Voice Of SHEROES: Gayatri Aptekar, Founder of Gayatri's Edu World
Gayatri Aptekar is a professional storyteller, a creative writer and an emotional wellness coach. She became an emotional health advocate, thanks to her personal journey of recovery from ‘Depression’. She’s been working with individuals, parents, children, and teens since 2013. She also conducts storytelling workshops for children and emotional coaching seminars for individuals and parents. Gayatri blogs regularly on topics of mental health awareness, parenting, and relationships, along with working on her memoir.
I met Gayatri at an Annual Blogging Seminar and was taken aback at her unabashed admission of having been a highly depressed teen and now having got back to a normal state of mind and lives happily ever after doing all the things she loves. Her clarity of work-life purpose is clear and highly motivating. Do read her story and share your thoughts about this SHERO from apli Mumbai.
Story teller, trainer, Founder of Gayatri's Edu World, Dancer, Writer, Healer - each role that I play is varied, yet interconnected. They all aim at creating sustaining transformations in children, parents and individuals.
As a storyteller I engage, entertain and empower children. As a Parenting coach, I guide parents to become a better version of themselves. As a writer, I write on topics related to parenting and mental health.
As a therapist I work with parents (especially women) to help them deal with emotional challenges.
Gayatri’s Edu-World is a creative learning centre, where I make studies engaging and fun through stories, creative thinking and writing workshops for children and teens.
I am learning Kathak for quite some time now (an Indian Classical Dance form) and love to unwind by dancing to the beats of the tabla.
Childhood was tough for me, but it has shaped me to become a compassionate and resilient individual.
Most people have pleasant memories of their childhood, however childhood was tough for me, as I struggled to fight my inner demons. I grew up with insecurities, anxiety and confidence issues. In my teens, I tried committing suicide. However, today as I look back at my journey, I can see the larger picture and I am grateful to the universe for putting me through those challenging situations. Those situations have shaped me to become a compassionate and resilient individual today.
I personally feel that when one is going through a tough phase, it is very important to step back and look at one’s life.
Most times we keep getting signals that things are not going in the appropriate direction and that’s when we need to listen to our intuition. Writing and dancing, are my sanctuaries and whenever I feel low, I write or dance. Reading biographies, autobiographies and memoirs, helps me to look at life from a different perspective.
What kept me going during the depressive phase was my husband’s unconditional support and my daughter’s love.
Women need to build their emotional resilience and I work with women to help them in this journey.
Women need to build their emotional resilience and I work with women to help them in this journey. Our life is the result of the stories that we keep telling ourselves and I help women rewrite these stories, which are often limiting, professionally and emotionally. Through stories and cognitive therapy, I work with women to help them Build Emotional Resilience. As a result, they are empowered to make better decisions and act more rationally.
As a professional, my mission is to help individuals Redesign and Reframe their lives by breaking limiting beliefs. My vision is to create an emotionally resilient community.
My main focus is to work with parents, children and especially women. I believe if a woman is strong emotionally, she can be the source of inspiration for the whole family. Her powerful beliefs and perceptions help shape an entire community.
Each incident in my life has shaped me to become what I am today.
I experienced physical, verbal and emotional abuse during childhood and today I am able to compassionately handle clients who have gone through abuse. It becomes easy for them to confide their insecurities and fears and I can reframe the whole situation in an empowering way.
Each incident in my life has shaped me to become what I am today and as I continue to share my life stories with women around me, I hope to spread awareness about mental health challenges.
I don’t believe in work-life balance. I would rather have it another way.
I personally don’t believe in work-life balance, it’s as if I’m walking on a rope trying to balance all the roles that I play. In fact, I strive for ‘Work life Integration’. I was introduced to this concept by one of my mentors. This concept focuses on creating a lifestyle where life and work goals are in alignment and each goal helps you to grow in your professional as well as personal front.
Happiness is a journey and I enjoy every moment of it.
Over the years, I’ve learnt that happiness is not a destination, it’s a journey and I’m happy every single moment. I do at times feel low, but now I am aware of my feelings and it’s easy for me to bounce back to my happy self, instantly. When I see a client transform, I am happiest!
To all the SHEROES out there, I would like to say, “With great power comes great responsibility” always remember this. As a SHERO, invest in yourself and your emotional health. Train your intuition to guide you to take better decisions. Stand-up for yourself and your dreams. Don’t wait for the right opportunity, but take a plunge and act at the opportunity that knocks your door. Strive to become a better version of yourself, every single day. Continue to learn and prosper, always!
