Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Ilashrei Anand Brings Therapy to India's Roots Through Advaita Vedanta
A yoga psychologist named Ilashrei Anand is marking India's 80th Independence Day.
She is bringing therapy back to India's roots by using ancient teachings called Advaita Vedanta.
This philosophy teaches that our feelings are not the whole of who we are.
She helps people who feel anxious, scared of failing, or struggle in relationships.
She says there is a big difference between 'I am anxious' and 'I am experiencing anxiety.'
She uses Yoga Psychology to look at how stress and hidden emotions can affect the body, causing things like asthma, stomach problems and diabetes.
She was inspired by wise teachers named Sri Adi Shankaracharya and Swami Vivekananda.
She reminds people that non-duality does not mean staying in unsafe relationships or ignoring boundaries.
She also says ancient wisdom should never be used to dismiss someone's real pain.
Her message is that inner freedom means acting from awareness instead of fear.
Ilashrei Anand, a UNESCO Awardee Shankardoot and yoga psychologist, is addressing anxiety, relationship struggles, fear of failure and people-pleasing through Advaita Vedanta and Yoga Psychology as India marks its 80th Independence Day.
She is certified in Positive Psychology from Harvard and Yoga Psychology from a century-old Ashram.
Her sessions integrate Yoga Psychology to explore psychosomatic patterns linking unresolved emotions and chronic stress to conditions such as asthma, gut issues, thyroid, diabetes and auto-immune concerns.
Her work draws on Advaita Vedanta as expounded by Sri Adi Shankaracharya and carried into modern global consciousness by Swami Vivekananda.
Anand cautions against spiritual bypassing, saying Advaita should not be used to tell a grieving or traumatised person that their pain is merely Maya.
- Who
- Ilashrei Anand, a certified yoga psychologist, UNESCO Awardee Shankardoot and Harvard-certified professional in Positive Psychology.
- What
- Announced a therapeutic approach combining Advaita Vedanta and Yoga Psychology to treat anxiety, relationship struggles, fear of failure and people-pleasing.
- When
- August 14, as India celebrates its 80th Independence Day.
- Where
- Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- Why
- To bring therapy back to India's roots and promote inner freedom by recognising the Self beyond emotional fluctuations.
- Person
- Ilashrei Anand
- Profession
- Certified Yoga Psychologist, UNESCO Awardee Shankardoot
- Approach
- Advaita Vedanta and Yoga Psychology
- Certifications
- Positive Psychology (Harvard); Yoga Psychology (century-old Ashram)
- Location
- Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Occasion
- India's 80th Independence Day (August 14)
- Experience
- Over a decade in 1:1 therapy, couples' therapy, workshops and wellbeing programmes
- Key Influences
- Sri Adi Shankaracharya and Swami Vivekananda