Anjali Joshi is a mental health advocate. She loves “creating” and leading the journey of an idea from its inception. This can be for a product, service, or social enterprise. The written word is her best friend. She believes in the power of storytelling and that content is magic. She thinks quality trauma-informed Mental Healthcare is a human right and that’s what her mission as a human, who feels like an alien, is. She truly believes that community care is our only way forward. She is an ardent lover of exotic herbal teas!

Anjali wants to change the world one day at a time. She is all action and less talk. She walks the walk.

Anjali has taken the pain, grief, and suffering in her own life and has made it a catalyst to make a difference.

This world needs brave women like her. Women who do not accept the status quo. They rise above the masses and change our very current thinking.

Walk me through what wellness means. Is it a holistic approach to health?

This is a question I am yet to find an absolute answer to. Wellness for me is both individual and collective at the moment. For me, it’s critical to healing myself, my body, and my spirit. Just as important is the health of the planet. My health is not separate from what my environment is or how my community is. At the moment, being in the moment and bringing more presence is alive for me. In everyday life that translates into having peaceful moments for myself, eating well, giving back, doing meaningful work, moving my body, and having lighter moments in my everyday. I feel that increasingly, my body is asking me to be more holistic because that is the only way. We don’t exist in compartments and neither does our health!

I love the fact that you are a mental health advocate. We focus so much on our physical, financial, and spiritual health. However, mental health is equally important. What is a mental health advocate?

This question made me pause for a moment and reflect back on what it means to be a mental health advocate. I feel that I have been a mental health advocate long before I accepted the label for myself. A mental advocate is someone who is not necessarily a medical mental health professional but works towards the institutional issues surrounding mental health and debunking stigma. The origins of mental health advocacy lie in the human rights discourse. For me, this came alive after I lost my dad to suicide in 2015. Grief is strange. Even with all the pain, sometimes suffering, and anger, I felt that if I remained silent about mental health, I would not be able to breathe. I think my body/intuition/gut is my greatest compass and it guided me to start talking about this, gradually. The advocacy work right now is not my job, it sustains me.

For me, the mind-body division does not exist. It is one. Our mental health, physical health, financial health, spiritual health, and the health of our world are connected. My relationship with money changed from the day I started asking myself, “What is my relationship with money? What does it make me feel?”. This tied in with questions of happiness and the meaning of life and my place in it. These are not separate corners of our existence but are enmeshed in our lives. And of course, no one does it alone. I am a big proponent of therapy and community care. I feel that everyone deserves a safe space. It could be therapy, listening circles, a dance class or just spending time in nature. It is our responsibility in this world to heal ourselves so that everyone else also has the space to do the same.

There is a genetic component and circumstances component related to mental health. Can you please elaborate?

Yes. Increasing evidence and research do show that there is a genetic component and a circumstances component related to mental health. However, that is not to say that these two are opposites. This really comes back to understanding mental health from a well-rounded perspective. Mental health is being studied and understood from different vantage points. A science-based approach would look at genetic sequencing and a trauma-based experiential approach would look at intergenerational trauma from the experiences of people. Both have different modes of knowledge production and method but would come up with similar findings. I think it is within intergenerational trauma that we also witness circumstances being an important parameter. This becomes increasingly evident in cases of systematic oppression via race, gender, sexuality, caste, ability, etc. Our trauma or pain is not inherent to us but generated via circumstances outside of our control. Yet, it gets passed down through generations. That’s why we talk of breaking familial cycles which involve individual as well as collective healing. We are not separate from the world we inhabit. To anyone who is interested in understanding race, body, and intergenerational trauma, I highly recommend, Resmaa Menekam’s My Grandmother’s Hands.

Talk to me about your Ph.D. program and what is the end goal.

The Ph.D. program is another thing I do for myself. I love research and have some questions I want to engage with in-depth. The Ph.D. program gives me the structure and support I need to carry out the research. My work is based in the Central Himalayan region (my home), and potentially asks these very questions on health and wellness. I want to understand the social meaning of health. What health practices become “natural” to a place? How can we reimagine health in remote areas of the Central Himalayan region so that healthcare is more accessible and sustainable? I am studying the origins of modern medicine, how hospitals/clinics came to exist and how they have interacted with the regional specificities of a place. I hope to have some insight by the end of the Ph.D. Believe it or not, the Ph.D. is also just the beginning to be able to answer these questions.

Anjali you work for an organization that focuses on women empowerment? What is women’s empowerment?

