Introduction:

On October 10, 2023, World Mental Health Day was celebrated at Alliance University by the psychology division of the Alliance School of Liberal Arts. This day is an opportunity for people and communities to unite behind the theme ‘Mental health is a universal human right” to improve knowledge, raise awareness, and drive actions that promote and protect everyone’s mental health as a universal human right. The event started enthusiastically with the invocation and lighting of the lamp by the guests of honor, Dr. Nivedita Mishra, Registrar, Alliance University, and Dr. Liju J. Kuriakose, Assistant Dean, Alliance School of Liberal Arts.

Making Mental Health Services More Accessible: Dr. Jini K. Gopinath’s Expert Talk:

Dr. Jini K. Gopinath, Chief Psychology Officer, YourDOST, Bengaluru, was invited to the expert talk on the topic "Mental Health Services: Availability and Accessibility for Youth", who has expertise in psychological assessment, psychotherapy techniques, corporate employee wellness, and performance coaching. YourDOST.com is a platform that allows you to connect with experts to discuss issues related to your personal, professional, and academic lives. The professionally trained counselors help you cope with work stress and relationship issues, enhance your self-image, and support you in your quest for self-improvement.

A wealth of expertise and contribution to the cause:

Dr. Jini has worked in different fields related to mental health, wellness, and education in the past 20 years. He has worked in universities teaching psychology to undergraduate and postgraduate students, headed the Clinical Operations for Corporate Wellness at Optum International (UHG), and ran a mental health start-up called Mind Matters in Bangalore.

Prof. Ritika Behl brings a unique legal perspective to approaching mental health:

Prof. Ritika Behl, Assistant Professor, Alliance School of Law, gave her expertise on the legal aspects of mental health. She has successfully completed the certification course ‘Not Just the Blues: Perinatal Depression and Anxiety’ from the University of British Columbia, Canada. Prof. Ritika Behl comes with a decade-long experience teaching undergraduate and postgraduate law students. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D., and her doctoral research is related to reproductive mental health and women's rights.

Q&A session with the experts:

After the expert talks, there was a Q&A session held for the students to ask questions and seek guidance from the mental health professionals. On the theme of mental health, the students at Alliance University participated in the poster-making and slogan-writing competition. There was a prize distribution for the winners. The morning session was concluded with a vote of thanks.

Conclusion:

In the afternoon session, the students gracefully participated in a flash mob, followed by a musical performance and a street play. There were assessment stalls set up for the students, faculty, and staff on love language, emotional intelligence, and smartphone addiction. The event ended with two refreshing DIY sessions on origami and painting for the students.