Friends of MHAT
Hello! FoMHAT or Friends of MHAT consists of a supportive group of volunteers whose goal is to help MHAT in its mission, that of providing free, comprehensive and community-based mental health care to the poorest of the poor, including the wandering homeless.
With over 150 members and growing, FoMHAT is supported by keen champions of MHAT’s mission, from various walks of life, cutting across generations.
These friends of MHAT meet, plan and actively engage in the various activities of MHAT guided by questions such as – where does MHAT need our help? How can we be of value? How can we make a difference? etc., The group also leverages its connections with members with influence to help remove stumbling blocks in the way of positive progress.
In addition, to task-focused meetings that occur on an ongoing basis between members of the project team, FoMHAT members also meet formally once every month to strategize and plan. An elected executive committee and a team of office-bearers play key leadership roles during and after this meeting. These include areas such as conceiving and executing targeted funding campaigns during festive seasons like Ramadan, Onam and Christmas etc., creating and running initiatives like Hands to Heal as well as publishing the MHAT newsletter titled “TIDINGS” that offers supporters a glimpse into MHATs key activities and achievements.
Another major role FoMHAT plays is the hosting of events. This is thanks to the enthusiasm of its student volunteers -exhibitions, flower shows as well as events to commemorate International Women’s Day, Yoga Day etc., were efficiently planned and enthusiastically executed. Significantly FoMHAT also conducts a bi-weekly event under the banner “Talaash” which introduces the audience to individuals who have excelled in various walks of life as well as creates a space for the audience to engage with them. And in each of these events, FoMHAT avails the opportunity to appraise the public about MHAT and its activities.
Do fill the below form and join us if you’d like to hear from us or be a part of FoMHAT.
We are Recovering
As humans, we all go through down phases in our lives. These can be on account of internal factors such as those arising from changes in our body and mind or external factors – such as pressures in our work or relationships. And when that happens, it can be comforting to share our experience with another – be it a friend or a loved one. But the nature of these experiences often makes it very difficult to express what one is exactly going through; this makes us feel very lonely.
This sensation of loneliness is unbearable when the “down” is prolonged, severe, or stem for mental health concerns, In each of these instances, we may require professional assistance in order to recognise, handle, and finally recover from our difficult situation. And, while professional assistance is invaluable, it cannot replace the need for a companion, a fellow traveller who “understands” what we are going through.
WAR, which stands for “We Are Recovering,” is a peer support group that was founded to be a companion and fellow traveller for those recovering from mental health issues. At WAR people who have had or are facing mental health difficulties come together to discuss their unique experiences in a non-judgmental stigma-free zone.
Meetings are generally held once a month, during which a facilitator assists participants in talking with one another about their experiences, difficulties, and concerns. As people recover from their conditions and learn skills to lead a more productive and meaningful life, the support group becomes an anchor for them.
Optimism and trust of participants increase as a result of these encounters, and people frequently experience a sense of liberation that comes with the understanding that they are not alone.
Participants also recognise that they are uniquely qualified to provide advice and troubleshoot problems of each other as a result of their shared life experiences. After all, who else is better to provide encouragement and hope than someone who has been there?
If you are interested in connecting, reach out to us
Talaash serves two powerful purposes by in the larger framework of mental health, which MHAT represents: 1. Eroding hardened notions of stigma against mental health, in the minds of people, and 2. because some of the guests and many of the audiences are either patients, caregivers, or somewhere on the road to recovery from mental illness, it serves to offer them a informal, comforting non-clinical space to experience connection and freedom.
So, reach out to us, if you’d like to be a part of Talaash in any way. And do also mention a note of how you’d like to be a part. And do not forget to check out our events page to learn about the next Talaash event.
Talaash
Hello Talaash, which translates to “Search” in Hindi, is a fortnightly edutainment event by MHAT. Each event is planned and organized by a group of young people under the supervision of MHAT.
These youngsters, as the name Talaash, connotes, are “searching” for new methods to cooperate, co-create and offer, meaningful, insightful and celebratory experiences within the wider context of mental health.
The events take place on alternate Tuesdays and feature expert presentations, celebrity events, and performances. Depending on the circumstances, they are held online or on-site.
Talaash differs from MHAT’s regular initiatives in that it is more casual and attempts to engage a larger audience by providing experiences of insight and enjoyment.
The guests who grace Talaash are not always from the sphere of mental health – they can be from pretty much any walk of life. So far Talaash has featured, acclaimed experts from the fields of cinema, social work, theatre, dance and magic to name a few. One of the key features of the program is a window of time reserved for chatting with the guest.