To all of you who have been reading what we share, and to those who have stumbled upon our website more recently – World Mental Health Week is here!
We’ve always been excited about this week… more so because we hold mental health very close to our hearts. So over 2011 and 2012, we have been posting something special for all of you throughout this week..and the tradition continues this year as well.
Before we share what we are up to for Mental Health Week 2013, we want to ask you – what does mental health mean to you?
Do you see yourself consciously making attempts to nurture and maintain your psychological health? When we ask you this, we don’t just mean ‘knowing about’ the importance of mental health. We mean doing – taking steps to work towards your psychological well being.
Take some time out as you read this to think about this question, just for yourself. You are reasonably aware of yourself. You know your strengths, vulnerabilities, trigger points, anxieties… you also are aware at the back of your mind whether you are stressed, if you need to work on some aspect of yourself, even if it is just a small habit you want to change. Do you consciously give importance to your emotional health?
Probably you will find that you ‘know’ but you also ignore or neglect yourself when it comes to consciously paying attention and taking care. (Psychologists are not very different either. Just that the nature of our work makes it easier for us to be mindful of ourselves).
Most of us know that we need to pause and watch what’s going on inside, but we push and postpone until it becomes a real problem for us. ‘I have so many other things to do. If I stop to look within, how am I to know what would emerge?’ Or maybe, ‘I’m getting along fine, maybe this is just a phase.’ ‘Maybe it will go away on its own.’ How? How would something go away, or get healed if we do not look into it? It would get brushed away or suppressed for now and build into something bigger later, but it surely won’t go.
The only healthy option that we have is, to intentionally be in touch with ourselves, to have some compassion and strength to look within, to heal whatever is to be healed and to ‘grow up consciously’. Take whatever route you wish for this journey, just ensure that it is good for you. You needn’t go too fast, but just see to it that you keep moving.
In short..
“To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work” – Mary Oliver
In the same spirit, this year we are participating in the Mental Health Awareness Weekend organized by The Thought Company and held at Carter road, Bandra, on the 12th and 13th of this month. We’re working hard for it and yes, we’re excited! On the 12th and 13th, we’d be there to talk to you and address questions you may have about the ‘how’ of mental health. On Sunday the 13th, our head psychologist Sadia is holding a one hour talk on “Coping with Anxiety: Chaos to Calm”. Also, on both days, we would share important aspects of day to day mental health through posters, activities and interaction. ‘Cause mental health is not just 45 minutes in the counseling room, mental health is each day of life, and every moment of each day! 🙂
We look forward to seeing you there! And for those of you who won’t make it, starting tomorrow, we will put up certain things right here that we would share on these two dates. Do read it, and any thoughts and suggestions from your end for this awareness initiative are more than welcome! Leave a Comment.
Have a happy, mindful week 🙂
Image Credit: B4bees
About the Author: Malini Krishnan was a part of the team of psychologists at Inner Space – A center for counseling and psychological assessment. Sadia Raval is the Founder & Chief Psychologist. You can know more about her here.
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