Mental Health
An Initiative to Respond to Mental Health by the YMCA Myanmar
Last Updated (Wednesday, 02 April 2025 07:17)
In today's society, counseling has emerged as a vital resource in fostering mental health and overall well-being. As awareness of mental health grows, counseling becomes increasingly vital in providing individuals with the support, guidance, and tools needed to navigate life's challenges. Whether dealing with anxiety, depression, relationship conflicts, or personal growth, counseling offers a confidential and safe space to reflect on one's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
As societal pressures and stressors continue to mount, the significance of counseling in promoting resilience, self-awareness, and positive coping strategies cannot be overstated. In this article, we will discuss why counseling is indispensable in today's world, highlighting its profound impact on individuals, families, and communities alike. (Community Well-Being)
Myanmar YMCA’s Counselling Centre was established in 2016 and Nine Years age for now as Phase III which is implementing in Dala township and South Dagon township(Yangon Region), Mandalay township (Mandalay Region), Myitkyina township (Kachin State) and the Phase III project which will be completed at the end of March 2025.
During the February 2025, the Counselling Centre of Myanmar YMCA has provided 42s individual Counselling sessions, provided Foods support as rice, cooking oil, onion, lentils and etc. for 33s vulnerable clients, Severe supports like small grant, medical support for 12s extreme vulnerable clients, Exit Strategy workshops with 126s participants from Dala Counselling Center and South Dagon Counselling Center(Yangon Region), Mandalay Counselling Center(Mandalay Region), 20s Networking meeting with 11s Organization from different networks, Senior staff meeting and weekly staff devotion programme.
Myanmar YMCA is being conducted monthly Senior Staff meetings. The purpose of the meeting is like information sharing each other and update the progress. In February and March, 2 times of Senior Staff meetings with 11 senior-level staff from different projects led by the National General Secretary and Executive Sectaries.
Myanmar YMCA has regular staff devotion in every Wednesday. The scheduled devotion is being led by the staff and 20s-25s staff received spiritual messages.
By Mr.Htay Win Shwe,
Program Manager and Executive Secretary
Development and Partnership
Mental Health Awareness Program
Last Updated (Thursday, 30 June 2022 12:52)
Our mind is the theatre where all drama used to happen 24×7! We learn about all the events in our world, we feel all the emotions; we make choices and control all the actions that we do. Whether we enjoy or become upset, it all happens in our brain. Thus, brain is the most important part of our body and personality. We all want to be happy and avoid suffering, from tiny ants to large elephants. In fact, all of our actions are geared towards this goal, towards what we perceive to be happiness and away from what we view as suffering and yet, we have no real understanding of how to achieve that. By developing awareness of how things really are, by recognizing the impermanent and interdependent nature of all conditioned phenomena, including our very minds and thoughts, we learn to free ourselves.
Covid-19 has hit the world in such a manner that it has affected various aspects in life of every individual. Not only Covid-19 but also in the present scenario many individuals go through depression, anxiety and get mentally stressed to such extent that they end up giving-up their lives. As Young Men's Christian Association aims to put Christian principles into practice by developing a healthy "body, mind, and spirit." So keeping in mind, YMCA, Cuttack conducted a Mental Health Awareness Program on 15th May, 2022.
Making Life Less Stressful Mental Health Program by China Y
Last Updated (Monday, 24 January 2022 18:13)
The public has insufficient knowledge of depression and there is discrimination and stigma against people living with mental health problems in our society, China Y has increased focus on mental health and wellbeing. Hoping to popularize depression-related knowledge, reduce mental health discrimination, help people cope with mental health issues, and build a healthier and more inclusive society. With full preparations, China Y started the depression prevention program Making Life Less Stressful in July 2021, which lasted 5 months and successfully concluded in November.
The program aims to help people prevent depression and mental health, which is one of the key psychological problems these days. During the implementation of the program, China Y not only provided professional psychological knowledge of explanation and guidance for the target group, but also arranged different stress-relieving activities. These prevention programs benefitted participants and their families, friends, colleagues, etc.
A series of three online lectures on professional knowledge of depression were carried out by National Council, covering areas such as standards for physical and mental health measures, origin and evolution of emotions, difference between depressed mood and depression, self-adjustment of depressed mood. By attending online lectures and themed activities, participants understood that depression results from many factors in biological, psychological and social environment. Everyone could experience depressed mood sometimes, yet it does not mean depression.
Benefiting from these lectures, participants obtained a basic understanding of how to manage their moods, and how to plan for positive guidance to people in need. Being diagnosed with depression is not terrible, one can get recovered from effective treatments from support of families and friends. Everyone should pay attention to the signals sent by emotions, learn and improve emotional self-control, and be more sensitive to the abnormal status of mind and body. Timely interventions should be made to alleviate depressive moods before the situation worsens. Participants have learned effective ways to relieve stress and pressure through painting, games, entertainment, sports, meditation, etc.
With a series of scientific learning of depression and emotional problems, the participants’ fear and social stigma about depression were effectively reduced. They were more willing to offer support to people suffering from depression and encourage them to actively seek for trained health-care providers. At the same time, these advanced concepts benefited China Y as well by providing a solid basis for further programs.
Read more: Making Life Less Stressful Mental Health Program by China Y