Just like health, I feel that women’s empowerment is also multi-faceted. To different women in different places of the world, it could mean a different thing, with the common factor being that they have agency in their lives. I feel that women’s empowerment includes men too because when we let go of the shackles that hold us back and are free to be who want to be, all of us are liberated. We don’t create safe spaces just for ourselves but for everyone who needs it. I feel that women’s empowerment is not just about fighting together but also laughing and dancing together.

Share with me an idea that you had from conception and how you brought it into reality.

This is not an idea that I conceptualized but in my first full-time role at an NGO, I was asked to establish a club for adults with developmental disabilities. I had never done anything like this before but I am a courageous person, even if I lack the experience. I knew this back then too. Adults with developmental disabilities are often infantilized with little to no public spaces for them. Even if they go out, they are often met with stares and whispers, which can make anyone uncomfortable. But everyone needs fun in their life. Everyone has the right to recreation. The club came alive 3 months after I joined, and needed us to have a clear vision, budget, and the drive to get things done. It started with extensive research and as we started moving forward with every little step, we had neighbors who volunteered, and teammates who helped. There was construction work that needed to be done, especially keeping in mind motor disabilities. I remember, one freezing cold morning, I was overseeing construction and running around to get things done. When we launched the club with a concert and some poetry, all the smiles and the sheer joy, made it worthwhile. I am smiling even as I remember the moment

You love storytelling and believe in content. Help me understand how being authentic helps in telling stories.

I think this is a reciprocal process. Authenticity is not absolute and static. At any given point in space and time, our identities are fluid and contingent. The beauty of writing and storytelling is that the process alone offers avenues to introspect and verbalize our sense of self. It helps us build authenticity because there is clarity. So being authentic when you tell stories, if nothing else, makes it easier. It makes it easier to accept the vulnerable part of ourselves, to say that with all that we have been through, we are still here. To say that while the pain and trauma are a part of us, so is the joy you feel when you meet a friend after a long time or the tears you cry after reading words that perfectly sum up how you are feeling. It helps us bring out the beautiful spectrum of emotions we embody. We make stories and stories make us. This is how we find common ground even with our differences.

You are chosen to go to Mars. You can take only five things with you. Walk me through what you would take and why?

This is a fun one. I am assuming that basic survival needs are met and we have colonies on Mars. Given this context, here’s what I would take;

1-Seeds/Saplings and Mud- For the sheer joy of watching a plant grow and remembering home.

2- An Mp3 player- I can live without my phone but not without music.

3-A book- Maybe Jeanette Winterson’s Why be Happy When You Could be Normal? I can read this book multiple times and not get bored.

4- Art Supplies- For stress-busting and fun.

5- Some Himalayan Spices and Herbs- I have been raised by the mountains and I need this stuff to survive anywhere.

Anjali becomes the Prime Minister of India. Your party says in the next 30, 60, 90, 120, and 365 days, you need to tackle 5 issues. I am curious what you would choose and why?

1- Mental Health- I think we need changes on the policy level as well as in everyday life.

2- Disability Rights- I believe we all need to unlearn ableism for a better world.

3- Prison Reform- I think prison reform is one of the least understood but critical aspects of a good society.

4- Public Spaces and Art- I am not sure how else to put this but I think that we need more spaces, like parts, community centers, and immersive art experiences for inclusivity to happen organically. Play is a very powerful resource.

5- Health Equity- My work is devoted to health equity. I would want access to health to also include dealing with systematic injustices and barriers.

My dream is to have a community where we have a culture of belonging. A culture of belonging is created when everyone takes responsibility and participates.

Name me your favorite Indian dish. what is so special about it? I want the recipe.

I love “pahadi” (meaning mountain people) food.  This one is called Aaloo(Potato) ke Gutke. Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 Potatoes

• 2 teaspoon Mustard oil

• 1/4 teaspoon Red Chilli powder

• 1/8 teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhania)

• 1/4 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)

• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)

• 1 teaspoon Jambu (A Himalayan Herb)

• 2 Dry Red Chilli

• 2 pinch Asafoetida

• Salt, to taste

• Coriander leaves, to garnish

Instructions:

1-Boil the potatoes, peel them, and dice them.

2- Take a small bowl and mix coriander powder, red chili powder, and turmeric powder with 2 teaspoons of water.

3-Heat a frying pan with oil, and add cumin seeds, Jambu, asafoetida, and red chili. Let it cook for about 15 seconds.

4- Add the mixed masala(the mixture of coriander powder, red chili powder, and water) and salt. After 30 seconds add the potatoes and coat well with the masala. Let it cook for about 5 minutes.

5- Turn the heat off and garnish with coriander leaves.

