Indian Mental Health Organisations’ Innovative Approaches To Therapy

Every day, thousands pen their thoughts down in the form of poetry, feelings are expressed through vibrant strokes of yellow and sometimes blotches of blue, high notes are hit to get past the low points and hundreds of people lose themselves in swaying to deafening beats of music only to get away from the storm within. Creative outlets have been a way to express ones feeling for time immemorial and now, Indian Mental Health professionals are taking note of this and structuring multi-modal programmes using music, dance, art, writing and other such creative forms of expression.

Therapy is a very personal experience – there is no ‘one size fits all’ system. What works for you need not work for everyone, but don’t give up if it doesn’t. While some prefer a closed door session with a mental health professional, what may be better for another person is writing a song. Homegrown has curated a list of five such organisations that have ventured into the world of alternative therapy.

I. Beyond Issues

Beyond Issues is a support community that is built on the idea that no problem is too small or insignificant. The organisation aims to provide a safe space and a judgement-free platform where people came come forth and share their problems or whatever it is that is bothering them. Beyond Issues holds meetups and organises events ranging from open discussions to closed group talks. What setys Beyond Issues apart is their approach towards therapy. Their sessions and events involve the use of poetry, visual arts, music, comedy and dance, as they believe that any form of art helps one express better.

Beyond Issues with its team of mental health professionals — psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors, therapists, wellness experts, and young psychology students — caters to various age groups across Mumbai. The organisation also customises workshops for schools, colleges, corporates and other organisations, while keeping in mind the respective groups of people’s needs.

Visit the organisation’s Facebook page for more information.

II. Praanah

Established in 2009, this Mumbai based organisation is a platforms for individuals that aims to facilitates therapeutic release. Centered around the up and coming field of Expressive Art Therapy, Praanah adopts a multi-modal approach to help people “access information that is stored within the body,” thereby, allowing them to develop and work on verbal and non-verbal cues . “We use the body, breath and voice as a tool of expression, along with incorporating art and crafts, props, clay, figurines, musical instruments and various other objects to facilitate a relationship between the client and themselves and the therapist and/or the group,” reads the organisation’s official website. All sessions and workshops are customised to best suit the clients’ needs.

Bhaktiveda Dhaul, founder of Praanah, has contributed extensively with children with cognitive disabilities, as well as, with groups of women, corporate institutions and underprivileged communities.

Visit Praanah’s website for more information.

III. Tatva

Among a handful of international residential psychotherapy and recovery centers in the world that are managed by mental health professional is Tatva, located in Corjuem, Goa. Tatva perceives the individual as a whole being, focusing on their emotional awareness and wellness. Their work is distinct for they adopt a multi-disciplinary approach that encompasses psychotherapy with a variety of self-exploratory endeavours through art, didactic lectures, first-hand experiences of nature and travel therapy involving cultural immersion.

“At Tatva there is an intersection of emotional well-being with cultural immersion. Creative people usually have various methods of expression. Art forms the basis of our therapy. Moreover, since we welcome people from different backgrounds this enables an exchange of ideas and creative thoughts. It can help people connect and express themselves better,” says Kripi Malviya, one of the founders of Tatva. A psychologist, experiential psychotherapist and mental health advocate, Malviya set up Tatva with David Stanton who has a thirty-year long career in the space that has provided him with the expert skills to take on the roles of psychotherapist, supervisor, consultant, among others. Tatva’s Therapeutic Residency for Multidisciplinary Artists is an initiative aimed at empowering creatives by helping them connect with their feelings and express themselves through creative genres of their choice. The residency program is a balanced mix of psychotherapy, collaborative creation of art, group sessions and events promoting peer support.

Visit Tatva’s website for more information.

IV. Smart Move

The Studio for Movement Arts & Therapies Trust or Smart Moved is based out of Bangalore and offers “creatively alive spaces & practices to nurture & catalyse self inquiry, expression & integration for individuals & communities.” “The Studio for Movement Arts & Therapies Trust was created to meet the increasing demands from the NGO & educational sector for high quality programs using the various art therapies for the greater empowerment of the individual,” reads Smart Move’s official website. Smart Move was founded by Brinda Jacob-Janvrin in 2011. Janvrin is a contemporary dancer and choreographer, who has been performing for over 25 years. She has been working with movement therapy for close to 15 years and is a certified counsellor. She is trained in multiple movement disciplines including contemporary dance, Authentic Movement, Ashtanga yoga, Kalaripayattu, Bharatanatayam, Kathak, Hatha and Vinaysa Flow yoga, Physical theatre, and Contact Improvisation. “While movement and the body is her primary modality, she also engages with techniques from visual art therapy, drama therapy, sandplay and psychodrama,” reads the website.

FECAT or Foundation Course in Expressive and Creative Arts is one of the trusts main endeavours that aims to fulfil India’s need for trained expressive and creative art therapists. FECAT is Janvrin’s brainchild and trains “participants to use different art media in therapeutic relationships with children, adolescents & adults in different settings.”

Visit their website to know more about FECAT and Smart Move’s other ventures.

V. Soul Therapy

Built on the idea of holistic approach towards therapy, Soul Therapy combines creative arts, the healing power of nature and various psychological disciplines in order to strike a balance between one’s physical, mental and the emotional well being. Soul Therapy aims to create a safe space for its participants and subsequently do away with the stigma attached to mental health through counselling, Expressive Arts Therapy and Travel Therapy. “When you can’t communicate verbally how you feel, what do you do? Expressive arts therapy is that expression of self without really speaking. It uses the language of self, the language of dance, music, colour and ink. A common misconception about Expressive Arts is relating it to skill and aesthetics. You don’t have to be a dancer, an artist, a musician or a writer to experience what the expressive arts have to offer. However, through this experience, you can be all of the above at the same time,” explains Asees Chadha, founder of Soul Therapy. Chadha is a dancer, writer, and a CID-UNESCO certified Art Therapist.

Chadha goes on to talk about Travel Therapy — a lesser explored form of therapy in India. “Travel Therapy involves the active removal of an individual from a stressful environment , and transports them to a therapeutic location for self-awareness, integration and well-being with the assistance of a therapist. The purpose of travel therapy is to create distance between the triggers of stress and the participant to provide a fresh perspective. It is built on the tenets of Environmental Psychology and Alternative Therapies.It gives you the opportunity not only to connect with a psychologist outside your regular routine life but also travel with them. It gives you much needed ‘Me Time’, reduces inhibitions and helps to break away from the different roles we play in society,” said Chaddha. Soul Therapy works towards identifying the best destinations that can provide an ideal holistic experience. Soul Therapy’s most recent Travel Therapy trip was to Havelock Island, which is located in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Visit their Facebook page to keep a tab on their Travel Therapy Trips and other ventures.

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