Building a Positive Narrative of Well-Being
Ashoka’s residential setting offers a unique opportunity for students to intimately be part of a strong, opinionated and active community. In this context, students may become vulnerable to stress and anxiety that comes with achieving perfect grades and coping with the social demands of campus life.
The physical and emotional separation from hometowns and families adds to the aforemntioned adjustment issues. Consequently, students have been found to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression.
In 2016, the ACWB was established as a safe space that offers free and confidential individual and group counselling support for students, staff and faculty at Ashoka. Dr. Arvinder J. Singh (Director, ACWB) is focused on early intervention and capacity building. “Members of a community are best suited to support each other.”
Our team of counselors, professionals and volunteers offers a range of services to help Ashoka’s stakeholders in building emotional resources and developing better coping strategies.
Individual Counseling
We offer free and confidential one-on-one counseling sessions for students, staff and faculty at Ashoka. We have qualified and trained professionals to take care of the emotional and psychological needs of the Ashoka community. The centre is open from 9:30 A.M. to 8 P.M. from Monday to Saturday. Members of the Ashoka community can book appointments through the online portal. In case of crises the centre takes up walk-in clients as well.
Note: On Saturday’s few counselors will be available on rotation.
Group Sessions
Group sessions are conducted on specific mental and emotional-health issues such as depression, anxiety, stress and grief
Progressive Relaxation workshops are geared towards destressing through increased awareness of your body and creative visualisation.
Gatekeeper Program
The Gatekeeper Program is designed to identify and address signs of anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation within the Ashoka community and connecting those in need of help with the centre. This year, over 90 cohort leaders and 50 Resident Assistants were trained in providing emotional first-aid.
Dr. Arvinder (Director, ACWB) training Resident Assistants (Above) and cohort leaders (Below) as part of the Gatekeeper Program.
Dial-A-Peer (DAP) Helpline
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The DAP helpline offers emotional support to students through trained student volunteers. Callers may speak confidentially without fearing shame or judgement. This year over 50 volunteers signed up to be a part of the DAP. Student trainees are coached on picking up signs of anxiety or depression and are supervised by professional counselors. The emphasis is on listening without advising and on providing a space to vent emotions. |
Psychoeducation
Promoting psychological well-being through early intervention; Mandatory well-being sessions are conducted to orient incoming students. This year over 700+ incoming undergraduates and Young India Fellows attended the orientation. Parents of the incoming undergraduates were advised on guiding their wards through the transition to college.
In 2018, the incoming undergraduates partook in mandatory sessions (Above) and their parents were sensitised to adjustment difficulties specific to Ashoka (Below).
Crisis Intervention
We support mental health emergencies on campus.
Referral
We offer referral to internal and external resources for specialised psychological care.
