World Mental Health Day, commemorated on October 10^th each year, is a day to combat the stigma that mental health struggles are not real.

The latest statistics by the World Health Organisation reveal that globally, more than 300 million people suffer from depression, the leading cause of disability and more than 260 million are living with anxiety disorders.

Life is overwhelming at times. This can be a result of many things – studies, relationships, economic difficulties, sexual health concerns, work life, and retirement are just to name a few of the challenges we all face on a daily basis.

Each individual and situation is unique to the person, thus requiring different strategies to negotiate and overcome it.

The Alokaya Counselling Center offers a variety of counselling services to help persons reconcile the issues or help find ways of coping. For World Mental Health Day, the Centre conducted a programme on how Music Therapy can be used to overcome stressful situations.

Music therapy is a type of expressive therapy that involves a large variety of music-related activities, such as singing, improvising, moving, playing musical instruments, and listening to music. Music therapy has been shown to have positive physical, social, and psychological effects. It helps to treat stress/anxiety in a variety of ways; namely it can improve mood, vitality, self-esteem and personality.

The speaker at the event was Dr. Ravimal Galappaththi, Consultant Psychiatrist – Army Hospital.

The Alokaya Counselling also conducts Drama Therapy workshops in addition to counselling sessions for psychological concerns ( stress, anxiety), pre-marital and marital counseling, Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues – Vaginismus (painful intercourse), premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction masturbation, myths, anxieties regarding sex and sexuality etc., concerns relating to the couple, or children etc. and Educational – memory, stress, exams, choosing a career path etc.

Do contact Ms. Badra Udawatta on 2 584 157 ext. 162 for any concerns or to register for a workshop.