The Inspiring Journey of Priya Anandan: How Breath’n Counselling Centre is Helping People Heal, Grow, and Rediscover Themselves

Every meaningful journey begins with a deep desire to help others, and the journey of Priya Anandan is a beautiful reflection of that. At the age of 47, based in Chennai, Priya is an advocate-turned-clinical psychologist and mental wellness expert. As the founder of Breath’n counselling centre and Shine On, her dedicated child development centre, she carries 15 years of experience in clinical and counselling psychology, along with more than 1500 successful clients.

Priya’s story is unique because her journey did not start in psychology. It started in law. She earned her law degree and practised as an advocate for several years. However, deep inside, she always felt drawn towards human behaviour, emotions, and holistic healing. Becoming a psychologist to help people and positively impact their lives had always been her lifelong dream.

The turning point came unexpectedly. While practising as an advocate, she had to visit a few psychologists as part of a case she was involved in. Those visits reminded her of how deeply she connected with the world of psychology, healing, and human transformation. That experience became the beginning of her reinvention. Inspired and clear about her calling, she pursued her postgraduate education in psychology and gracefully transitioned from law to the field of mental wellness.

Driven by a passion to help individuals overcome stress, anxiety, and life challenges, Priya deepened her expertise through advanced training. She specialised as a Clinical Psychologist with a strong focus on child development and later trained as a Special Educator. She also holds certifications in Emotional Intelligence and Behavioural Therapy. As a parenting expert, she has conducted various workshops for children and parents, facilitated many schools through mentorship programmes, and served as a motivational speaker.

The art of Priya’s approach lies in understanding each client as a unique person. Rather than following a fixed method, she carefully selects research-based techniques from across different types of therapy to help her clients grow in a meaningful way. Her belief in creating a safe emotional space led her to start Breath’n in 2013. It slowly grew into a warm, respectful, and trusted counselling centre, known for confidentiality, patience, and meaningful results.

Alongside Breath’n, Priya also runs Shine On, her very own child development centre, which is close to her heart. Shine On reflects her deep passion for supporting children through their developmental journey with structured, science-backed, and emotionally sensitive care. Through this centre, she helps children build confidence, emotional strength, and healthy learning patterns, while also guiding parents in understanding their child’s unique growth needs. Together, Breath’n and Shine On represent her holistic mission of nurturing both adults and children with the same warmth, depth, and clinical expertise.

Priya does not tell people what to do. Instead, she believes in asking the right questions and gently helping her clients discover their own answers. She often reminds herself that change is the most difficult thing a person can ever be asked to do. She takes care of her emotional wellbeing by spending time with family and friends, and she treasures every opportunity to learn from her clients.

One of the most beautiful aspects of Priya’s practice is that she does not charge fees for the first consultation, even if it goes beyond an hour. She feels that when someone is sharing their emotional pain, it would not feel right to ask for money at that vulnerable moment. She only charges when the client formally starts a session.

Priya provides local private therapy from her therapy room in Porur, Chennai. Before the first session, she offers a free 15-minute no-obligation phone consultation, followed by an extended 90-minute psychological assessment where clients can speak at their own pace.

Today, Priya Anandan stands as a rare blend of advocate, clinical psychologist, and mentor. Through Breath’n and Shine On, she continues to gently remind every client that they are not alone, that healing is possible, and that the mind, when truly heard and understood, can rise stronger than ever before.