NORMALISING MENTAL HEALTH CONVERSATIONS

MENTAL health—though it isn't a new term, it is becoming increasingly important by the day. It's all over social media, with celebrities opening up about their mental illnesses, influencers talking about the importance of mindfulness, and other netizens sharing their mental health experiences.

- TEJASREE KALLAKRINDA

MENTAL health—though it isn't a new term, it is becoming increasingly important by the day. It's all over social media, with celebrities opening up about their mental illnesses, influencers talking about the importance of mindfulness, and other netizens sharing their mental health experiences. However, Ritu Nilofer, a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, is taking it one step further. She hosted the first session of Therapist Talks by Ritu at Lamakaan, becoming Hyderabad's first RCI-licensed therapist to publicly start an open conversation about mental health.

"Connection only happens when you sit with people and talk to them, and very few clinical psychologists reach out. I want people to know that I am physically accessible to them. There is still a widespread belief that mental health, therapists and therapy exist somewhere else, away from daily life. That's exactly what I want to break," she said.