The unaddressed stress of mental health that has impacted many young people in Nepal remains prioritized. Ms. Shreeya Giri has taken on mental health advocacy in Nepal full force with her organization, Happy-Minds, even though it is often ignored, stigmatized, and untreated.
Shreya Giri, a mental health advocate, is the founder of Happy Minds in Nepal. She presents and discusses distance learning lectures to mental health practitioners and advocates, including the realities of being involved in mental health, the advantages of having a safe space for conversation, the complexities involved with ‘receiving therapy,’ the barriers for people suffering from mental health issues such as depression and suicidal ideation, and much more.
Shreya talks about the pain and mental health issues, especially for Nepali youth who are attempting to strike a balance between their traditions and the effects of contemporary life, the need for a community-based mental health advocacy in Nepal: the need for counseling training awareness, and ethics regarding confidentiality, community-based mental health services, fostering empathy, and small acts of kindness.
Understanding Happiness, Environmental Impact, and Mental Health Fundamentals
Ms. Shreya Giri emphasized, in her observations, that therapy can work for anyone, whether people have certain diagnoses, daily troubles, or require real assistance in their personal growth. It offers a space in which all issues and emotions can be freely talked about without any judgment. Just asking for help in mental health is something considered that somehow makes it “comfortable” for us to land in the arms of those willing to extend that help.
She considers that therapy may trigger a range of emotions in people, such as feeling lost or stuck. She allows the person to think through their feelings so they can work through those emotions, gain a deeper understanding of themselves, and build a stronger connection that aids others in their healing.
She talks about how it feels to deal with worry and tension. She also dispels myths around these feelings to ensure everyone understands their significance and the importance of mental health. For her, supporting someone through mental distress is not an act of ‘fixing‘ them but rather a quiet commitment. She explains that it is the presence of listening without judgment, offering unwavering patience, and above all, assuring them, through steadfast companionship, that they are not alone until safety and solace begin to take root.
Ms. Shreeya Giri
Shreya Giri’s Journey: From Academic Challenges in Nepal to Success Abroad and Key Learnings at Google
Ms. Shreya Giri talks about the University path from Nepal to a foreign school. She reports how earlier failures affected her confidence and self-concept. Ms. Giri also focuses on the differences in school environments between Nepal and abroad. For example, how important a supportive learning environment, motivation, and self-belief are to personal development and achievements.
She reported her own decision to come back to Nepal after studying overseas. She could have had numerous job options with Google; however, she wished to establish her roots again and give something back to Nepal’s mental health system, particularly in developing culturally appropriate sources of support. She reports how emotionally difficult it was to juggle between opportunities abroad and social impact.
Shreya discusses her experience working with Google internationally and how seriously Google takes its confidentiality commitments, ethics, and supportive culture. Shreya explains that she learned empathy and clarity and looked after her mental health through her work with healthcare workers. All of which contributed to improving her skills and reinforced her mental health advocacy, contributed to how she led Happy Minds, and to the conversation around mental health advocacy in Nepal.
The Role of Parents, Teachers, and Modern Education in Shaping Child Development and Mental Health in Nepal
Ms. Shreya Giri underscores the importance of creating meaningful relationships. She explains that both the teacher responses and family engagement influence children’s self-esteem, motivation, and mental health wellness. Ms. Giri states that the personal growth of individuals to manage situations in life and navigate challenging situations requires a platform to establish that wide range of development. She notes shifts in the parent-child relationship in the modern day.
She identifies ways that social media and social expectations have changed those communication pathways. Open and patient conversation can help resolve all kinds of issues over generations. In a world that has become increasingly different over the years, Ms. Giri believes that the younger generations can help their parents discover the paths that were different then and guide the process with the beacons of open conversation and patient listening.
Her avoidance of any definitional conversation about being inclusive and being more mindful of education also included the discussion of incorporating mental health advocacy in Nepal into school curricula. The priority of an inclusive teaching methodology is also vital because mental health advocacy in Nepal can provide students with valuable life skills. Building each of these aspects can initiate the transition to ensuring healthier generations.
Upholding Confidentiality and Mental Health Through Happy Minds
Ms. Shreya Giri believes confidentiality to be the foundation of trust between client and therapist. Once the client has confidence that the therapist will never share anything with anyone, the client will begin to share with their therapist the dichotomous self; the client sharing occurs covertly, half-fearing being misunderstood or having their privacy violated. Confidentiality must exist at the highest level, lest support and healing be effectively negated for that client.
Shreya Giri has a unique story of operation that started when she founded Happy Minds, a mental health organization in Nepal. While Nepal is a country of limited resources, and we often overshare its struggles with limited awareness, Shreya has showcased her commitment by forming progressive partnerships, which allowed Happy Minds to extend counseling services to a very diverse population, including individuals who had no means to access or utilize the service.
Ms. Shreya envisions Happy Minds’ expansion as the normalization and availability of mental health advocacy in Nepal.
Additionally, Ms. Giri spoke of the diverse range of clients who accessed counseling services provided by Happy Minds, including teenagers, children, and elderly individuals who requested guidance. Everyone has different needs and backgrounds, allowing for tailored energy sessions at Happy Minds.
Ms. Giri emphasized her plans to further develop Happy Minds by expanding services and the organization and creating a culture of workplace support.
