by Brother Jittin Mathew and Meena Kini
MUMBAI, OCT 11, 2018: Thirty-eight boys from Bosco Boys Home participated in an educative programme centered around mental health on World Mental Health Day on October 10.
The theme of the programme was ‘Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World’. It was organised to spread awareness about the importance of maintaining mental and physical fitness.
Meena Kini, psychologist and counsellor for the boys conducted the session with the help of creative videos on mental health. She first explained what mental health entails, and how it is reflected in one’s daily life. She also highlighted the symptoms, treatment, and interventions in connection with the issue.
Eustace Fernandes, the educational in-charge for the boys, shared with them the example of actress Deepika Padukone, who has spoken about her mental health issues and the depression she faced, on various social media platforms. He emphasised that mental illness can affect any person irrespective of age, gender, economic, and social status.
Kini then conducted a meditative relaxation exercise for the boys. After the relaxation exercise, the boys were asked to draw or write about their experience during the session. Several boys stated they felt very relaxed.
“I felt like I was in a garden, and so I later drew one. I felt like the bright flowers grazing the sun and absorbing sun rays. I felt like some kind of positive energy flowing through me,” Nizam Sheik, one of the participants, said.
“Holding such sessions frequently would be beneficial to the emotional stability of the boys. It will definitely help the boys to maintain their health and hygiene because we all know health is wealth and only when we take care of our self will we be able to take care of others,” Eula D’sa, a volunteer, said.
MUMBAI, OCT 11, 2018: Thirty-eight boys from Bosco Boys Home participated in an educative programme centered around mental health on World Mental Health Day on October 10.The theme of the programme was ‘Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World’. It was organised to spread awareness about the importance of maintaining mental and physical fitness.
Meena Kini, psychologist and counsellor for the boys conducted the session with the help of creative videos on mental health. She first explained what mental health entails, and how it is reflected in one’s daily life. She also highlighted the symptoms, treatment, and interventions in connection with the issue.
Eustace Fernandes, the educational in-charge for the boys, shared with them the example of actress Deepika Padukone, who has spoken about her mental health issues and the depression she faced, on various social media platforms. He emphasised that mental illness can affect any person irrespective of age, gender, economic, and social status.
Kini then conducted a meditative relaxation exercise for the boys. After the relaxation exercise, the boys were asked to draw or write about their experience during the session. Several boys stated they felt very relaxed.
“I felt like I was in a garden, and so I later drew one. I felt like the bright flowers grazing the sun and absorbing sun rays. I felt like some kind of positive energy flowing through me,” Nizam Sheik, one of the participants, said.
“Holding such sessions frequently would be beneficial to the emotional stability of the boys. It will definitely help the boys to maintain their health and hygiene because we all know health is wealth and only when we take care of our self will we be able to take care of others,” Eula D’sa, a volunteer, said.