The holistic mental health solutions startup is a partnership between experienced psychologist Shabana Azam and well-known theatre personality Nisha Luthra, who has also been working in the field of art-based mental health coaching

Will provide holistic therapies for mental health challenges through the confluence of science and art

‘मन का हो तो अच्छा, ना हो तो और भी अच्छा’ (‘Mann ka ho tto achcha, na ho tto aur bhi achcha’) is a beautiful line from one of celebrated poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s poems. The essence of its meaning is thus: यदि हमारे मन का हो रहा है तो वह बहुत अच्छा है क्योंकि वह तब तो हमें अच्छा ही लगेगा । लेकिन यदि वह हमारे मन का नहीं हो रहा है तो और भी अच्छा है क्योंकि उसमें ईश्वर ने हमारी कुछ ना कुछ भलाई सोच रखी होगी । (If things happen as per your wishes, that’s good. But if they don’t, that’s even better, because in that case these are happening according to some divine force. That divine force will never think ill about you. So, you need to respect that as being better.”

We cannot always have our way. There are bound to be ups and downs, twists and turns in this roller coaster ride that is life. The faster we accept this reality of life, the easier it will be for us to navigate through its complexities and maintain physical and mental equilibrium.

But the modern-day lifestyles aggressively pursued by ever-increasing mass of people are leading to a surge in mental health challenges that are manifesting as anxiety, depression, and even suicidal tendencies.

To professionally engage with the people struggling to live through such challenges in a holistic manner, two ladies, one an experienced psychologist and the other a well-known theatre personality who has also been working in the field of art-based mental health coaching, have joined hands to launch ENSO – The Home for Therapy & Counselling in the busy Sector 8-B inner market in Chandigarh.

Sharing details about the purpose and mission of ENSO, Shabana Azam, who has been providing mental health services to various clinics, hospitals, educational and other institutions, NGOs, etc. under the name Hidayat; and Nisha Luthra, founder and director of The Narrators Performing Arts Society, told your own news portal LifeInChandigarh.com that the startup aims to provide a safe, inclusive space for individuals to discuss their struggles and access holistic therapeutic interventions without the use of medicines.

Their holistic approach integrates science with art forms, psychological therapies like psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psycho-dynamic therapy and talk therapy with creative modalities like music therapy, art therapy, theatre & drama therapy, movement & breath therapy, affirmations, manifestations, and more.

Professional help

Emphasising that mental health challenges are growing in populations worldwide, Shabana and Nisha advised that professional help should be sought immediately after initial symptoms start emerging in an individual. Ignoring these symptoms can lead to severe conditions that can be life-disrupting, in which case pharmacological intervention becomes necessary, they added.

Nisha opined that seeking professional help to overcome these challenges and enjoy life to its fullest is a sign of strength and courage, rather than weakness, as is generally perceived by affected individuals.

Talking about symptoms to look out for, especially among the children and the young, the two ladies emphasised that behavioral changes among children in their teens are natural because of normal biological changes happening, but parents and teachers need to be vigilant to the unusual direction in which these changes may be headed.

Symptoms of mental health challenges

Among the symptoms can be individuals keeping to themselves and not communicating with friends and others or not having friends at all; aversion to entertaining guests in the house and perceiving them as intrusion in their personal space; enveloping themselves in the darkness of their rooms, and many more, they shared.

About the process of identifying the mental health issue and choosing a therapy thereafter, Shabana said every individual has a different personality, and the approach accordingly is different in every case, which is decided after thorough psychometric and personality testing. The process begins with rapport building with an individual to win his/her trust, she added.

Contributing factors

Among the contributing factors to mental health challenges, Shabana and Nisha pointed out societal shifts, including the disintegration of joint families and the widening generational gap, increased financial independence, and all-pervasive influence of social media.

The challenges of pressure to excel, conform to societal expectations, and seek validation on social media manifest as anxiety, depression, and even suicidal tendencies, especially in the youth, they said.

Emphasising the detrimental effects of excessive screen time on young minds, they said from social anxiety and sleep disorders to reduced attention spans and emotional immaturity, the psychological impact on individuals is profound.

The virtual world is replacing real-life experiences, leading to isolation, loss of direction in life and chronic feelings of emptiness, they further said.

Impressionistic minds unable to process the flood of information are increasingly getting confused and indecisive. Their energies, instead of being focussed on productive pursuits and goals, are getting scattered. Life for them is not getting faster, rather slowing down, the two ladies observed.

Take a break, collect your thoughts: In the given scenario, they said there is a need for individuals to every now and then take time out and pause their routines, whether studying, working, or indulging in any other activity, to closely reconnect with themselves and their thoughts and reinvest in themselves.

Confluence of science and art

Emphasising the importance of the confluence of science and various art forms in their counselling and therapies, Nisha Luthra asserted that art in all its variations has the power to capture thoughts and bring them to focus. A human being is a bundle of emotions, and art provides expression to a variety of emotions through various beautiful ways. It also provides a platform for healthy exchange of energies between individuals, which by itself is therapeutic, she further said.

ENSO also has programmes for loneliness and other mental health challenges of senior citizens, marriage and relationship conflicts, home makers, expectant and postpartum mothers, corporate professionals, educational and other institutions, health service providers, security forces personnel, and more.

Apart from running ENSO counselling and therapy clinic, the startup plans to conduct workshops in schools, colleges, corporates, police organisations, etc to promote mental health awareness. It is also gearing up to provide stress management and life skills training to young adults.