Dr. Akanksha Rani

Ms. Akanksha Rani, has a doctorate in trauma-focused research from National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangaluru, India.

She has almost 10 years’ experience of working with trauma survivors. She has applied trauma-informed lens to trauma-focused psychotherapy especially seeing effectiveness of postmodern psychotherapies like narrative therapy, solution-focused brief therapy and trauma-Focused Family Therapy (TF-FT) when working with individuals and families who are trauma survivors. She has also worked as couple and family therapist addressing health, behavioural problems, and relationship issues within the context of family system.  

She is interested in using research as a tool to give voices to those who have been marginalized and contribute significantly to creation of body of empirical research through quantitative and qualitative approaches.

Dr. Akanksha Rani

Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology

View Specializations
  • Certification in “Social Anthropology”
    Dept. of Continuing Education, Oxford University- 2023

  • Certification in “Confronting Gender-Based Violence:
    Global Lessons for Healthcare
    Workers” by Johns Hopkins University 2020-2022

  • Certification in “Research for Impact”
    by University of Cape Town & Oxfam 2020-2022

  • Ph.D. at Department of Psychiatric Social Work,
    NIMHANS – 2022

  • Certification in Health Research Fundamentals
     NIE- ICMR -2017

  • M. Phil in Psychiatric Social Work, NIMHANS – 2016

  • Post-graduation Diploma in Human Rights Law
    National Law School of India University
    (NLSIU) -2014

  • Masters in Social Work
    Delhi School of Social Work, Delhi University – 2014

  • Bachelors of Arts
    Deshbandhu College, Delhi University- 2011
  • Assistant Professor, Dept. of Psychology,
    Bangalore Central Campus, CHRIST
    (Deemed to be University), Bangalore- 2021 Onwards 

  • Psychiatric Social Worker at
    NIMHANS, Bangalore – 2017 to 2020

  • School Counselor an d Social Worker
    Amar Jyoti Charitable trust. Delhi – 2013

Publications:

  • Rani, A. “Parenting Children with Epilepsy: A Case Report from India” Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research. 2016. Volume 2, Issue 7. ISSN: 2454-1362.
  • Rani, A., & Ph.D., P. (2016). “Socio-demographic and Clinical Profile of Children with Epilepsy.”International Journal of Advanced Research, 4(6), 145–152. doi:10.21474/ijar01/630
  • Published as a book chapter titled “Psycho-social interventions with women with chronic mental illness” in the book titled “Perspective in Women Studies, Language, Culture and Social Sciences (ISBN No.- 978-93-86435-65-1, 2018).
  • Rani, A., & Thomas, P.T. (2019). Stress and Perceived Stigma among parents of children with Epilepsy. Neurological Sciences, Springer. July 2019, Volume 40, Issue 7, pp 1363-1370. ISSN:1590-3478. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-03822-6
  • Rani, A., & Thomas, P.T. (2019). Parental Knowledge, Attitude and Perception about Epilepsy and Sociocultural Barriers to Treatment. Journal of Epilepsy Research. June 30 2019; 9(1):65-75. PMID: 31482058. DOI: 10.14581/jer.1900
  • Protocol titled “Lived Experience of Persons with Chronic Schizophrenia Living in the Community”in the journal of Social Science Protocols. Vol 2 (2019): Social Science Protocols 2019. ISSN: 2516-8053.https://doi.org/10.7565/ssp.2019.2656.
  •  Rani, A., & Hassan, F. U. (2020). “Suffering in silence: Stories of Indian women with chronic mental illness and sexual coercion.” Indian journal of psychological medicine, 42(2),168-174. 10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_296_19
  • Rani, A., Raman, J., Antony, S., Thirumoorthy, A., & Basavarajappa, C. (2020). “Abuse Experienced by Persons with Severe Mental Illness.” Social ScienceProtocols, 3,1-16.https://doi.org/10.7565/ssp.2020.2813.Nov. 2022
  •  Thayyil, M. M., & Rani, A. (2020). “Structural Family Therapy with a Client Diagnosed with Dissociative Disorder.” Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 0253717620969067.
  •  Vimala, L., Rathinam, B., & Rani, A. “Suicide during Covid-19: Need for Swift Public Health Action.” NIMHANS, Bangalore, India. 2020.3a: 41-49.
  • Raman, J., Prabhu, S., Rani, A., Gopika, G. G., Antony, S., & Thirumoorthy, A. (2021). “Experiences of women in the COVID-19 context: A phenomenological study.” 2020. DOI: DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.pex-1281/v1
  • Protocol titled “Prevalence, Risks and Protective Factors and Impact of Abuse experienced by Persons with Severe Mental Illness: A Systematic Review”was drafted and registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020163292).
  •  Rani, A., Raj, M. C., Trichy, J., Antony, S., & Thirumoorthy, A. (2022). Women With Severe Mental Illness and Marital Rape: A Critical Review.Partner Abuse, 13(1). https://www.10.1891/PA-2021-0014.
  •  Rani, A., Raman, K. J., Ammapattian, T., Antony, S., Prabhu, S. G., & Basavarappa, C. (2022). Lived Experiences of Persons with Chronic Schizophrenia Living in the Community. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 02537176221084500.https://doi.org/10.1177/02537176221084500
  •  Rani, A., Raman, K. J., Singh, V. K., Antony, S., Ammapattian, T., & Prabhu, S. G. (2022). Prevalence and Impact of Abuse Experienced by Persons with Severe Mental Illness: A Systematic Review. Violence and Gender, 9(4), 147-163. http://doi.org/10.1089/vio.2022.001
  •  Rani, A., Raman, K. J., Antony, S., & Thirumoorthy, A. (2023). A Qualitative Study to Understand the Nature of Abuse Experienced by Persons with Severe Mental Illness. Violence and Gender, 10(1), 45-56. https://doi.org/10.1089/vio.2022.0046
  •  Rani, A., Raman, K. J., Antony, S., & Ammapattian, T. (2024). Narrative therapy with Dalit female survivors of violence. Violence and gender, 11(1), 53-57.https://doi.org/10.1089/vio.2023.0026
  •  Rathod, R., & Rani, A. (2024). A framework for national-level prevention initiatives in Indian schools: A risk reduction approach. Mental Health & Prevention, 34, 200334.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhp.2024.200334

