Pune opens its door to city’s first mental health cafe to ‘subtly create awareness’

In order not to restrict discussions of mental health to four-walled clinical settings, psychologist Vinaya Gore has opened FistKothrud’s first mental health café was called Café Serenity. Already two months and counting, the cafe with its mental health-focused message through quotes and artwork on its walls, and a “relaxing environment” believes that sensory organs like the gut play an important role in how one feels. feel, which is where food connects. your mental agility too.

“The main reason is to provide information about mental health. We do not provide any therapy or counseling at the cafe as it is intended for clinical settings only. The goal is that anyone who visits the cafe to eat, or to chat with their friends, or maybe to relax, to know a little more about mental health,” said Gore. indianexpress.com.

“If your gut health is good, your mood will be good too. It’s where gut health is connected to your food. Some of the healthy options on the menu, like sandwiches, pasta, salads and smoothies, just add to the connection we’re looking to make,” Gore said, adding that “without disparaging the understanding of mental health, the idea is simply to ensure that there is enough pressure to seek help, if necessary.”

In the wake of the rise in suicide and mental health cases, as noted in a recent report by the National Crime Records Bureau, Gore, Founder and Chief Psychologist of Aatman Psychology Studio, Pune, emphasized that the intent of the coffee is “ subconsciously make mental health a vibe.” “I wanted to open up something in some other industry and food will definitely connect more with young people,” Gore said.

Not just the young, the elderly also seem to be regulars at coffee, especially on weekends, Gore said. “Pune is a city where many people come to work and live from different parts of the country and the world. People today need good information. You may have heard, but many have no idea how to deal with mental health issues. Our goal is to help bridge the gap,” added Gore.

“These days everything is talked about so openly. So why not keep mental health away from the four walls of a counselor’s room? When you let people come and experience how easy it is to seek help and it can be, feel motivated to seek help, that I consider to be a real change, however tiny, that can go a long way. Even if a person is just here to enjoy their time, they will still see something or read something that will instantly connect with them or they may take it back. That’s a good enough impact,” Gore said.