Understanding rather than diagnosis

I am Sulav Raj Upreti, MPhil, a Registered Clinical Psychologist with the Nepal Health Professional Council (NHPC), based in Kathmandu, Nepal. My work brings together two closely connected areas: psychotherapy, where we work toward a deeper understanding of emotional and relational difficulties, and psychological assessment, where careful evaluation helps clarify cognitive, developmental, emotional and behavioural functioning.

In psychotherapy, we focus on exploring the deeper layers of your thoughts, emotions and relational patterns. Together we look at how past experiences shape present challenges and how these patterns show up in daily life and relationships, in a calm, confidential space where you can speak openly, gain insight, and work through what feels difficult or repetitive. The aim is lasting change through a stronger ability to understand yourself, relate more openly, and live with greater balance and meaning. My role is not simply to give advice or fix what feels difficult — it is to listen carefully, understand the person and their circumstances, and develop a meaningful understanding of what may be happening.

My therapeutic work draws from psychodynamic and psychoanalytic perspectives, adapted to the individual, their concerns and the goals of therapy. I believe psychotherapy is a process of understanding oneself more deeply — bringing what is outside awareness into conscious understanding, making sense of recurring patterns, and creating the possibility for meaningful change.

I provide psychological assessment using standardised and clinically informed methods to develop a comprehensive understanding of psychological functioning. This includes intellectual and cognitive assessment of intellectual functioning, cognitive abilities, strengths and areas of difficulty; personality assessment exploring personality characteristics, emotional functioning, interpersonal patterns and psychological processes; and projective assessment for in-depth exploration of personality dynamics, emotional experiences and underlying psychological processes. Assessment is not simply about obtaining a score — its value lies in integrating test findings with clinical history, observation and the individual’s current circumstances.

I provide sessions in Nepali and English, both in person in Kathmandu and online.

Alongside clinical practice, I am involved in mental health education, professional training and public communication, sharing psychological knowledge through writing and digital platforms. I believe accessible, evidence-informed mental health education can help reduce the silence, stigma and misinformation that often surround psychological difficulties in Nepal.