<p><strong>Dear Madam,</strong></p>.<p><strong>I recently lost a close friend of mine in an accident. That morning he had called me, but I had not answered his call and didn’t bother to call him back either. He had planned to come to my home that day but since I didn’t attend his call, he went to another friend’s home. Now it haunts me that had I spoken to him, he would have perhaps been alive and that I missed the chance to speak to my friend for one last time. I have been blaming myself ever since. Please help.</strong></p>.<p><strong>Mahesh</strong></p>.<p>Dear Mahesh,</p>.<p>I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. It is so hard to lose anyone we are close to and are always left trying to bargain in our head how we could have done something to prevent the loss. It would be very helpful for you to talk to a counsellor to get some help dealing with this grief so that you can learn to live with the loss and not hold yourself responsible. While the loss may always stay with you, and be an integral part of who you are, working with a counsellor for this will help you make peace with your loss.</p>.<p><strong>Dear Madam,</strong></p>.<p><strong>I am a Class 12 student. I am worried about my career as I'm confused about what to do next. I am fed up of listening to suggestions. I was a good student earlier but now I have lost my consistency. Please help. </strong></p>.<p><strong>Sanjana</strong></p>.<p>Dear Sanjana,</p>.<p>I think it is important to introspect and answer some questions for yourself as you decide which path you want to take. Some of these questions are – what are your strengths (of which I am sure you have many, even if you currently don’t recognise them); what interests you; what are the options and opportunities in front of you? It is also important to know what your weaknesses are; what you don’t like and what does not interest you. As you work on these questions, you will gain clarity on what you would like to do, and that may be different from what others may want you to do. But it will be your chosen path, and therefore you will be motivated to follow it. But no matter which path you chose, you must remember that if you find yourself on the wrong path at any time, it is okay to change paths. It is okay to make mistakes. It is okay to not be consistent all the time because life is all about ups and downs. Talking to a trusted mentor or a counsellor will help you gain clarity and rediscover your motivation.</p>.<p><strong>Dear Madam,</strong></p>.<p><strong>My father lost his job recently. He is now very upset, and this is taking a toll on his health as well as on the family. We are in a difficult situation and there are constant arguments at home. I feel like running away from home, away from all the troubles...</strong></p>.<p><strong>John</strong></p>.<p>Dear John,</p>.<p>I am sorry to hear that your family is going through a lot of financial stress which is taking a toll on your father’s health and on the family environment and dynamics. While none of these problems may have been caused by you, they are nevertheless affecting how you feel and you are finding it difficult to understand what you should do in such a situation. Talking to a counsellor with details about what is happening and how you are interpreting things will be helpful.</p>
<p><strong>Dear Madam,</strong></p>.<p><strong>I recently lost a close friend of mine in an accident. That morning he had called me, but I had not answered his call and didn’t bother to call him back either. He had planned to come to my home that day but since I didn’t attend his call, he went to another friend’s home. Now it haunts me that had I spoken to him, he would have perhaps been alive and that I missed the chance to speak to my friend for one last time. I have been blaming myself ever since. Please help.</strong></p>.<p><strong>Mahesh</strong></p>.<p>Dear Mahesh,</p>.<p>I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. It is so hard to lose anyone we are close to and are always left trying to bargain in our head how we could have done something to prevent the loss. It would be very helpful for you to talk to a counsellor to get some help dealing with this grief so that you can learn to live with the loss and not hold yourself responsible. While the loss may always stay with you, and be an integral part of who you are, working with a counsellor for this will help you make peace with your loss.</p>.<p><strong>Dear Madam,</strong></p>.<p><strong>I am a Class 12 student. I am worried about my career as I'm confused about what to do next. I am fed up of listening to suggestions. I was a good student earlier but now I have lost my consistency. Please help. </strong></p>.<p><strong>Sanjana</strong></p>.<p>Dear Sanjana,</p>.<p>I think it is important to introspect and answer some questions for yourself as you decide which path you want to take. Some of these questions are – what are your strengths (of which I am sure you have many, even if you currently don’t recognise them); what interests you; what are the options and opportunities in front of you? It is also important to know what your weaknesses are; what you don’t like and what does not interest you. As you work on these questions, you will gain clarity on what you would like to do, and that may be different from what others may want you to do. But it will be your chosen path, and therefore you will be motivated to follow it. But no matter which path you chose, you must remember that if you find yourself on the wrong path at any time, it is okay to change paths. It is okay to make mistakes. It is okay to not be consistent all the time because life is all about ups and downs. Talking to a trusted mentor or a counsellor will help you gain clarity and rediscover your motivation.</p>.<p><strong>Dear Madam,</strong></p>.<p><strong>My father lost his job recently. He is now very upset, and this is taking a toll on his health as well as on the family. We are in a difficult situation and there are constant arguments at home. I feel like running away from home, away from all the troubles...</strong></p>.<p><strong>John</strong></p>.<p>Dear John,</p>.<p>I am sorry to hear that your family is going through a lot of financial stress which is taking a toll on your father’s health and on the family environment and dynamics. While none of these problems may have been caused by you, they are nevertheless affecting how you feel and you are finding it difficult to understand what you should do in such a situation. Talking to a counsellor with details about what is happening and how you are interpreting things will be helpful.</p>