Our Founders

Dhayanandhan Shanmugam is a Professional Psychologist, Clinical Psycho-Oncologist, and Tobacco Cessation Therapist with over 12 years of varied experience in psychological therapies and psycho-oncological care. His clinical practice focuses on offering evidence-based psychological and emotional support to individuals, cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and families across different stages of life and the cancer journey.

He holds a Masters in Applied Psychology and an M.Phil. in Clinical Psycho-Oncology from the Cancer Institute (College of Oncological Sciences), WIA, Chennai. He has also completed a Clinical Psycho-Oncology Research Programme, further developing his expertise in psycho-oncology research and evidence-based psychological interventions.

Dhayanandhan began his professional career as a Psychologist and Clinical Psycho-Oncologist at Madras Cancer Care Foundation, Chennai, and later worked with CanCare Foundation. His experiences include providing psychotherapeutic interventions for patients with different types of cancers, as well as their primary caregivers and family members. His experience is vast yet complete as it spans across cancer care, from diagnosis, treatment to survivorship, palliative care, end-of-life care, and bereavement.

His areas of clinical expertise include anxiety and depression, stress management, relationship and marital counseling, family counseling, adolescent counseling, parenting support, tobacco cessation, addiction counseling, workplace counseling, and cancer-related psychological distress.

He supports individuals and families in managing emotional distress, treatment-related challenges, uncertainty, adjustment to illness, and changes in everyday life. He has particular experience in survivorship supportive counseling and laryngectomy supportive counselling. It includes psychological support for adjustment to changes in communication, body image, social functioning, and quality of life. He has also been actively involved in facilitating cancer support groups for breast cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, and head and neck cancers, including groups for patients undergoing treatment and cancer survivors. These groups provide a safe and supportive space for sharing experiences, strengthening coping skills, and receiving psychological guidance.

In 2026, he founded Ulam Seyal Psychological Wellness and Psycho-Oncology Services, with the aim of offering accessible psychological and psycho-oncology services through online and virtual consultations. The initiative facilitates professional support for people who need psychological and emotional assistance, including those experiencing mental health concerns, cancer-related distress, caregiver stress, survivorship concerns, and grief and bereavement.

Dhayanandhan follows an individualized, person-centered, and integrative approach to psychotherapy. He is trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Mindfulness-Based and Trauma-Informed Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Transactional Analysis, Motivational Interviewing, Family and Couple Therapy, and Supportive Psychotherapy.

Alongside his clinical practice, Dhayanandhan has contributed to psycho-oncology research and academic work. His research articles have been published in the Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology and the International Journal of Psycho-Oncology. His research interests include psychological distress among oncology patients, palliative psycho-oncology, survivorship, and bereavement care.

He has also presented research papers at several national and international conferences. He is actively involved in professional education and has conducted training programmes for nursing, psychology, and psychiatric social work students, focusing on communication in cancer care, cancer psychology, counseling, and psycho-oncological interventions.

In recognition of his professional contributions, Dhayanandhan Shanmugam received the Dr. William James Award from the All India Press and Media Council in April 2025.

Dhayanandhan is committed to offering compassionate, ethical, and evidence-based psychological care. His work is centered on facilitating meaningful psychological and emotional support for individuals, cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and families as they navigate treatment, challenges and integrate into normal life.

Gopalakrishnan D.S. is a Medical & Psychiatric Social Work Professional, Senior Counsellor, Psychotherapist, and Crisis Intervention Specialist with extensive experience across NGO programs, Central Government projects, and Tamil Nadu Government initiatives. He holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) in Medical & Psychiatric Social Work from the University of Madras.

He possesses strong leadership and management skills, with experience in leading and managing large teams, staff supervision, mentoring, task allocation, program coordination, performance monitoring, field-level management, and crisis case management.

He provides counselling support to children, adolescents, women, individuals, couples, families, and caregivers for concerns including anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, behavioral difficulties, relationship concerns, and emotional distresses. He has also conducted training and orientation programs on crisis intervention and crisis case handling, along with training on POCSO, child marriage, women and child protection, counselling, and social welfare interventions.

As a Manager with the Tamil Nadu Women Helpline 181 under the Social Welfare Department, he handled crisis intervention, case management, referral coordination, monitoring, documentation, reporting, and stakeholder coordination, supporting women and children facing vulnerable and emergency situations.

He has also worked as a Senior Counsellor with the Transgender community through HIV awareness programs and contributed to TB and community health programs through health education, sensitization, counselling, referrals, screening support, and follow-up activities. His professional contribution has been recognized with a Best Employee Award.

In 2026, Gopalakrishnan D.S. joined Ulam Seyal Psychological Wellness & Psycho-Oncology Services as Managing Head, taking responsibility for professional service management, team coordination, counselling services, program development, staff mentoring, quality monitoring, and overall operational coordination. He contributes to developing accessible and client-centered psychological wellness services for individuals, children, adolescents, women, families, and caregivers.