1 day Ago
1 2 Once a month, Karvenagar resident Bhagyashree Vithhal Navaskar sits with a few other women and talks about things that stress her out, or those that make her happy and sad. "Everyone must learn to take care of their mental health and feel happy from within," said Navaskar, a house help for the last 30 years. She and a few other women, who are domestic helps at homes in and around Karvenagar — and inhabit various slum pockets here — have for the last two years attended mental health sessions organised by clinical psychologist Dr Mridula Apte, director of the city-based Vidula Psychological Consultancy .
The team arranging for this ‘buddy system' also includes psychologists Purva Joshi and Vaishnavi Kulkarni. When it began in 2023, around 20-25 women attended sessions engaging in various activities — over time, at least 12 of them stuck around and now, eagerly await meetups. "There is so much we get to learn here.
I always go back feeling glad, like I can do more in life," Navaskar told TOI, adding, "I never knew that I could help those around me as I didn't know how to recognise signs that they were grieving or had feelings of repressed anger. The mental health awareness sessions have not only helped me, but also those around me." Apte, who started this ‘buddy system', realised during a conversation with her house help that there was a great deal of misinformation about mental health, women's issues and financial independence in this community.
"We showed them small videos about mental health awareness and debunked myths. Along the way, they developed a camaraderie. Soon, they used this group as a safe space to talk about their problems, too.
We have invited a gynaecologist, lawyer and CA to address topics, but the main focus has always been mental health," Apte told TOI. She said, "A bond has developed among regular attendees. You can see that they like the sessions as they listen intently and ask questions.
They are now able to discuss problems without judgement — and that is a win for us all." Apte said she wishes to build a community revolving around mental well-being. The attendees said they have become life-long friends.
A house help for 18 years, Jyoti Mandhare said she looks forward to these sessions as a chance to unwind amid her otherwise hectic schedule. Mandhare said, "We have a lot of fun, while also learning. There are many families around me that I know would benefit from such sessions.
Not all can attend. So, I take back what I learn. It has become easier to understand why certain people behave in a particular way and how I can help protect my mental health while dealing with the issues.
" She added, "Having each other to rely on in this group is a great stressbuster and comfort. We become like children at these sessions, having fun and learning new things. I am extremely grateful.
" Other participants also said they take learnings back to their localities to spread awareness. Apte and her team have started running health and awareness camps in slums where the women reside, too. "Many of the women who work as house helps are sole breadwinners for their families; their home environment may not always be conducive to mental health.
I wanted to give them the tools to fight this and ensure their well-being wins over all else," said Kulkarni, who runs the sessions with Apte. She explained, "We make them play games and show them films that help them grasp the subject of mental health better. These women are resilient and have endured a lot in their life.
The workshops act as a way for them to deal with their issues and then help others, including women and children, in the slums where they live.".
