The Mind Garden®️

We recently shared a poll on our Linkedin page where we asked people if they ever experienced burnout. A 90% say that they have experienced burnout at some point in their life. Burnout refers to a condition where an individual experiences extreme mental, physical and emotional exhaustion due to various stressors in their life. Burnout and Stress might seem like the same thing but there is a clear distinction between the two. When an individual is stressed, they might still feel in control but in the case of burnout, an individual might feel they have lost complete control over everything. There are various symptoms of burnout including lower energy levels, feeling of inadequacy, isolation and generally having a pessimistic outlook towards life. But recovering from Burnout is not difficult and here are few ways you can recover from a burnout -Understanding the problem Understanding why you are going through a burnout is the first step of recovering from a burnout. There are various life instances that could cause burnout. Identifying the problem can help in figuring out what aspect of your life is causing it and working on making it better for themselves. Engaging in Self Care Activities Self-Care Activities Self-Care activities can help one feel energized after periods of distress. Taking care of oneself physically and mentally is important.These activities could range from going for a jog to enjoying a book in the comfort of your own home. One should engage in hobbies that help one feel relaxed and energized. Talking to a Professional In some cases it can be difficult to navigate the way out of a burnout, in such cases a professional can help you through it. A professional can make it a little less overwhelming and can suggest a few techniques to help recovering from a burnout. . #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthrecovery #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthsupport #burnout

Mindfulness involves self-awareness and an observing quality of mind, and insight to oneself, mindfulness can be helpful for a therapist. Mindfulness can help in that as it involves the practice of just observing one’s thought without any judgment. It is often recommended to practice mindfulness for an hour regularly but due to busy lifestyles it is harder to incorporate 1 hour mindfulness sessions. That is why mindfulness for a couple of minutes is recommended on a regular basis. One of the easier ways to incorporate mindfulness in our practice is to give yourself 2 minutes in the morning where you just focus on the present moment and nothing else. This helps to clear your mind as well as gets you ready for the day. There are also various videos/ certified applications that can guide one in the process of mindfulness. #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthrecovery #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthsupport #mindfulness

Today is International Men’s Day and we would like to emphasize the issues of men, especially the overlooked issue of men’s mental health. Here are few stats of mental health disorders in men in India: Mental disorder prevalence: 14.2% of men in India have a mental disorder Depression: 2.7% of men in India have a depressive disorder Anxiety disorder: 2.7% of men in India have an anxiety disorder Suicide: In 2021, there were 72.5 times more male suicide victims than female suicide victims in India. Even Though there exists such a staggering number of mental disorders existing for Men, they find it difficult to discuss mental health with their loved one. The space of toxic masculinity needs to be broken, which can help in inviting a space where men can discuss their issues openly. . #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthrecovery #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthsupport #InternationalMenDay

In the honor of National Children’s Day, we would like to emphasize how children learn about emotions.Children learn about new things majorly from the environment. This applies to emotions as well. Emotions, both positive and negative, are important in children’s lives and how well they express those emotions and understand others’ emotions is a critical aspect of children’s early development, learning, and relationship building. In recent times where it is observed that young children’s education is majorly focused on the cognitive development of a child and not much importance is given to the emotional development of young children. This system is wrong as there is various research that emotional development of young children plays an important cognitive development of children. In the case of toddlers, they can learn to express their emotions by using a few techniques like modulating tone and pitch along with the words while expressing emotions in the presence of the toddler. Non verbal communication also plays an important role in expressing various emotions. Aspects like empathy and perspective taking screen time, using pets or anybody else expressing any emotions. It helps them connect to emotions by seeing how others express it and also by seeing how each individual expresses one emotion in different ways also helps them to understand the emotion better. Few techniques of inculcating emotional intelligence in children include: -Using story books to help young children understand certain emotions. - Helping them understand complex emotions by explaining what it means by using stories and actions associated with them. - Encouraging them to verbalize and use words to express what they are feeling instead of using behaviors like crying or throwing a tantrum to express themselves. - Parents sitting with them and encouraging them to discuss their emotions and help them understand their emotions by being there for them. -Observation of the child and understanding how a child responds to certain situations in order to understand how they are feeling is an important aspect that a caregiver needs to follow in order to understand their emotions and help them to redirect their own emotions. - Helping a child be independent by letting them make their own choices even when they are quite young. For example, placing 2 outfits in front of their toddlers so that they can pick their own clothes for a day. This helps them to become more independent and helps in inculcating self confidence. -Awareness of the change in the child’s behavior and acknowledging it also helps the child to understand his own emotions.

