What is Mental Health?
According to the World Health Organization, mental health is a state of well-being which allows us to realize our full potential, work productively, cope with our stresses, have meaningful relationships and contribute to our community. Our psychological wellbeing is crucial at every stage in our life from our childhood, to adolescence, all the way until adulthood and old age. There also seems to be a strong connection between our mind and body. This means that as our psychological well-being becomes affected by the challenges we face, so does our health, and this inhibits us from living our life to the fullest. It is therefore important, in order to life a more fulfilling life, to maintain our mental health and to reach out for help if we are finding this difficult to manage on our own.
Importance of Counseling in today’s age:
The age old myth that counseling exists only for the mentally ill is slowly fading now. Individuals and families are actively seeking counseling to deal with their everyday issues as well as for more intense trauma and emotional distress.
Counseling can be just as useful to those of us wanting to understand ourselves better by exploring our thoughts and feelings, as it would be to those of us who are experiencing more intense emotional distress and wish to get some help with resolving it. The process of counseling can help with a range of issues from relationship issues, to work-life balance, depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, sexual concerns, substance abuse, and many more. What we are faced with today is a fast-paced and constantly evolving world which brings with it a number of challenges that may be too overwhelming for us. The counselling process can help us gain a better understanding of these challenges and can work with us to try and find a way out of our distress.
About iCALL and its services:
iCALL is a free service that offers email and telephone-based counseling. It was founded in 2012 with an aim to help anyone in need of such help across age, gender, sexual orientation and race. At iCALL, it is our endeavor to provide comprehensive and professional assistance to all who feel the need for it. The services are free and are easily accessible across geographical locations, which means that anyone from any part of the world can reach out for help. iCALL also conducts workshops and trainings for corporates, educational institutions, government agencies, and NGOs that it is partnered with. The content and the length of these workshops/trainings can be tailored according to the needs of your institution.
Spread the word about iCALL
You can help spread the word about iCALL by putting up our posters/fliers/newsletters on noticeboards/ common areas in your locality. You can also talk about iCALL on your social media pages such as Facebook and Twitter. Or in case, you do not have the means to do any of the above, the information can always be shared through word of mouth. Spreading the word makes the service more accessible to all those who may at one time or another feel the need for it. You could also coordinate with citizen forums/housing societies to invite iCALL for a talk or a workshop. Our contact details are as follows
Points of contact at iCALL to discuss further ideas
Madhuri Tambe – Programme Associate
iCALL Psychosocial Helpline
E-mail: contact.icall@tiss.edu
is a psychological helpline that aims to provide high quality telephone counselling and internet based support services which will significantly improve mental health and the well being of individuals as well as the community.
