Following the tremendous success of JAOR Mental health webinar in July 2020. JAOR team found it prudent to execute a second event to help people keep up good mental health in this pandemic times.
The event titled “Mending Your Thoughts” was held on the 29th of Nov 2020 at Darul Aqram School Kileleshwa. The event was aimed at creating awareness and destigmatizing mental illness through carefully curated topics that dig deeper into some of the different situations that cause distress to today’s youth and affect mental health. Some of these are dynamics of the family of origin and its impact on mental health, and the challenges faced during the transition from school life to work life. With the number of deaths by suicide in Kenya recently growing at an alarming rate, we also aim to begin the conversation around it as a means of prevention through awareness creation. Graced by two seasoned psychologists Grace Gathoni and Madeleine Mbaire from USIU, who chewed over Family dynamics , Careers and Existential ‘Crisis’
With an attendance of over 30 attendees, the event was wrapped up with brief keynotes from the JAOR team members who shed light on the organization, it’s previous and planned project and how they could chip in.
The audience appreciated the inspiring and reassuring tips from the guest speakers on how to maintain a positive mental health. The psychologists greatly emphasized on how people should treat themselves with kindness and always to seek help when needed as it a sign of strength rather than weakness as normally perceived.