EMPOWERING EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY COUNSELLORS WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN PSYCHOLOGY AND COACHING
In the magnificent city of Kolkata, there resides a force of positivity, resilience, and compassion— Salony Priya. She is an experienced mental health professional, positive psychologist, therapist, and coach dedicated to motivating individuals to overcome mental barriers and achieve success. Salony is the Founder and Director of Ummeed Counselling & Consulting Services, where she empowers, enables, and energises people through therapies, workshops, and personalised sessions.
With over two decades of experience as a counselling psychologist, she has spearheaded hundreds of interventions to enable youth and children in higher education institutions and empowered education leaders from CBSE, ICSC, and several state boards, reaching out to 18 states of India and six countries, particularly in the Middle East. Currently, Salony serves as a master trainer for all of India, appointed as a consultant trainer at the Centre for Cultural Research & Training CCRT, New Delhi, under the Ministry of Culture.
She is presently training over 50,000 teachers from government schools across the country, designing modules that align with the National Education Policy (NEP) mandate while integrating art, cultural heritage, values of traditional Indian heritage, and life skills. Her story is inspiring to thousands of people out there. Her journey had a humble beginning as she steered through the ups and downs of life.
Eventually, she was able to carve her niche in the tech world and make an indelible presence with her offerings. In a freewheeling conversation with our team, we explored many aspects of her journey and her service offerings.
From Academic Roots to Societal Wings
Salony’s academic journey began with a sincere desire to understand the societal constructs that shape human emotions and promote positivity. She has built a diverse and profound educational foundation, earning a Master of Arts in Psychology from Lucknow University and a Master of Science in Counselling and Behavior Psychotherapy. Additionally, she is trained in neurolinguistic programming ( NLP ), play therapy, and a psychometric analysis from VIMHANS.
Her studies equipped her with a wealth of knowledge and skills, propelling her into a career dedicated to developing positive human relations using positive psychology, which emphasises a strength-based perspective and empowerment.
A Beacon of Leadership in Mental Health and Counselling
At the helm of UMMEED, a multi-speciality positive psychology institution, Salony has been instrumental in energising individuals with a deeper understanding of themselves and guiding them on a path of personal development through At the helm of UMMEED, a multi-speciality positive psychology institution, Salony has been instrumental in energising individuals with a deeper understanding of themselves and guiding them on a path of personal development through various therapies. As the Director of UMMEED, she has steered the organisation towards aspiring people interested in mental health, positive psychology, and counselling.
Throughout her journey, Salony has positively impacted thousands of lives, reaching diverse groups—from management-level professionals in corporations to educators and heads of educational institutions, as well as families, parents, and social organisations for young children and adolescents. Salony is passionate about personality enhancement and competency development for managers and corporate professionals. She focuses on grooming young professionals and providing coaching to enhance their workplace skills.
Salony has consulted 25+ institutions nationwide and certified 25,000+ educators in more than 700 educational institutions across 18 states in India and 6 countries on the concept of teachers as pastoral guides who are now working towards developing life skills in youth and prevention of addiction, aggression, and abuse in the adolescent populace in particular. Salony has a strong belief in the power of positive psychology and its significant role in educational and social settings.
She primarily focuses on counselling, mentoring, and coaching, targeting key areas such as management, executives, heads of organisations, teachers, and parents. Salony educates and empowers young teachers NGO workers and psychology postgraduates in experiential skills. She is making significant investments in building capacity in the field of mental health.
She provides intensive internships for postgraduate students from leading institutions in psychology, education, and social work as TISS Mumbai, Montfort College, Christ College Amity, IGNOU etc Her work not only inspires individuals to reclaim their power, but she also teaches them a step-by-step process to put it into action. Using simple and clear techniques, Salony demonstrates to her clients how to create lasting changes in their lives.
Empowering People and Driving Impact: Training and Courses
Salony has led several initiatives aimed at driving growth and bringing positivity within the business ecosystem. She created programmes for the CSR project of TATA STEE and served as a master trainer, developing various programmes for TATA Steel’s CSR initiatives in Sukinda, Chaibasa, Noamundy, Torpa, and interior regions of Orissa and Jharkhand. As part of the Zimmadar Nagrik social awareness campaign, she conducted a year-long 100-hour certification course for 23 schools in Jamshedpur, focusing on the emotional health of schoolchildren.
Additionally, she has conducted a series of sessions on employee welfare for Reliance in Kolkata, Bangalore, and Mumbai. Salony has conducted management training for several organisations, including Vikram Solar, Anant Foundation, Wipro, HDFC, ICICI, and Kotak Mutual Funds, among others. Additionally, she has offered a Certified Basic Counselling skills course, successfully training 1570+ educators, principals, and management personnel to be mentors and guidance counsellors in educational setups and NGOs.
Notable Workshops and Conferences
- From Good to Great: Educational Leadership at Jamshedpur
- Principals’ Conference of Odisha & Chattisgarh in the year 2012 and 2017
- Life Skills International Conference in February 2018
- Leadership in Educational Setups: Challenges and Convictions—Heads of diocesan schools in Guwahati.
- Counselling skills training in Kharagpur
- Workshop for principals of private and government schools in West Bengal.
- Self-management in a learning organization— Workshop at Tollygunge Club in association with Times of India
Jewels in the Crown
Salony’s incredible journey as a proponent of positive psychology within the humanistic wave in the education sector has established her as a pioneer in the field of counselling in the country. She has spearheaded hundreds of interventions to support youth and children, ranging from higher education institutions to secondary schools. Her unique approach, along with her profound insights into the human psyche and her ability to motivate people, is truly transformative. Salony has been honoured with multiple accolades for her remarkable contributions, including:
- “Nation Builder Award 2019” by Rotary International
- “Women Entrepreneur of the Year” 2019 recognition by Business Connect
- “Stree Divas 2016” by Open Arms Educational and Charitable Trust
- “Lions International Award” in appreciation of her 15 years of contribution to the Lions Educational project
Keynote Speaker and Mentor
Salony’s expertise goes beyond therapy and counselling sessions; she is a sought-after keynote speaker, captivating audiences known for her enlightening and impactful approach. She was a guest speaker for a panel discussion on adolescent stress organised by FICCI. She was also a keynote speaker for grooming leadership at the annual zonal conference for the Lions Clubs of Calcutta. Additionally, she is a speaker on life skills for adolescents in partnership with the West Bengal Aid Prevention Society.
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