Today we’d like to introduce you to Esther Chelladurai.
Hi Esther , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
From Trichy to Tennessee: A Counselor’s Journey of Faith, Purpose, and Healing
When I graduated from high school in Trichy, a historic city in Tamil Nadu, Southern India, I had no idea what incredible plans my Divine Creator had in store for me. Four years later, I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Madras University, Chennai and began my career in Bengaluru. A year into working life, I got married. Two years later, I earned a Master’s in Computer Science Engineering from Anna University, fueling my dream of becoming a college professor.
But life had other plans.
Just as I was preparing to step into academia, my husband’s job required him to move to San Ramon, CA. I joined him six months later, with our 9-month-old daughter in tow. Motherhood quickly became my top priority, and for the next several years, I dedicated myself to raising our two daughters. We later moved to New Jersey, where both children began school.
During that time, my entrepreneurial spirit led me to real estate. I found the flexibility and freedom incredibly rewarding and began building a successful business in central NJ. However, yet another big move came calling, this time to Nashville, Tennessee. We instantly fell in love with the Mt. Juliet community and decided to settle here in 2018.
While everything seemed to be falling into place for my husband, I found myself reflecting on my past and feeling uncertain about my own future. In that season of searching, I began to seek Divine guidance. One morning, I had a powerful and vivid dream. One that clearly directed me to help people struggling with addiction. The imagery was so striking and purposeful that I couldn’t dismiss it as coincidence. Deep down, I knew it was an answer to my heartfelt cry for direction.
At that time, my understanding of counseling was limited to career guidance, as mental health and addiction counseling were not common fields in India. Yet I sensed that this vision carried a deeper meaning, an invitation to find purpose and healing through service.
As I began researching, I was drawn toward a more holistic path, one that emphasized healing lives rather than prescribing medication. That search led me to Lipscomb University. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program with an addiction specialization immediately stood out. It was, at the time, the only program in the area offering a dual focus on both mental health and substance abuse counseling, perfectly aligning with the vision that had taken root in my heart.
End of October 2018, I attended a Lunch & Learn session at Lipscomb, where I met Kathi Johnson, then student coordinator. She gave me the application checklist and encouraged me to apply for the January 2019 semester. I told her it felt impossible. To transfer all my academic records from Madras and Anna University in just two months seemed like a monumental task. But she encouraged me to try anyway.
My father, ever gracious and supportive, went in person to my universities in Chennai multiple times to help expedite the process. What happened next was a true miracle: my certificates were evaluated by WES,NY and Lipscomb received my GPA-verified transcript just one day before classes began.
That moment reaffirmed a lifelong lesson: never give up. Have FAITH.
I had the privilege of studying under some wonderful professors at Lipscomb and graduated in May 2021. Over the four years, I gained valuable clinical experience in a variety of settings. Cumberland Heights Inpatient Treatment Center (internships), Mental Health Co-op’s Outpatient MAT clinic, the Papillion Center for FASD, TN Mental Wellness in Gallatin, and at Team Health, where I served multiple nursing facilities across Middle Tennessee.
Through it all, I earned my professional licensures: LPC-MHSP (Licensed Professional Counselor – Mental Health Service Provider) and LADAC II (Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor – Level 2).
My journey has been shaped by Divine strength, relentless hard work, unwavering family support, and a clear personal mission. By the end of 2024, I felt ready to step into private practice and opened my own counseling clinic right here in Mt. Juliet.
Today, my focus is on serving communities throughout Tennessee, offering compassionate care with a special emphasis on trauma, ADHD, substance use disorders, and co-occurring mental health conditions. My dual background in mental health and addiction counseling allows me to provide clients with a unique, holistic perspective, helping them identify and modify lifestyle habits that contribute to emotional, physical, spiritual, and psychological well-being.
Every day, I feel grateful for the opportunity to serve and learn from those around me. This journey from a confused student in Trichy to a counselor in Tennessee has taught me that no experience is wasted, and no calling is accidental.
I am deeply thankful for this God-given path and for the lives I’ve been entrusted to walk alongside. Every life matters, every story is sacred, and every healing is possible.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not. It has never been a smooth road. In fact, I often say I started looking up when I hit rock bottom in 2017. I could spend an entire day recounting life’s challenges and how I’ve become an overcomer through Divine help.
Sometimes, we tend to run away from the very things that are meant to help us heal and grow. It took time for me to understand the true meaning of surrender; to let go of control and experience the freedom and victory that comes from trusting something greater than myself.
One of the most painful moments of my life was losing my brother in a tragic bus accident when I was 5 years old. That loss changed me forever. But over the years, I’ve come to see how every challenge, every heartbreak, setback, and difficult season has been woven into my story for a greater purpose.
