Think Tank: Staff-Student Study Circle
Session Summary by Ms. Shannon Patricia
Topic: Therapeutic Strategies and interventions to support the mental, emotional and social well-being of students in the Tertiary Education Space.
The session began with an introduction by the event managers Ms. Aarthi and Ms. Venkata Vishnupriya.
Dr. Rufus delivered the welcome address as he introduced the topic for the day’s discussion.
The session began with a brief monologue on cultivating an essence of purpose in college life by Mr. Jim Isaac. He highlighted the importance of empathy and the essence of human touch in “showing up for someone when they need you”.
This was followed by a performance from the students of II MA English (Aided).
Ms. Jothika quickly pitched in to underline the essence of humaneness and purpose in life. She quoted Sartre when she said “Existence precedes essence”. She also suggested that it would be immensely helpful for the students if they are to be provided with a workshop to identify their purpose.
The ensuing part of the session witnessed a talk on Music as Therapy by Mr. Rudolph Godson and Mrs. Sandhra Godson. Mr. Godson enlightened us with the therapeutic essence of music. He voiced his passion “to rewire the brain with music therapy”. “We try to treat people with music” he added.
He also helped us understand the essence of it by demonstrating the quintessence of a sliding whistle.
Meanwhile he also cited a recent article which discussed the role of Beethoven’s music in healing cancer cells.
Dr. Nirmal pitched in to pose a question as he asked whether it is limited to instruments and playlists. To which Mr. Godson responded with a plethora of examples of instruments which are used.
Mrs. Sandhra highlighted the significance of xylophones in enhancing motor skills in children with special needs and also added on the therapeutic value of music women who are undergoing labour.
Furthermore the session witnessed a brief nugget of thought from Ms. Sethu Parvathy (I MA Pub Admin) who underlined the factors of consistency and encouragement that boosted her journey as a blogger. “Starting something always gets you to heights” said she.
Ms. Safa Salsabeel (II MA English) added that many would often experience the urge to express themselves but the fear of being judged curtails them.
Ms. Harshini (III BA Pol Science) highlighted the significance of self-realisation which fuels the need to seek support. She also sided with the former as she highlighted the stigma surrounding counselling services. She advocated for an integrated approach where digital platforms are harmonised with offline resources. Anonymous google forms was a welcome suggestion in this regard. She also advocated for a mental health hour which promotes meditation and journaling while suggesting a webinar/ workshop on the same.
“The solution is accessible and evolving. Let’s normalise seeking it” she said. However, her views on the therapeutic nature of Video games stirred waves of opinion.
Ms. Kadambari (II BSc Maths) posed a serious question on the reliability of Artificial Intelligence. She urged us that we should be mindful of the limitations that it entails. “Mental health is very personal” she said. So volunteers can be preferred over AI. Human beings are social organisms and we need human intervention which brings us to the art of listening - the most coveted skill.
“Sharing is the first step to solve mental health problems” she added.
Ms. Ann Mariah also touched upon the fear of judgment. She insisted that people aren’t fully equipped to listen as she advocated for the skill to be necessarily acquired.
Mr. Jim Isaac (III BA Pol Science) advocated that confiding in a human creates a sense of companionship as they share a relatable experience. He also stressed that it is important to be there for someone.
Ms. Thejashree (II BSc Psychology) highlighted the need for crediting ‘mental issues’ as a problem as she went on to question the reliability of AI.
Mr. Al Thameez (II MA Pol Science) provided us with the ethical discrepancies in using AI as it can never take the place of counsellors.
Ms. Prisella (III BBA) advocated that resorting to seek support from AI can be related to that of a ‘sinking ship’.
Mr. Rishidh Prasanna (II BCom) focussed on the essence of video games as an art form. He insinuated that video games do offer exposure to society.
Mr. Godson was quick to advocate that relying on AI solely isn’t advisable. He also sided with the idea of an anonymous link to serve as a platform for people to express their thoughts.
Meanwhile Professor Sujitha pitched in with a movie suggestion which highlights the detrimental effects of over-reliance on AI.
Dr. Nirmal suggested a book which served to be relevant to the topic of discussion.
Dr. Nirmal began by citing the founder of ChatGPT as he went on to decode the phenomenon of stress. He added that Stress isn’t a bad thing. He said that it helps us to grow and focus on areas which require development. He advocated that peer networking is the best way to tackle stress.
Ms. Shreemathi introduced us to the avenue of Mental toughness training. She advocated for TED Talks which prove to be a valuable addition to the sources that aid in battling stress. She also highlighted the importance of acknowledging both the sides of the coin. Furthermore she pointed that one cannot simply restrict the limits of digital medium to AI.
Ms. Rajshri also highlighted the need to foster listening skills in people.
Ms. Thejashree pitched in to advise people to refrain from self-diagnosis and be mindful of the terms that are used to identify a state of mind.
The session then witnessed a series of performances.
Mr. Harish and Ms. Nivedhaa were the first ones to put their foot forward.
This was followed by an enthralling session from Dr. Meera Rajeev.
She managed to combine performance with perceptions as she elegantly demonstrated the quintessence of dance as an art form. She highlighted that life is beautiful and we must learn to enjoy it. Thereby empowering us not to delve too deep into the aspects of stress. She also presented that any art form fosters consistency and discipline in the practitioner. “Art is a sort of penance” said she.
This was followed by a performance from Ms. Ann Mariah and Ms. Terese Maria Broosily.
Prof. Sujitha presented us with the roots of Dance Movement Therapy as she advocated for a workshop on the same. “Not everyone is good in expressing themselves verbally so dance works for them” said she.
Mr. Koshy Varghese (III BA Economics) presented an overview of his ideation on ‘Consulting Club’.
He cited Sriram College, Delhi to have housed the best Consulting club in India. He proposed that the club fosters skills in the students which can serve as a pathway for them to secure a place in a company.
Ms. Eine Elizabeth George presented the necessity to think differently which should be combined with the willingness to challenge the norms. “Don’t shy away from the uncomfortable truth” said she. She also added that the key is the mindset. “Impact is not a destination but a journey” she said as she emphasised the significance of a transformative journey.
Finally, Ms. Ascentana enlightened us with her performance. She affirmed and appreciated the nature of music as a medium to express oneself.
The session concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Ms. Swarna Llekha.
Session Summary by Ms. Shannon Patricia
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