Mental Health Day observed

LAHORE : Alhamra and The Little Art marked World Mental Health Day here on Saturday.

To observe the day, The Lahore Arts Council, The Little Art and Punjab Institute of Mental Health observed the day through a permanent exhibition on the works of children’s art from all over Pakistan.

A ceremony was also held at the institute in which Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid was the chief.

Dr Yasmin Rashid along with renowned poet, writer and intellectual Amjad Islam Amjad and Muhammad Ashraf, Executive Director of the Punjab Institute of Mental Health, presented shields to Executive Director Lahore Arts Council, Saman Rai, and CEO Little Art Shoaib in recognition of their support and services.

The minister appreciated the efforts of Lahore Arts Council, saying Alhamra is playing a vital role for people’s mental wellbeing. She apprised the Little Art to organise permanent exhibition in collaboration with the institute. Art and music help in mental therapy, reduce anxiety, stress and lead to increased self–esteem, she added.

Executive Director, PIMH, Dr Muhammad Ashraf said, “We welcome the good initiative of Alhamra Arts Council and The Little Art, together we can reduce the growing mental illness in society.”

CEO little Art, Shoaib Ahmed, said, “We are working hard to improve the mental health of human beings, especially in view of the mental health of the younger generation through different healthy activities. The Little Art is working on issues whose effects directly beautify society.”

Executive Director Lahore Arts Council Saman Rai said, “Working to improve a person’s mental state is my most important goal because the health of the human brain is an important part of my education and training.”

Rai said, “Considering the mental health of people, I decided to organise the 16th Young Artists Exhibition online at Alhamra. As Alhamra announced the exhibition, it raised the spirit to do something exited in youth, who was drowning in despair and depression and it was all what the council actually wants.”

Information Officer Alhamra Samreen Bukhari said to improve the mental health of the younger generation Alhamra is organising different events of painting, dancing, music and other fields of fine arts to keep the youth engaged in the best mental activities.

webinar: Punjab University Institute of Applied Psychology (IAP) has conducted a series of webinar to mark the World Mental Health Day.

The theme of the webinar series was “Sharing Advent of New Spectrums of Positivity and Kindness”. The webinar series which continued from October 6 to 9 had separate morning and evening sessions. IAP Director Dr Rafia Rafique welcomed the speakers across the globe who joined these webinar series.

Some of the well-known speakers including Dr Fatima Kamran, Assistant Professor Institute of Applied Psychology, Dr Afsheen Masood, Assistant Professor Institute of Applied Psychology, Dr Tanveer Nasar, clinical psychologist Dr Rabia Mushtaq, Assistant Professor Iqra university, Dr Farah Abbasi, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Michigan State University, USA, Dr Mujeeba Ashraf, Assistant Professor, IAP, Dr Afifa Anjum, assistant Professor IAP, Dr Iram Zehra Bokharey, Chief Clinical Psychologist, Mayo Hospital, Prof Dr Uzma Ali, Director Institute of Clinical Psychology, University of Karachi, Dr Sobia Aftab, Associate Professor ICP, and Prof Dr Nashi Khan, chartered clinical psychologist, UK.

The focus of their discussion during these webinar series was positive perspective of mental health, healthy coping strategies and ways to cope with stressors.

The webinar series was concluded with an interactive session of panel discussion focusing on the wide spectrums of positivity and kindness.

The panel comprised psychologists which included Prof Dr Najma Najam, Professor Emeritus, Institute of Applied Psychology, Prof Dr Rukhsana Kausar, Vice Chancellor, Government College for Women University, Sialkot, Dr Mohsina Najeeb, ex-chief Clinical Psychologist, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Prof Dr Naumana Amjad, Dean Humanities and Social Sciences, NIU, Lahore, Prof Dr Salma Hassan, Chairperson Department of Psychology, GC University, Lahore, Dr Amjad Tufail, Associate Professor, Government Islamia College, Lahore and Dr Amina Muazzam, Tenured Associate Professor, Department of Applied Psychology, LCWU, Lahore. The panelists enlightened the participants on the diverse aspects of positivity and kindness in psychology and shared ways to improve physical and psychological well-being. All sessions were live streamed through IAP Facebook and attended by hundreds of participants and professionals from all around the world. PU VC Prof Niaz Ahmed has appreciated IAP Director Dr Rafia Rafiq for taking the initiative of establishing mental health helpline in order to take care of mental health of people at large.