Mental Health workshop attended by School counsellor

On 27th February 2026, Step by Step School hosted a deeply reflective and thoughtfully curated conference titled MANAN - The Inner Work of Outer Care (A Conference for Counsellors and Psychologists). The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from counsellors, psychologists, and mental health professionals representing various institutions across the city. Ms Meghna Joshi, School Counsellor, represented our School at this prestigious forum. Rooted in the core emotional framework of compassion, MANAN 2026 recognised the profound emotional labour inherent in the work of school counsellors and psychologists. Mental health professionals regularly hold the complex emotional narratives of students navigating vulnerability, distress, and crisis. Through keynote addresses, expert dialogues, panel discussions, and reflective spaces, the conference sought to meaningfully connect these lived professional experiences to practical, compassion-based approaches that could be integrated into everyday school contexts.

The conference commenced at 9 A.M. with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, followed by a welcome address by Dr Chavi Bhargava Sharma, Head of the Counselling Department at Step-by-Step School. The opening keynote was delivered by Dr Shekhar Seshadri, distinguished psychiatrist and Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS).

Widely respected for his longstanding contributions to mental health initiatives in India, Dr Seshadri centred his address on compassion, exploring the subtle yet significant factors that often compromise it in practice. He emphasised the importance of reflection, curiosity, and play in working with children, while foregrounding the transformative potential of emotional containment in therapeutic engagement.

Following a tea break from 10 am to 10:30 am the conference resumed with a fireside discussion on suicide prevention at schools. The panel featured Drs Binu Thomas and Seshadri, moderated by Dr Bhargava Sharma. The discussion thoughtfully unpacked the complexities and challenges involved in working with self-harm states.

Dr Seshadri urged professionals to move beyond diagnostic labels and instead seek to understand the story behind the symptom. Complementing this perspective, Dr Binu Thomas addressed prevalent myths and stereotypes surrounding self-harm among children and adolescents. Through carefully presented vignettes, she highlighted the critical importance of providing young people with a safe witness …someone who truly sees, hears, and understands them.

The next session featured a special address on animal-assisted intervention by Ms Mitali Parekh, a feline and canine behaviourist. Her engaging presentation focused particularly on the therapeutic role of dogs and the broader scope of pet therapy. She illustrated how structured, relational engagement with animals can benefit both neurotypical and neurodiverse children. Emphasising the unconditional positive regard offered by pets, she explained how their inherently relational nature can support children experiencing grief, anxiety, depression, and other affective states. Through vivid examples, she demonstrated how the human–animal bond can become a powerful vehicle for emotional change and healing.

After a lunch break, attendees reconvened at 2 P.M. for the flagship panel discussion titled Caring for Caregivers - Mental Wellbeing of Mental Health Professionals. The panel brought together Dr Renu Malviya, Professor of Education at Lady Irwin College; Dr Binu Thomas, Counselling Psychologist and well-being consultant; and Ms Kushaangi Roy, Counselling Psychologist, Psychotherapist, and Founder of SIEVA, specialising in trauma-informed care. The discussion addressed the on-ground realities of counsellors working within school settings, highlighting a recurring challenge: while professionals are trained to extend care outward, turning that same compassion inward often proves difficult.

The panel emphasised that self-compassion is not optional but foundational … a non-negotiable practice framework that must precede sustainable caregiving. Systemic constraints that hinder counsellor well-being were also examined, alongside strategies to navigate them. The session concluded with an inclusive mindfulness practice that moved beyond conventional meditative approaches, instead grounding reflection in the everyday lived struggles of mental health practitioners.

The conference concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Ms Prachi Bhatnagar, Senior School Counsellor at Step-by-Step School, followed by refreshments. MANAN 2026 ultimately emerged as a deeply introspective and affirming space - one that reminded mental health professionals that compassionate care for others must be sustained by intentional, reflective care for the self.