Oftentimes clients might have false views about themselves and they struggle to understand their own worth . In such cases therapy can help them to build their self esteem and truly understand what they bring onto the table. The role of the therapist in such cases is to navigate the client's past experiences and helps them to let go of their biases about themselves and help to improve the client's self esteem. #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthrecovery #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthsupport #meme #mentalhealthmeme

On the occasion of National Cancer awareness day we would like to discuss Palliative care and Cancer treatment. Finding ways to treat the conditions of cancer and help individuals fight it is very important. Along with this, there should be a focus on the psychological aspect of it, not only for the patient but for the loved ones of the patient as well. This helps to improve the overall quality of life for the person. On the occasion of National Cancer awareness day, we would like to focus on how important palliative care is for such individuals. Palliative care refers to a medical approach in which the major focus is relieving an individual's stress as well as help to improve the individual’s quality of life. It is provided by hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and outpatient clinics. Here are the few benefits that palliative care can help individuals with cancer : -Better Communication It helps in better communication between the family, the patient and the healthcare providers. It helps one understand treatment options, the prognosis and the patient’s choice. -Emotional and Psychological Support It helps to provide support, not only to the patient but also to the family and friends of the patient. The team often provides counseling and support to help them cope with the stress of the illness. -Holistic Care In Palliative Treatment, various aspects including the mental, physical, spiritual and social needs of the patient are considered. These factors are emphasized, not just the disease of the patient. . #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthrecovery #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthsupport #NationalCancerAwarenessDay

We recently shared a poll on our Linkedin page where we asked people if they had an inner critic. A 100% say that they have had an inner critic that does criticize them .Having an inner voice  that from time to time tells us that we are not enough or we are not doing enough can be difficult and painful. It might feel like we are the only ones experiencing it but more than often that many people do feel that way and it is okay to feel that way. In order to work on our inner critic, we need to first understand where it is coming from. Sometimes our inner critic is shaped from something that we often heard in our childhood, or from the environment. In such cases, instead of judging ourselves and belittling what we are feeling, we need to be more compassionate with ourselves. Instead of fighting with our inner critic we need to embrace it. Understand that the voice is not against us but instead it is there to protect us. Acknowledging these voices in us helps us to feel emotionally safe and confident. Few ways of dealing with the inner critic is by being there for yourself, by acknowledging what you are feeling and being compassionate with yourself. In such scenarios remind yourself that you are also  a human and you are  allowed to make mistakes, you don’t have to be perfect at all times. Inculcating self-care activities in your everyday life like saying positive affirmations, spending time with loved ones  and engaging in hobbies can help in building a healthier relationship with your inner critic.   #therapymatters #therapy #therapeutic #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthrecovery #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthsupport #therapyjourney #heal #healingjourney #healingtrauma #selfcare #selfcareactivities #positiveaffirmations #innercritic

We are pleased to share the experience of Sukhmani Bhatia ,Consultant Psychotherapist and Social Media Associate at The Mind Garden, in organizing our recent workshop. "Let me tell you - being the social media person for the clinic during Therapy 101: Building Clinical Skills was an absolute joy! I had the unique opportunity to witness everything up close, and it felt special to be part of a space where eager psychology students could absorb knowledge from experienced psychotherapists. Watching them light up as theory came to life through real-world practice was something I’ll always cherish. The clinic itself radiated warmth and coziness, exactly the kind of environment that encourages learning and growth. It felt like the perfect place to explore clinical skills. What really caught my attention, though, was the training on advanced tools like the WAPIS and MCMI scales. These tools are often skipped over, even in some of the country’s top psychology programs. Seeing students not only grasp but also enthusiastically engage with such specialized knowledge was inspiring. It was like witnessing a series of 'aha!' moments, where everything clicked into place, and you could see their confidence building with each new concept. The variety and depth of questions from the students were also impressive. Each question reflected their genuine curiosity and desire to understand the material on a deeper level. It was about learning theory and figuring out how to apply that theory in real-world situations. Every discussion seemed to add another layer to their growth as future clinicians. One of my personal highlights was reading through all the notes and reflections left on our 'Wall of Moments'. This wall became a canvas for participants to share their thoughts, emotions, and takeaways from the program. I also have to give a huge shoutout to the incredible facilitators, Sonakshi Gandhi and Sharmila Das. They created a space that was not only informative but also genuinely supportive. No question was ever considered too small or insignificant. They struck that perfect balance between seriousness and fun, which made the entire experience feel less like a formal classroom and more like an exciting journey into the world of psychotherapy. From managing the forms to being part of the shoot, every aspect of this process gave me such a sense of fulfillment. I was constantly in awe of how deeply the students were engaging with the material, and it made all the behind-the-scenes work feel incredibly meaningful. In the end, Therapy 101 reminded me why I’m so proud to be part of this clinic (and that's a win for me as a psychotherapist and as a social media associate). It’s a place where people can grow, connect, and leave with a renewed sense of purpose. And I feel lucky to have been part of that journey." . #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthrecovery #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthsupport