Hello and welcome! I'm Ankita Magdani, a Mental Health Therapist and Career & Mindset Coach based in Dubai, UAE. I'm here to help you unlock the incredible power within you and find the clarity and strength to overcome life's challenges.
I grew up in India in a family steeped in traditions like yoga, meditation, and hypnosis. My mother is a Reiki Master, and my uncles are Feng Shui and Yoga Masters. But when I was a kid, I didn't really appreciate any of it—I actually thought it was all a bit of a scam!
Things changed when I was six years old. My family was devastated by a traumatic event—the loss of my father in a road accident. My mother, in her own way, had to "move on" quickly to support my sister and me. We never really processed our grief, and that left some deep emotional scars. My mother was also very strict about who we could talk to or be friends with, so I ended up feeling isolated and misunderstood, which led to a lot of struggles in school and with my sense of self.
Growing up, I had a dream to become a flight attendant and see the world. But life had other plans. Money was tight, and the concept of pocket money was foreign to me. My mother would give me 50 rupees every four days, which was barely enough for gas and maybe a snack here and there.
Despite the struggles, I found my passion for psychology while in college. To make ends meet, I started tutoring my peers, then took on odd jobs like making greeting cards and henna designs. By 17, I landed my first real job as an HR consultant, and by 18, I was working as a flight attendant with Jet Airways. I kept my promise to my mother that I'd finish college—and I did!
As I grew older, my mother became more involved in religion and societal expectations, while I was starting to forge my own path. My family's strictness around my relationships made it harder to feel understood, and eventually, I found love and support outside my home. But life got increasingly complicated with the pressure to balance work, studies, and my evolving sense of self.
I became financially independent but was still held accountable for every penny I spent and every relationship I had. When my mother found out about my second boyfriend, she forced me to marry him at the age of 19.
Unfortunately, my marriage was far from the fresh start I hoped for. I was forced to change my religion, my name, and my entire lifestyle. I did not have the courage to speak up or even come to terms. From a family of three (all women) I moved to a family of 10 (2 women 8 men) in 3 months.
The marriage was abusive in every possible way (Physical, verbal, emotional, financial). After five years, a miscarriage, and discovering my husband's affair, I realized I needed to get out. When I decided to quit the marraige my relationship with my mother had become strained because of difference in opinions and management. I blamed her for the life I had ended up living.
In 2012, I took a leap and moved to Dubai to work for Emirates Airlines. My husband at the time convinced me to apply, with his self fish motive to follow later. Universe had different plans for me. He never made it through Emiartes Airlines even after several tries and that's when his insecurities kicked in. I hit rock bottom again, facing continued harassment from him. He tried reaching Emirates annonomsly stating that I had submitted fraud documents to get the job, he started harassing my mother back in India and made financial losses and material losses, he logged in to my facebook account and wrote public posts which stated that "I am willing to sleep with any men for X amount of money, please contact X number", I started receiving calls from random guys trying to pimp me out, when nothing worked he leaked my private pictures that a wife had share with her husband in trust and safety.
I stood on the 6th floor of my Accomodation Balcony trying to die out of suicide. I had lost all hopes, and motivation to live. After standing on the edge of the balcony for what felt like 30 minutes, I found the strength to step back, leave the marriage and truly begin my journey toward healing.
In 2013, I was finally free. I focused on building my career, traveling, and embracing life. I met a wonderful man and got promoted at Emirates Airlines. I thought I was living the dream—but then anxiety and depression hit me like a ton of bricks.
I started therapy, but the real transformation happened when I enrolled in a diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy. I finally understood that the unprocessed grief from my childhood, the resentment toward my mother, and the trauma from my marriage had been weighing me down for years.
In 2019, I made a life-changing decision to shift my career focus and become a mental health therapist. Since then, I've had the privilege of helping over 1000 clients overcome anxiety, depression, grief, and more. It's been an incredibly rewarding journey, and I'm proud of the positive impact I've been able to make.
These days, I wear many hats. I'm a Professional Development Coach at Zayed University, where I help students develop essential soft skills and address mental health challenges. I also serve as the Lead Counsellor for a non-profit in the UAE, work with the Plumm Health Platform in the UK, and review mental health articles for Myndstories. In addition, I've had the opportunity to conduct workshops for incredible organizations like Byju's, Coca-Cola, ACWA Power, and the Dubai Indian Ladies Group.
My mission is simple: to make mental health a top priority, one person at a time. It's not just about therapy or coaching—it's about normalizing the conversation around mental health and helping people understand that it's okay to not be okay.
My vision : is to help individuals shift their perception of life so they can live with integrity, meaning, freedom, and choice. Life is full of challenges, but I believe everyone has the power to heal, grow, and create a future that aligns with their true self
Thank you for being part of this journey with me. Together, we can unlock the potential within you and build a life that truly reflects who you are.
