THE CHALLENGES
As the pandemic gripped the world in 2020,upcoming mental health challenges in the society
were evident and foreseeable. Major areas in need of immediate attention were:
● Academic Uncertainty
● Anxiety
● Grief Counselling
● Inability to see offline real time therapy
THE EXECUTION
Taking early cognizance of the impending challenges, ICHARS Support Foundation executed a multi-dimensional series of events aimed at resolving mental health issues
through:
● Online Support Groups
● Webinars
● Workshops
● Expert talks and
● Subsidized online therapy/help
Below are the activity report which is organized by ICHARS Support Foundation under VISIT MHP initiative.
SUPPORT GROUPS FOR COVID 19 ANXIETY
As the Covid 19 pandemic negatively dominated lives in the year 2020, ISF organized online anxiety support groups hosted by the directors of ISF with the aim of helping people understand:
● Causes of anxiety
● Symptoms and Reasons
● Self-help techniques to manage anxiety
● Talk out with peer groups undergoing similar issues
IMPACT
The peer sharing helped them vent out grief on account of losses inflicted by Covid 19. Many participants who seemed to be in the initial stages of fear and/or anxiety learnt ways of managing their thoughts and apprehensions. The practical feedback and treatment options provided by the experts helped beneficiaries plan their health, economic and personal resources.
No of beneficiaries – 50-100 (weekly online live session)
ACTIVITY REPORT ON TRUE TALKS
A special interview series that answered questions about various aspects and led one individual to a deeper understanding of self and life. During this interview series, covered various topics each day, like :
1. Happiness – From What to HOW
2. Goals – From Setting to Accomplishment
3. Thoughts & Emotions – From awareness to change
4. Love & Acceptance – From Feeling to Being
5. Communication – From Conflict to Resolution & many more…
No of beneficiaries – 100+++ (daily online live session)
PSYTALKS WITH TEACHERS
Launched in July,2020 by ICHARS Support Foundation the online series “PSY TALKS WITH TEACHERS” aimed to coordinate with various teachers and professors of psychology.
IMPACT
Students from various institutions across the nation enthusiastically participated in the event as they were provided valuable insights by the experts . The topics covered by each expert included:
● Career prospects in the field
● Effective study techniques
● Role and scope of their subject in the current aspects
● Tips for budding psychologists and much more.
No of beneficiaries – 100+++ (daily online live session)
LIFE TALKS BY SPIRITUAL EXPERTS
The live series aimed to understand the correlation of mental health values between the fields
of psychology and spirituality. In talk with masters of Adwaita philosophy, Isha yoga, Brahmakumaris and many more, the lives explored:
● The practice of spirituality in everyday life
● How these practices can help in maintaining mental health
● The concept of mental health in general
IMPACTS
The talks brought invaluable insights to psychology aspirants, spiritual seekers and individuals facing any mental health concerns. They proved to be a perfect amalgamation of ancient philosophy and modern science for healing and mental hygiene. Online sample sessions too were taken by the experts to initiate seekers into practice.
No of beneficiaries – 100+++ (daily online live session)
PSYTALKS WITH PSYCHOLOGISTS
A series organized from 21st May, 2020 to 31st May 2020, Psytalks revolved around webinars based interaction with various industry based experts .
Talks organized include-
● CBT
● REBT
● Relationship counselling
● Family counselling
● CHCP
● Yoga in Psychology And many more topics..
IMPACTS
The series proved to be a base for expert interaction and helped the psychology community to
exchange their respective knowledge resources, share case studies, and exchange quick tips in
each episode for collective betterment of the mental health infrastructure.
No of beneficiaries – 100+++ (daily online live session)
NGO TALKS
Hosted by Nitin Shah, director of ICHARS Support Foundation, NGO talks aimed at
interacting with various non profit organizations working in the areas of mental health
promotion to understand the common plan, the kind of work each of them offer, and
understanding challenges faced by them.
IMPACTS
NGO talks involved interactions with revolutionaries working in the field of mental health
improvement and helped leaders develop a synergetic plan forward working on a similar
value base.
No of beneficiaries – 100+++ (daily online live session)
TALK IT OUT (VENT OUT) SUPPORT GROUP
As the Pandemic hit us during 2020, we realized there were individuals who looked for a platform who wanted to meet, share their emotions, how they felt, and/or vent out about their emotions. We launched the Talk it out (vent out) Support Group, a weekly Support group, a Safe Space for individuals from all walks of the society to meet, express talk, share and vent out their emotions. This support group is a therapeutic and healing experience, particularly as participants meet and hear others’ experiences in the group which gives them a feeling that they’re being heard.
No of beneficiaries – 50 (weekly online live sessions)
VISIT MHP INITIATIVE PROJECT
Started in June, 2020, Visit MHP campaign started with realization of the fact that mental health talks need to be realized as soon as possible to reduce the stigma attached about Mental health and visiting a mental healthcare practitioners. The initiative aims to spread awareness about the importance of visiting a mental health practitioner even before reaching the stage of disorders.
Creating a Psychologist’s Momentum
Visit MHP introduced the Visit MHP Challenge, wherein the director of ICHARS Support Foundation, Nitin Shah made an awareness video about the benefits of visiting a mental healthcare practitioner wherein he himself took an oath that he would visit a mental health practitioner when he would find himself into a distress. Similarly he tagged 5 other practitioners to follow the chain. The tagged practitioners again tagged 5 other mental health practitioners to continue the chain.
Why wait for disorder
Creating a sustainable ecosystem where people from different walks of life understand the importance and benefits of consulting a mental health professional, who can act as facilitators that support these people in living happier, healthier, and a more fulfilling lives.
ACTIVITIES UNDER VISIT MHP INITIATIVE
1. Take a pledge to visit Mental Health Practitioners
Encouraging people to take a pledge that they are open to seeking support from a mental health practitioner when-ever they need help in achieving their outcome or resolving a challenge that they are experiencing for more than a few days.
2. Support group for Practitioners
Mental health practitioners themselves need support and mentorship so that they can continue to learn from their peers, develop advanced skills, and address any challenges they face. Our free support groups are created exactly to do the same.
No of beneficiaries – 50- 100 (weekly online live sessions)
3. Free Live sessions and webinars
The objective of these free sessions and webinars is to discuss the specific challenges and goals that different sets of people have and how consulting a mental health practitioner can help them overcome these challenges and achieve their goals.
No of beneficiaries – 50+ (weekly online live sessions)
4. Practitioners Directory
A directory of mental health practitioners with details about the location of practice, specialization, contact details made available so that people who wish to consult a practitioner can find the relevant details and connect to the right practitioner.