The modern nuclear Indian family is under a lot of stress. Divorce, re-marriage, working parents, rapidly changing moral codes - a whole lot of factors contribute to this. This is where family therapists come in and they believe that answers to the many problems lie within the family as well. “There is still a lot more room for negotiation with the extended family with grandparents helping with childcare. Here it is considered natural for grandparents to come and help out in a family crisis. These are tighter living situations with a lot more sharing of resources, ” says Brar. This form of therapy is reaching the villages too but as voluntary work. Nath is training 22 health workers in rural Haryana, who will make mental health interventions in 220 villages with women’s self-help groups. “They find there the same problems as the cities. Most conflicts are centred around the woman who comes into the family - the daughter-in-law. So they have to get the husband and in-laws into the therapy, ” says Nath. Family therapy is not cheap. It can cost anywhere between Rs 500 and Rs1, 000. “Access is improving but in general, it is still expensive. But the funny thing is, people have no qualms about blowing up Rs 200-300 on a pedicure when they are stressed but they will try to beat down the hourly rate for therapy. They wouldn’t that with a doctor, would they?” asks Alva.