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Persona’24, the annual flagship event of Friends’ Corner, was a mix of counselling sessions, games and introspective activities for students to embrace their emotions and heal their inner self. 

 

On the occasion of World Mental Health Day On 10 October 2024,  Friends Corner , the Mental Health and Counselling Cell of Hindu College organised its flagship event, ‘Persona’ an interactive event involving workshops, therapy sessions and games to boost social and emotional healing. Persona’24 was also officially recognized by the World Federation for Mental Health as a part of their global campiagn. 

 

The event kickstarted with a speaker session by Kanchan Gaur, the founder of Samrasa Foundation, an NGO dedicated to providing mental health related assistance. Gaur, a counsellor, gave an enriching talk on the need to foster emotional resilience in the face of adversity which was followed by interactive activities to help participants tap into and express their emotions. 

 

The event was followed by a series of games initiated by Rahat NGO to enlighten participants about mental and emotional wellbeing. The life sized ludo and labyrinthique maze games captivated the participants and buoyed their knowledge about mental health issues and advocacy. Sakshi, a participant shared, 

 

This was a refreshing game, a distraction that helped relieve academic stresses. I learnt about OCD, its diagnosis and how we can support someone dealing with it. It is important to be empathetic to someone struggling with an emotional issue that’s been a taboo in society.”

 

Kritika Makkar and Aalijah Ali from Live Untangled conducted an art therapy session that involved art as a tool for healing and self care. Participants scribbled how they felt about their identity and shared with the group about their self perception without judgement and fear of ridicule. The session aimed to create a conducive environment to connect with and embrace one’s inner self. Tanya, a 3rd year student of Hindu College shared, 

 

I realised that on days when it feels burdensome to explain how I feel, I can vent my emotions on paper, create my own art that does not necessarily conform to standards of what is deemed ‘good’. I feel relieved.”

 

Lastly, Jyotsna Ramachandran, a dance therapy facilitator from Youth for Mental Health helped participants reduce stress and unlock their creative potential by engaging everyone in a freestyle dance session. Attendees re-enacted mundane tasks from their daily lives, following the beats of some calm yet upbeat music. Students shared that the familiar tasks felt unfamiliar being ‘performed’ in a relaxing environment. The session initiated a discussion on how the fast-paced nature of our daily lives has somehow left ‘stillness’ unfamiliar. 

People in large numbers made their way to the face painting and postcard stalls as well. Through Persona, Friends Corner aimed to nurture a community based on solidarity and inclusive empowerment and was a great success. 

 

Read Also : BECon’24: A Beacon Into the Future!

 

Featured Image Credits: Friends’ Corner

 

Chetna Rani

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