Paper Presentations:

  •  Presented a paper titled “Psychosocial Interventions to Combat Abuse Among Women with Mental Illness” as an oral presentation in the International Conference on Women Studies, Language, Culture and Social Sciences organized by Carmel College for Women, Nuvem, Goa, India held on Dec-28-29, 2018.
  •  Presented paper titled “Framework for psychosocial Risks and Protective Factors for abuse experienced by persons with severe mental illness” at International Conference on Future of Mental Health: Importance of Integrated Approach- 8th to 10th Feb. 2019 held at Anugraha Institute of Social Sciences. Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.
  •  Presented a paper titled “Psychosocial interventions to Combat Abuse among Women with Chronic Mental Illness” in the National Conference on Disability, Gender and Violence: Issues and Challenges – 25th– 26th Feb. 2019 organized by Centre for Women’s Developmental Studies and Supported by Women’s Fund Asia, New Delhi.
  •  Presented a paper titled “Women with Severe Mental Illness and Marital Rape” in the National Conference on Women’s Studies held at National Law University, Delhi-28th-31st Jan. 2020.
  •  Presented a e-poster titled “Risks and Protective Factors against Abuse Experienced by Persons with Severe Mental Illness: A Systematic Review in 22nd WPA World Congress of Psychiatry online3rd– 6th August, 2022.
  •  Presented a paper titled “multi-dimensional impact of Abuse on Persons with Severe Mental illness in an international conference on Global Mental health and Public Health Challenges & Innovation organised by IIT, Ranchi, Jharkhand- 25th– 27th Nov. 2022.

Principal Investigator (PIA) for a funded project:

  • National Human Rights Commission funded Basic Training Programme on Human Rights (Ref. no. T11/3/2022-Trg)
  • A grant of Rs. 1 lakh for a project titled as “The effects of gender and social stereotypes leading to stress and mental disorders among LGBTQ Individuals.” Funded by CHRIST (Deemed to be University) [CU: CRP: SMSSS-2319]

Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PIA) for two non-funded qualitative projects:

1. Lived experience of persons with schizophrenia [Ref. No. NIMHANS/EC(BEH.SC.DIV.) 19TH MEETING/2019]

2. Impact of COVID on women [Ref. No. NIMHANS/25thIEC (BEH.SC.DIV.)/2020-21].