Conversation with Reema Ahmad

Reema Ahmad is a NLP based Life Coach and Mental Space Psychologist. She works in the area of sexuality, gender, abuse, relationships and trauma. She practices online and from her counselling space in Agra city. She works from a position of SRHR and sex and body positivity. She works from the strong belief that clients have all the resources they need to flourish and her role is simply that of a conduit. She co-founded Candidly in 2017 with her long time friend Amita Malhotra. Together they used the platform to develop and drive conversations on gender, abuse, sexuality and how these manifest in media and through culture. They also created EqualiTee, India’s first gender neutral clothing line in 2018. At Candidly, she drove the content and delivery for workshops on child sexual abuse awareness and prevention for children, parents and teachers, POSH, sexuality, adolescent health and well being. She is also a two time TEDx and Josh Speaker and advocates strongly about child sexual abuse awareness, sexuality education and mental health issues on public forums. Reema has conducted gender and diversity talks at corporate offices like Black Rock and Feminista. She graduated from Lady Shri Ram College For Women with a degree in English Honours and completed her Masters in English and Bachelors in Education from Agra University. She studied and trained with Talking About Reproductive and Sexual Health Issues (TARSHI) for their Comprehensive Sexuality Education course for teachers and trainers and Sexuality Counselling Skills Training course to enable Counselling. She also conducts group counselling sessions on sexual health and well being in association with RedWomb, group therapy sessions for domestic violence victims for the Purple Ribbon Collective. She is on board a few online startups and organisations like the You Can Foundation, Stand We Speak, Untangle, Pinky Promise in different capacities as Counsellor, mentor, resource person and advisor. All of these organisations work in the space of youth empowerment, mental health, sexual health and wellbeing and abuse awareness. She has worked with RAHI, Council To Secure Justice, Caravan and Justice and Care as a trainer and resource person. Reema’s first book Unparenting- Sharing Awkward Truths with Curious Kids, published by Penguin India, released in September 2022. Her first book as an editor, Of Dry Tongues and Brave Hearts was released in February 2022. She has also written for publications like Vice, Youth ki Awaz, The Scroll, Mint, Feminista, The Champa Tree, DailyO and The Deccan Herald. She writes poetry and is working on her next two books based on female desire and divorce in India. Her work as part of Candidly has appeared in The Indian Express and The Hindustan Times. She has also appeared as a counsellor and speaker on popular online and on ground forums like SheThe People, MensXP, TARSHI Ngo and UN Women India. She lives in Agra with her teenage son, elderly parents, three cats and two dogs.