working towards- I draw from CBT, REBT, Psychodynamic, IFS, Mindfulness-Based, Trauma-Informed, Queer-Affirmative, and Coaching & NLP-based approaches, depending on the individual and what we’re working towards.

Hear from our clients

Stories of transformation

Ready to take the first step?

Change begins with a single conversation. You don’t need to have all the answers right now.

Book a session

What to expect?
1

Free initial consultation

Book a free consultation. We’ll talk about what’s bringing you here and whether we’re a good fit. No pressure.

2

First session

In our first full session, we’ll dive deeper into your story. I’ll ask questions, listen, and together we’ll create a plan.

3

Ongoing sessions

We’ll meet regularly—weekly or biweekly. Each session is tailored to where you are in your journey.

4

Real progress

Over time, you’ll start to notice shifts in how you think and feel. Progress isn’t linear, but it’s real.

Frequently
Asked Questions

Stories of transformation

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like something needs to change—but you’re not sure how to move forward—that’s when therapy can help. You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need to be open to the process.

Each session is 50-60 minutes. We’ll decide together how often to meet—typically weekly or bi-weekly, depending on your needs and schedule.

Without insurance, therapy sessions typically range from $150 to $275, depending on the therapist you choose to work with.

We understand that cost can be a concern, and we don’t believe it should stand in the way of getting support. Everyone deserves access to quality mental health care. Through our advanced clinical training program, we’re able to offer therapy options when insurance or standard rates aren’t the right fit.

Yes! I use a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform for all online sessions. Many clients find online therapy just as effective—and far more convenient.

I use an integrative approach, drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, and psychodynamic methods. But really, my approach is about meeting you where you are and tailoring our work to what you need most.

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