Int’l Women’s Day celebrated at Parliament House

The speakers underscored a diverse range of aspects, linking mental health to psychiatry, social stigma, yoga, physical movement and performing arts…reports Asian Lite News

International Women’s Day was celebrated at the House of Commons of the British Parliament recently. Aligning with this year’s theme #BreaktheBias, the program highlighted the challenges and solutions to mental health problems.

The event was hosted by Virendra Sharma MP and organised by Sushma Bhanot, a businesswoman and co-director of Coolherbals, who has spent 20 years supporting thousands of women suffering poor mental, physical and financial health in Essex and beyond.

Host Virendra Sharma MP and organiser Sushma Bhanot MBE

The speakers underscored a diverse range of aspects, linking mental health to psychiatry, social stigma, yoga, physical movement and performing arts.

Heather Mason, Founder of The Minded Institute, spoke on Yoga and Mental Health. After Dr. Ragini Bahry, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and clinical lead at the Priory North London spoke, award-winning author, spoken word artist and writer Jaspreet Kaur spoke on the stigma attached to mental health in South Asian communities and read excerpts from her debut book Brown Girl Like Me. Dr Ravina Bhanot, an NHS Doctor specialised in Women’s Health and Founder of FemTech company Zonas spoke about how hormones can affect mental health. Simona Neata mental health struggles among new moms and how to cope.

Jaspreet Kaur speaking at the Women’s Day event

University Educator and award-winning dancer Ragasudha Vinjamuri spoke on the role of music and dance in mental health and how Dance Movement Therapy and Music Therapy are helpful in Complementary and Alternative Medicine in addressing trauma, anxiety, stress, exhaustion, aggression, and sleep disorders. She then presented a short dance. Counselor, trainer Ramesh Kumari Talwar outlined the report on the mental health needs of Asian Women in the Borough of Greenwich/Greenwich MIND. Reiki Master Bali Bhalla spoke on how colours and Reiki help mental wellbeing.

Former Senior Project Manager at the Department of Education, founder of Super Cool Friends and co-founder of the Great British Chai Party Kiran Bhanaut spoke on loneliness, mental wellbeing, and social isolation in the elderly. The event concluded with fitness instructor and D-Style founder Angelique giving inputs on wellbeing, Founder and Chairman of volunteer organisation Go Dharmic adding a faith element and Neela Sedhani adding a poetry element. Sushma, who was awarded an MBE for her services to wellbeing in the community says “I wanted to highlight the fact that mental wellbeing is very important and wanted to offer practical solutions and answers. The day concluded with many action points to improve mental wellbeing in the community and nationally”.