Disclaimer: YourDOST does not support child marriage. We acknowledge that it is illegal and a violation of children’s rights. This story is shared to highlight the resilience and personal growth of an individual who overcame difficult circumstances.
Soniya is a 31-year-old Seasoned Talent Acquisition professional, a fantastic sister, a humble daughter and a resilient teenage mother.
She previously worked at Ather Energy as a senior talent acquisition specialist. Behind every confident professional lies a story of grit, strength, and perseverance. For Soniya, her journey has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Soniya is originally from Salem, the steel city of Tamil Nadu. As a child, she dreamed of becoming an IAS officer. When her parents separated when she was 13, her family became only her, her mother, and her younger sister.
She explains that she used to be an introvert who rarely spoke to anyone outside her family, but life had its own plans for her. Soniya’s childhood was brief and cut short by responsibilities that came too early.
She was married at 15 and had her son soon after, all while continuing her education through regular schooling. The emotional weight of her early experiences, combined with being a young mother among peers who couldn’t relate to her life, only added to the challenges she faced.
“By the time I was 17, I had changed. I had started meeting people and discovering how complex and sometimes hurtful the world can be.”
Despite that, she decided not to give up, made the challenging decision to attend regular college instead of correspondence, and successfully finished her studies.
Soniya eventually moved to Bangalore with her son to pursue her career and started building her own life in her early twenties. She shares with pride that, despite the obstacles she overcame, Soniya currently has a good job and can take care of her son’s needs as a single mom.
When things started moving the way Soniya expected, in 2020, her father suffered a stroke. She took on the responsibility of caring for him and brought him to Bangalore for treatment. She then asked her sister to move in with her as well.
As the years passed, Soniya found herself dealing with multiple battles. Her dad’s health condition started deteriorating further, and she began having misunderstandings with her sister due to all the pressure they were going through.
Amid all this, Soniya was also dealing with other personal things that were emotionally draining her. The weight of these unresolved issues began to affect her well-being.
“I was at a breaking point, I kept thinking why nobody could understand me and felt confused about how I could fix all of it.”
Feeling overwhelmed by the growing tensions in her personal life, Soniya decided to seek help. She discovered that she had launched a wellness initiative, which included a partnership with the YourDOST platform. She decided to avail herself of the counseling sessions provided on the platform and booked appointments with the experts available.
As she began taking the sessions, she found the therapist to be kind and professional. When she trusted that the counselor knew what she was doing, she gained the confidence to open up.
“My first session was like a breath of fresh air. My counselor made me feel seen, heard, and not judged. We covered a lot of topics, and she asked me the right questions to help me reflect.”
Soniya elaborates that the positive feeling she had after the first session led her to continue taking therapy. Over the course of time, Soniya began to regain clarity. She learned the importance of setting boundaries and practising self-respect.
Therapy helped her identify the emotional patterns that were holding her back and gave her the courage to let go of relationships that were no longer healthy. She adds that it wasn’t easy, but it was necessary.
Soniya says the counselor understood the oscillating nature of her mindset at the time and helped her untangle the thoughts that seemed complicated to her before.
“I used to think being strong meant enduring pain in silence, but I learned that true strength lies in acknowledging your feelings and asking for help when you need it.”
Her counselor guided her on how to have constructive conversations with her sister. Soniya adds that they were on the verge of separating, but through the sessions, she realised that this was something she could control.
She took the counselor’s suggestions and worked on the relationship, which mattered more to her. She explains that she and her sister are in a better place and continue to live in the same house peacefully with contentment and connection. They began to open up to each other and made a combined effort to ensure that family values remained intact.
Today, Soniya radiates confidence as she balances her job, her role as a mother, and caring for her sister, all while prioritising her mental health. She now believes that her late father would be proud of her journey as she has learned to be kinder to herself and started honouring her own needs.
She thanks her counselor for giving her a space to express and helping her understand what’s negotiable and what’s not negotiable for her well-being. As she finds clarity and peace of mind, Soniya rates herself 4 out of 5 for the improvements she has made in her life.
We are humbled to be a small part of her journey of endurance, empowerment, and resilience. We wish her a splendid and positive future.
Soniya’s Warrior Tips:
1.“Asking for help might feel scary. We may feel vulnerable, but expressing what we’re going through can make a big difference.”
2.“Be as kind to yourself as you are to the people you care about and invest in self-love.”
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