Sonely Bulchandani
Registered Psychotherapist
Client Focus: Adults, Couples, Athletes
Modalities: CBT, DBT, Mindfulness, Self-compassion, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Humanistic approaches
Common Concerns: Anxiety and Stress/burn-out, Confidence, Depression, Mental Block, Identity and Self-development, Self-Esteem
Areas of Practice: Anxiety, Depression, Coping Skills, Mental Performance
Languages: English, Hindi, Urdu
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about therapy or mental performance coaching?
I wish more people knew that therapy is not only about working through challenges—it’s also about building strength, resilience, and clarity. Just as training the body develops physical strength, therapy trains the mind to perform at its best. Whether in sports, business, or everyday life, developing the right mindset can be the key to navigating obstacles and achieving sustainable success.
Who are you and what led you to this work?
With over 10 years of strength and mindset coaching, I’ve seen the power of combining mind and body training. As an athlete myself, I’m fascinated by the human capacity to shape our own stories and journeys. My culturally rich upbringing—being born in Nigeria to a South-Asian Indian family and attending a Lebanese school—instilled in me a deep appreciation for diversity and inclusivity. These experiences shaped my focus on providing culturally sensitive, anti-oppressive, and responsive therapy.
What is your approach to therapy or mental performance coaching?
My approach is collaborative, holistic, and culturally informed. I see clients as the experts of their own lives and provide support, guidance, and tools to help them navigate life’s challenges. My focus is on helping people recognize their strengths, reframe obstacles, and build the psychological resilience needed for healing and growth. I integrate my background in athletics and mindset coaching with therapeutic strategies, creating an approach that is practical, empowering, and adaptable to diverse client needs.
What areas do you focus on?
• Confidence and self-esteem
• Stress and burnout
• Life transitions and adaptability
• Identity and cultural challenges
• Performance optimization for athletes and high performers
• Leadership development and mindset growth
• Emotional regulation and resilience building
What types of clients do you typically work with?
I work with individuals from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds, including athletes, leaders, and high performers. Many of my clients are navigating pressure-filled environments where mindset and resilience are critical to success. I also support people facing life transitions, identity challenges, and the stress that comes with balancing personal and professional demands.
How do you help clients overcome mental roadblocks and perform at their best?
I help clients identify strengths, reframe limiting narratives, and develop tools for navigating setbacks. Drawing from my background as a strength and mindset coach, I combine therapeutic strategies with performance-focused approaches to support both well-being and high achievement. Clients often find that by strengthening their mental resilience, they not only feel more grounded but also perform with greater clarity, confidence, and leadership presence in high-stakes environments.
What evidence-based methods or strategies do you use?
I integrate culturally responsive and trauma-informed approaches with performance psychology and strength-based methods. This includes tools that foster resilience, self-awareness, and adaptability, tailored to each client’s needs. My goal is to create a therapy process that honors both personal healing and performance optimization.
What can a client expect in their first session with you?
In our first session, you can expect a supportive, collaborative conversation where we focus on your goals, challenges, and strengths. I will listen with empathy and curiosity, while helping you identify practical steps forward. My priority is to create a safe, inclusive environment where you feel respected and empowered from the very beginning.
What makes your work at The Mental Game unique?
What makes my work unique is the way I integrate my background in strength and mindset coaching with culturally sensitive psychotherapy. At The Mental Game Clinic, I work in consultation and training with Dr. Kim Foster Yardley, and I bring together evidence-based strategies with lived experience in athletics and resilience-building. This allows me to help clients not only heal and grow but also strengthen their mindset to thrive in both performance and leadership roles.
Performance Interests
I compete in natural bodybuilding and placed in the top six at nationals. Strength training is a lifelong passion of mine, and I continue to work as a strength and mindset coach alongside my therapy practice. Outside of competition and coaching, I enjoy hiking and am currently learning to enjoy long-distance biking—always finding new ways to challenge both body and mind.