These experiences have helped me become more empathetic and grounded. They’ve given me the ability to sit with others in their pain without judgment, to truly see them. I value authentic relationships that stem from a genuine heart and honest conversation. That’s the kind of connection I strive to create with every person who walks into my practice.
The road has been far from easy, but it’s been meaningful, and it continues to shape who I am today.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Asher represents a place where clients can experience the fullness of joy, peace, and healing. It is a place where the burdens of life are lifted, and clients are encouraged to embrace mental, emotional, and spiritual wholeness.
Whether you are navigating addiction, mental health challenges, life transitions, or family issues, We are determined to walk beside you, offering the support, understanding, and tools you need to create positive change. Our motto is to work together to help you move toward a more fulfilling, balanced, and meaningful life.
As a therapist, I follow a multi-modal integrated approach, which means I draw upon a variety of evidence-based therapies to tailor treatment to the unique needs of each client. This approach allows me to address emotional, cognitive, and behavioral challenges from different angles, ensuring a holistic and personalized path to healing.
Some of the key modalities I integrate include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This widely recognized approach helps clients identify and challenge unhelpful thoughts and beliefs, replacing them with healthier, more realistic patterns of thinking. CBT is especially effective in treating anxiety, depression, and various mood disorders.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): A form of CBT, DBT is particularly useful for individuals struggling with emotional dysregulation, self-harm, or suicidal ideation. It emphasizes mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Reality Therapy (RT): This approach focuses on helping individuals take responsibility for their choices and behavior, encouraging them to focus on the present and make decisions that align with their values and goals. RT is particularly effective in addressing issues like relationship problems, addiction, and self-esteem struggles.
Brainspotting: This trauma-focused therapy helps clients access and process unresolved trauma stored in the brain. Brainspotting is particularly effective for those who have experienced deeply entrenched emotional pain or traumatic experiences.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): Combining cognitive therapy with mindfulness strategies, MBCT helps clients become more aware of their thoughts and feelings in the present moment. It’s highly effective for preventing relapse in depression and managing stress and anxiety.
Motivational Interviewing (MI): This client-centered approach focuses on enhancing intrinsic motivation to change. MI is helpful in addressing ambivalence and encouraging clients to make positive decisions, especially when dealing with addiction or behavioral change.
12-Step Facilitation: Drawing from the principles of 12-Step programs, this modality supports individuals struggling with addiction or compulsive behaviors. It fosters connection, accountability, and spiritual growth as part of the recovery process.
By blending these modalities, I can offer a tailored, flexible approach that meets clients where they are in their journey, helping them develop the tools, insights, and resilience they need to move forward. Whether you’re seeking emotional healing, behavioral change, or spiritual growth, this integrated method ensures that therapy is both comprehensive and effective.
Location 145 Bear Xing, Suite 139
(NEXT to Costco & TN Oncology)
Mount Juliet, TN 37122.
Call/Text (615) 348-8589
Areas of Expertise
Depression
Anxiety
Grief/losses
ADHD
Trauma, Personal growth, and performance counseling integrating brainspotting
Life Transitions
Identity issues
Addictions
Self harm/ Suicidal Ideation
PTSD & Trauma
Bipolar disorders
Eating disorders
Personality disorders like borderline, narcissistic disorder
Career counseling
Parenting and trust based relationships using TBRI Techniques
We accept Insurance – BCBST, Aetna, Cigna, Optum, UHC, Surest, Oscar. Self Pay is $105 per session $125 for parenting and trauma focused sessions. Intake – $110.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Be patient with yourself. Growth takes time, and the most important growth isn’t just academic or professional, it’s personal. Take the time to truly understand yourself: your strengths, weaknesses, passions, and boundaries. That self-awareness becomes the foundation for how you show up for others.
If you’re stepping into the field of counseling, I encourage you to explore different settings—inpatient, outpatient, community-based, school-based, etc. before narrowing your focus. Each environment teaches you something valuable, and over time, you’ll naturally gravitate toward the population you’re most called to serve.
One thing I’ve learned that I wish I had fully understood at the beginning is this:
The most important thing in the counseling room is learning to remove myself from the session. To not center my own ego or narrative, but instead to hold space for my client’s autonomy.
It’s not about fixing people; it’s about walking with them as they find their own way.
Counseling is sacred work. Stay grounded, stay teachable, and trust the process. The impact may not always be immediate, but it is lasting.
Pricing:
- $105 per session
- Insurance is accepted
- $125 – Brainspotting Sessions.
- $125 – Parenting skills Sessions
- $110- Intake
Contact Info:
- Website: https://asherhaven.janeapp.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asherhavencounseling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Asher-Haven-Counseling-Inc-61568472432918/
- Other: https://asherhaven.com