Happy Minds supports the practice of mental health for the entire team, but also values other mental health professionals practicing self-care and growth. Shreya cares about the team. She ensures everyone can talk openly, receive good guidance, and take time for themselves. She leads a team of psychologists at Happy Minds, looking after both the clients and the mental health professionals. She’s shaping the management staff by caring for everyone with empathy.
Understanding Therapy: Needs, Challenges, and Mental Health Differences
The thought of Shreya Giri is that therapy is a good idea if a person is struggling with a mental condition, just having a hard time emotionally, or wants to become a better person in the end. She says it provides a safe space where you can examine your feelings closely and deal with any pressures; this might make the whole matter of mental health seem much more normal and less stigmatized.
She recognizes that therapy can evoke many unpleasant feelings, and one may feel stuck and unable to move forward in the process. She observes that this is a significant topic for clients to address in therapy sessions, allowing them to work through it together. In this way, one gains a deeper understanding of oneself and also develops trust in their therapist, which facilitates healing.
She discusses stress, anxiety, and depression, demystifying the terminology and perhaps making others realize that they are dealing with them. Then she very kindly advises on anything simple to do to help somebody thinking about ending their life, like just sitting with them, telling them you care, and speaking in a non-threatening way.
Shreeya Giri’s Personal Experience in Dealing with Depression and Suicide
Ms. Shreeya recalls having felt emotions that were uncontrollable and suicidal thoughts due to her traumatic childhood experiences and continuous struggles. She explains her lived experience as “the gradually building pain of numerous events left unexpressed and being misunderstood, which subsequently leads to loneliness.” She said it was hard and felt “just a space really to talk about how I was feeling” and that sometimes when she would reach out to friends, she still felt misunderstood.
She credits her recovery to empathetic friends who remained silent on the phone and offered her support during her lowest moments. She stresses the importance of small affirmations, validation, and emotional support at the outset.
She realizes that mental health recovery is a process requiring an environment where individuals constantly feel that they can openly share their thoughts and feelings, either to build something positive based on it, resolve irrational fears, or deal with any other sort of emotional hurdle.
From Passion to Recognition: Shreeya Giri’s Journey to Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia
Shreeya Giri’s inclusion in Forbes’s 30 under 30 Asia in the social impact category serves as a validation of the effort she has undertaken to establish herself as a mental health advocate. After some initial reluctance to apply to the Forbes 30 list, she was finally able to propel her work for further development by working with the UNDP incubator program to legitimize her work further. Shreeya is still committed to affecting systemic change by providing mental health advocacy in Nepal. The fact that she can connect with numerous members of the audience has ultimately led to her nomination in Forbes’ 30.
The nomination process from the selection committee of Forbes encompasses many factors: self-nomination, completing the application forms, showing diligence, being able to have credentials approved by the selection committee, completing references and/or mentoring as quickly as possible, creating exposure, and allowing the selection committee of Forbes access to you internationally.
Shreeya recalls her feelings of surprise and disbelief when she first found out, given her emotional reaction, and was flooded with a sense of gratitude. She remembered the emotional response of her family, who were in awe of this news being shared at a vital milestone event in her life. In addition to an emotional reaction, Shreeya felt some comfort from the autonomy, knowing the nomination confirmed years of hard work and struggle.
Shreeya attributes her success to three key factors: empathy in her work, leadership capabilities, and strategic communication of her work. She effectively executed her communication plan across multiple channels, which led to her being featured on an international level.
Entrepreneurship in Nepal: Opportunities, Challenges, and Female Leaders’ Struggles
Ms. Shreeya discusses work opportunities, particularly those related to mental health advocacy in Nepal. She describes the unique barriers that young or unmarried women face when attempting to launch progressive business ideas, mainly due to patriarchal mindsets, societal expectations of young women, a lack of consistent policy implementation specific to women, and a lack of professional mentorship and investment. Women require fortitude as individuals and pillars of support; organizational change is crucial for sustainable growth.
Shreeya Giri shared her accounts of the issues she faced as a female entrepreneur in Nepal. She stated that the discrimination she endured was either gender-related or fell within the societal expectations of her gender. Questions or judgments on her marital status and age as an entrepreneur frequently called into question her professional competency, leaving her with reactions that sometimes did not express complete approval but rather fan skepticism from both investors and colleagues.
Conclusion: Empowering Mental Health Advocacy In Nepal
Shreeya Giri’s experience highlights the importance of mental health advocacy in Nepal, particularly in areas where stigma exists and resources are limited. The substantive point Shreeya makes by openly sharing her own experience is that we must prioritize safe spaces, support, and access to mental health services. This emphasizes how individuals and the community can drive change.
In this video, Ms. Shreeya discusses the barriers and challenges that entrepreneurs, particularly women, face in Nepal when navigating systems that impose cultural expectations and barriers. She aims to create a safe space, or spaces, for all individuals with mental illness to share their experiences and demonstrate their struggles.
In effect, it seeks to reimagine mental health advocacy in Nepal as something in which the workings of validation, empathy, and kindness must be normalized. In this way, she advocates for the revitalization of spaces where people express genuine care so that care is reasonably accessible to those who need it and for a united objective of creating better infrastructure for mental health in Nepal.
