EXCLUSIVE: Shefali Shah recalls first turning to therapy; says, “I wasn't equipped to handle it”

Actor Shefali Shah has spoken about her experience with therapy, recalling how she first sought professional help after struggling to manage certain aspects of her life. In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, the actor discussed her journey with mental health professionals, the importance of finding the right therapist and how therapy has helped her recognise emotional lows before they become overwhelming.

Shefali, who recently made her debut as an author with The Audacity of Being: A Sort-of Memoir, published by Bloomsbury on October 1, 2026, has been discussing personal experiences as part of conversations around her book. During the interview, she explained that her decision to seek therapy did not stem from one major incident but from a growing realisation that she needed professional guidance. Shefali Shah recalls how she first sought professional help Shefali traced her first experience with a mental health professional to a visit to her children's school, where a psychiatrist had spoken about attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD and ADHD). At the time, Shefali believed her son might have the conditions and approached the psychiatrist with her concerns.

Recalling the incident, she said, “My children's school had a psychiatrist who came and spoke about ADD and ADHD. So I went to her one day saying, ‘My son definitely has ADD, ADHD, everything.’ She asked me to bring him in, but after meeting him, she said he was fine. Then she asked me, ‘What is your problem?’”

Shefali said the exchange eventually became a joke between them. However, she later approached the psychiatrist again when she was struggling with sleep.

“I remember once going to her saying that I cannot sleep. I need something to sleep. She asked me how long it had been since I had slept, and I said around 22 hours. I had come from the gym and hadn't eaten anything,” she recalled.

The experience prompted Shefali to consider that she might need help managing her own concerns. “I just thought that I wasn't equipped to handle it,” she said, explaining that she gradually began seeing the psychiatrist. “I have to go to a dermatologist” Shefali said her decision to continue therapy was not necessarily linked to a single life-changing event. Instead, she came to understand that professional support could help her navigate difficult periods.

“I don't remember if anything happened which was earth-shattering. But things happen in your life and, at some point, I hope people realise that you need a third person who's a professional, who knows this better than me,” she said.

Comparing mental health support with seeking treatment for a physical condition, Shefali added, “I can't keep putting a cream on an allergy rash. I have to go to a dermatologist.”

She also acknowledged that, initially, she would turn to therapy mainly when she was going through a crisis, such as a period when work was scarce and she was feeling depressed. After some years, however, she felt that her existing approach was no longer helping her in the same way. Shefali Shah on finding the right therapist Shefali eventually met Dr Vishal Sawant after someone introduced them. She said one of the things that stood out about their first interaction was that he did not rely on her previous assessments to define her experience.

“When I told him what I thought was happening and showed him my report, he said, ‘I don't want to look at it.’ He never labelled me, which was fantastic,” she said.

According to Shefali, the therapist helped her understand that people experience emotional highs and lows differently, and that she might feel certain emotions more intensely than others.

“He said everybody goes through a low phase or a high phase. You might feel it more acutely than somebody else. That's how it started, and he's been a huge support, somebody who's made my life so much simpler,” she said.

Shefali added that therapy has gradually become less about seeking help only when something goes wrong. There are times when she meets her therapist simply because she feels the need to check in.

She recalled one of his early goals for her: “One of the first things he told me was that he wanted to reach a point where I didn't need him.”

Learning to recognise emotional lows Shefali said she has become more aware of her emotional state and can increasingly recognise when she is beginning to feel low. While she is unsure whether she has reached the point her therapist hoped for, she believes the process has helped her develop a better understanding of herself.

Discussing the role of therapy amid the pressures of everyday life, she explained that a therapist does not necessarily tell someone what decisions to make. Instead, the process can help a person understand their situation and decide how to respond.

“This person is not the one who will tell you what to do. He will just tell you, ‘This is what it is. Now you figure what you want to do.’ You have to choose your way, which is what you need anyway in life,” she said.

Shefali added that gaining perspective can sometimes mean stepping back emotionally and assessing a situation before deciding whether it deserves further attention.

Her account highlights how her understanding of therapy has evolved over time, from seeking help during difficult phases to developing greater awareness of her emotional well-being. Through her experience, the actor has also underlined the value of professional support in navigating life's pressures.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Shefali Shah reveals Vipul Shah advised her against doing Waqt; says, “He told me don’t do it”

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