Samagra organized the first ongoing formation talk for all the counselors of BJES

Samagra organized the first ongoing formation talk for all the counselors of BJES, on 9th of September 2022. The resource person was MsMalvika, an RCI registered clinician, trained from the Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi. She addressed the audience on addressing student mental health issues from a clinician’s perspective.

Her presentation emphasized on the mental health care approach in educational institutions, where the faculty takes the lead and initiates student support. Faculty need to be trained as gate keepers for mental health in order to identify signs of distress at the earliest, and initiate prompt action to problem behavior. She also talked about the WHO recommended paths to transformation for student mental health services, and mentioned that awareness, acknowledgment and alternatives are key to addressing mental health among students.

This session gave a lot of insight about practical ways to handle problem behavior. Suggestions on helping students calm down using grounding techniques, relaxation and breathing techniques, and skills training for self-help. Enabling conversations around mental health and creating advocacy groups can be impactful while dealing with stigma related to mental health. Psycho-education should happen not just for students but all stakeholders. Peer support groups, and platforms to share experiences will promote a positive approach towards mental health. Training teachers to bring behavior to tolerable levels by engaging in simple mindfulness or grounding exercises will benefit the entire system.

The session threw light on changes to look out for in common mental health concerns, and effective ways to respond to the same. The speaker encouraged all present to collaborate, connect and care. She also emphasized on self-care for those in the helping professions. The session ended with a Q & A sessions where counsellors had queries about handling specific cases for counseling. It was reported to be a useful session with relevant practical tips for counselors working in educational settings.