Seher,
meaning Dawn in Urdu, is a mental health service programme
of Bapu Trust and is currently housed in the trust office.
We at Bapu, since inception, have struggled with the dilemma
of whether or not we should be involved in service provision.
However, a need to develop a holistic and an alternative
framework to the medicalised field of mental health, and
the dearth of such services in Pune city, prompted us to
start our own mental health service programme.
Bapu
Trust is a national level mental health advocacy agency
working in the area of cultural studies, policy research,
legal research and human rights in the context of mental
health.
 About
us...
Our
mission is to work towards a future where people with psychiatric
disabilities/mental distress can access good quality mental
health care and can live in an unbiased society with knowledge,
understanding, dignity, self-determination and self-respect.
What
we believe...
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Mental
distress/symptoms do not occur in vacuum; they occur
in a context of life events, stressors and experiences.
Hence popping a pill is not the solution to work through
mental distress |
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Psychotherapy
is an important tool for resolving distress, maintaining
wellness and promoting positive mental health |
|
A
range of alternatives such as body therapies, meditation
etc. also have a role in overcoming distress and attaining
wellbeing |
|
Self-determination
and self-care on the part of each individual is a necessary
factor in experiencing and maintaining ‘wellness’ and
therapy has a role to facilitate this |
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Women,
as a result of unequal social status and structural
oppression, experience a differential social reality
as compared to their male counterparts, which has a
strong influence on their mental health or emotional
world. |
Our
plan is to...
- Offer
need-based cafeteria of mental health service options
to women in emotional distress
- Promote
the mental health and emotional well-being of users,
carers and the community at large
- Offer
holistic, gender sensitive, user-centred mental health
services
- Raise
awareness and enhance capacity on mental health issues,
as a way of preventing mental ill health
Our
work...
Seher
provides psychotherapy based treatments for overcoming
emotional distress and promoting well-being. Seher primarily
caters to the mental health needs of women across class,
caste, and religious affiliations. Based on individual
needs, we also offer alternative mental health consultations.
A
multi-disciplinary team of health, mental health and alternative
mental health consultants is involved in service provision
at Seher.
Services
provided at SEHER...
Individual
psychotherapy (Behaviour therapy, cognitive
therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy) as per individual
client needs
Family
therapy (Structural, dynamic, strategic therapy)
based on family assessment
Group
therapy (Self-help) depending upon the needs
expressed by the user group
Referral
services (clinical and non-clinical)
Clinical
referrals include referrals to psychiatrists, general practitioners,
dieticians, gynaecologists …
Non-clinical
referrals include referrals to NGOs, self-help/user groups
for emotional support, legal aid, shelter, vocational training,
employment …
No
medical prescriptions would be given out at the centre.
 Alternative
Mental Health Activities
An
integral part of holistic care is to provide services that
make linkages between health and mental health; mind and
body; lifestyle choices and wellness.
With
this view in mind, Seher hopes to promote alternative mental
health activities such as meditation groups, yoga, art
and music therapy circles, dietary and nutrition inputs
and various forms of body therapies.
Community
Outreach
Carrying
out training and capacity building activities on mental
health with Community Based Organisations (CBOs) working
on various developmental issues is a preventive and promotive
activity of Seher.
The
primary aim of community outreach is that of integrating
mental health knowledge and practise with other developmental
issues.
Seher
believes in empowering the community to handle it’s own
mental health needs through awareness, sensitisation and
skill-based training on mental health.
Timings
Therapy
sessions only by appointments.
Appointments could be sought at our address or on telephone
during office hours.
Fees
We
would like to charge a minimal fee in the spirit of professionalism
and in order to maintain motivation and accountability
of the client as well as the therapist.
Assessment
session/s – Rs. 50/-
An
assessment session would include a minimum of one-two sessions
with the client/couple/family for mutual exploration of
the client’s distress. The further course of treatment
would be planned only after a detailed assessment.
Therapy
session – Rs. 25/- each
Each
therapy session would be of a duration of 45 minutes to
one hour. The number of sessions required for each client
would be mutually decided upon after assessment.
Programme
Co-ordinator
Ketki
Ranade, Psychiatric Social Worker (M.Phil, National
Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore)
Programme
Advisors
 Dr.
Bhargavi V Davar, Managing Trustee, Bapu Trust,
Pune
Dr.
Sadhana Natu, Trustee, Bapu Trust, Pune
Dr.
Surinder Jaswal, Faculty Tata Institute of Social
Sciences, Mumbai
Dr.
Bhooshan Shukla, Practising Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist,
Pune
Dr.
Anupama Keskar, Phd (Sociology), Pune
Bapu
Trust Office Address
SEHER (a mental health service programme
of Bapu Trust)
Kapil Villa, Plot no. 9
Survey No. 50/4, Kondhwa Khurd
Pune-411048
Tel: 020-26837644/47
Email: wamhc@dataone.in; info@camhindia.org
Office
timings: 9:30-5:30
(Monday-Saturday,
except for 2nd and 4th Saturdays)
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