Dr. Vijay Nagaswami completed his M.B.B.S. degree from the Madras Medical College in 1980, and underwent post-graduate training in Psychiatry (Diplomate in Psychological Medicine) from the same college. After having qualified as a psychiatrist in 1984, he served the Schizophrenia Research Foundation (India) in various capacities and eventually as Deputy Director till 1991. He was as a consultant to the World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation during this period. Between 1991 and 1997 he moved to the corporate world and headed the HR function for a Chennai-based public limited company.
Since 1997, he has concentrated his energies on Individual, Couple & Corporate Psychotherapy. He has written five books. His first book, ‘Courtship and Marriage: a guide for Indian couples’ published by Penguin was a best seller. In January 2004, his second book titled “The Splintered Mind: Understanding Schizophrenia” was launched at Chennai. His third book, titled ‘The 24x7 Marriage’ appeared in 2008 and is currently on its fifth print run. His next best-selling book, ‘The Fifty-50 Marriage: Return to Intimacy’ was launched in June 2010. His fifth book, ‘3’s a crowd: Understanding and Surviving Marital Infidelity’ was launched in December 2011. He is a columnist for The Hindu and also conducts workshops and seminars for business corporations as well as individuals and couples on marriage and personal relationships management.
He works out of Chennai, but does travel around the country for training other mental health professionals in Couple Therapy and for the Connect Right Programmes he conducts. His wife Usha, a translator by profession, and he have been happily married for twenty five years. They have no children. They have successfully dealt with several issues over the years and this has formed the basis for his work with couples in monogamous relationships. Dr Nagaswami offers psychotherapy for both individuals and couples.