Health Collective Talks: The Anna Chandy Interview
Why has this year been so disappointing when it comes to the dialogue around Mental Health in India? And what are some of the most common myths that we need to be done with as we move into 2021? I put these questions and more to Social Psychologist and Founder, Anna Chandy & Associates, Anna Chandy, who shares some real talk on the state of play, as well as some of the lessons she’s learned during this Covid-19 crisis year… including the importance of generosity!
We have a wide-ranging conversation — from lauding the courage shown by Deepika Padukone to speak so openly about her own journey with Depression a few years ago, to a project training lay counsellors and why Chandy thinks this is going to be the game-changer for India. Highlighting the importance of a unique Indian model, Chandy has also shared more with us on her new free counselling handbook, Svasthā, which is available for download on Chandy’s site here.
The Counselling Handbook by Anna Chandy aims to act as a support-guide for practicing counsellors, lay counsellors who plan to work towards building a healthy community, as well as for those planning on a career in counselling.
My team and I have specifically curated this guide for the Indian context using the backdrop of Indian philosophy and the Family System that exists here. Besides important information on mental disorders and the role of counselling, aspects such as ethics, supervision, personal therapy, and self-care for mental health practitioners, which are critically important, have been emphasized. We have endeavoured to include all my learnings spanning over two decades of work as a counsellor.
Svasthā, The Counselling Handbook
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