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Community Well-being Series

October 2022

The campus mental health support team celebrated World Mental Health Day on 10 October through interactive sessions with mental health expert, Ms. Tanusree Mustafi, rehabilitation psychologist and trauma focused psyhotherapist; mesmerizing dance and music performances by students, followed by dinner. 

The unique point of 10 October was that we had the director, registrar, CHMC, SAC, and SLC chairs and members were present in the event, all of them recognized the growing concerns of mental health and highlighted the importance of seeking help when in need. 

From October to December, the campus mental health support team plans to organize a series of events to promote community well-being. The series aims to bring awareness about the factors that may affect mental well-being, our everyday engagements, coping strategies, and resilience. For instance, major and minor trauma in life; teenage, young adults/youth, and college-life challenges; competition and stress; prolonged sadness to depression; sleep health; gender identity and expression; sexual identity; and so on. It also aims to offer tools to deal with these issues, such as psychological first aid and consulting mental health professionals to learn better about their health.  

Community Well-being series II – focusing on the “self”: The first session on 26 October was on Self and Mental Well-being session using Expressive Art Therapy Method was by Ms. Pallavi Banothu, University of Hyderabad.  

This session reflected upon the factors that enable safe spaces. Discussed what makes a space safe for an individual and for the collective. How can one create that safe space for self? And why is it so crucial in therapy?  And explored these questions through some drama and visual art in the  90 minutes –  Expressive Art therapy session. 

Pallavi Banothu is a certified Expressive Arts Therapy Practitioner and currently pursuing the Advanced Level Trauma-informed Expressive Arts Therapy with SMArT (Studio for Movement Arts and Therapies).

Upcoming sessions 

  • 9 November  – Campus Life and Mental Well-being, by Dr. Kiranmayi Bapi, Counselling Psychologist
  • 23 November  – Psychological First AID, by Ms. Tanusree Mustafi, trauma focused rehabilitation psychologist
  • 7 December  – Emotion Regulation, by Ms. Tanusree Mustafi, trauma focused rehabilitation psychologist 
  • 21 December  – documentary, The Wisdom of Trauma, directed by Benazzo and Benazzo. The movie screening will be followed by an open house and discussion.