The post Anjali Joshi: Mental Health Advocate appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

I admire Sakshi Shrivastava.

Sakshi Shrivastava talks openly about her mental health and deals with it. Sakshi Shrivastava is real, vulnerable, unguarded, and answers without a stitch.

Is it any wonder that she has more than 30,000 followers on Linkedin?

Recently, a senior manager of communication for a non-profit asked how come I have so many followers on social media. This senior manager had a blog, a degree in communications, and had the title but no followers or readers on her site.

We can learn a lot from Sakshi Shrivastava. She does not make excuses. She has accepted the cards dealt to her. Give her a lemon and she makes lemonade. She has taken her empathy and compassion to another level by taking care of street dogs.

Sakshi has accepted her limitations and realized hey let’s become an entrepreneur.

In life when you are transparent, real, vulnerable, and speak from the heart, people are attracted to you.

As you read about Sakshi here is my call to action for you. How do you view your weaknesses? How do you deal with the cards that life has thrown at you? Do you become critical, and blame everyone else? Or do you look in the mirror and become empowered?

Sakshi, welcome to Four Columns. I want to know something important about you.

While writing answers to your questions, I left this one for the last. I’ve been a little intimidated by this one, but let’s do this with one of the things I adore — lists!

1. I’m a 27-year-old mom of two adopted ex-street dogs
2. I’m the co-founder of a digital marketing agency
3. I’m an animal activist and co-founder of Paw People, on a mission to improve the lives of street animals
4. I’m a lefty
5. I have a tattoo of a book on my wrist and an honors degree in English Literature
6. I love lifting weights in the gym
7. I’m kind of a tech junkie, I love flashy new gadgets
8. I battled depression, anxiety, and burnout and continue to raise awareness around it
9. I love social media! I’m very active on LinkedIn and Instagram
10. I don’t understand poetry, but I like to pretend that I do

I love the name of your company Digital Curry. Talk to me about it. How did you come up with the idea?

I’m as desi (you might have to Google the term, it’s a Hindi word but I’m sure you can find a way to add it to your daily vocabulary) as it gets. Digital Curry is a flavourful brainchild born out of passion, spice, and everything nice. 

We wanted our business to represent the freshness we bring to the world of B2B marketing. Needless to say, we got a little ‘curried’ away and so, TDC came to life.

Walk me through the process of quitting your job and becoming an entrepreneur.

You know how there’s a feeling inside your heart telling you that you’re born to be an entrepreneur, to be your own boss, to live life on your own rules? Yeah, I didn’t have that at all. 

I always enjoyed my perfectly laid out KPIs, task lists, and limited liabilities. I loved the comfort of a steady paycheck every month. But after COVID hit, like a lot of other people I ended up with burnout. Couldn’t stand going to work at all and I had the privilege of leaving my job so I took the plunge.

I took a break for a month and started freelancing. In just a couple of months, the demand grew more than I could manage by myself so, my partner Abhishek quit his job too and joined in to build TDC with me and we officially launched in January 2022.

Help me understand your vision, mission, and unique value proposition. 

Love this question. Here’s the thing — we were both accidental entrepreneurs. We were never obsessed with the idea of building huge businesses and getting expensive exits down the line.

One thing we’ve always been passionate about is our love for dogs. We have two adopted dogs at home, they helped me through some of the most difficult phases of our lives. So we decided to find passion through the power of doing good. 

Ever since we built TDC, we have been using 10% (or more if needed) of all our top-line revenue to feed street dogs. It started with a handful of dogs and today, we feed about 60 street dogs daily. We’ve also rescued two dogs, and regularly take part in helping vaccinate and neuter them with local NGOs.

So, our vision is to scale TDC while working with brands that believe in the power of doing good. Business has to mean more than just making a profit. We want to work with brands that believe in doing more.

We plan on building our first dog shelter by the end of this year, followed by multiple others across the county. With TDC, we want to bring real change in real lives and we’ll move mountains to do it.  

As a women entrepreneur, do you face any cultural or gender bias?

So far, I haven’t noticed any significant difference between how I’m treated in comparison to how Abhishek (my male co-founder) is treated. All the people I’ve talked to have been respectful, and considerate, and did not treat me differently just because I’m a woman. 

Is women empowerment a buzzword? In your own words, what is women’s empowerment?

Yes and no. My understanding of it has evolved a lot over the last few years. For me, equality does not end with empowering modern women who are ready to fight for their rights. It has to be more inclusive than that. 

I now focus on building more inclusive ideas of gender equality, where there’s a place for trans-women, women from challenging financial circumstances, women to conform to the norms of society while empowering the next generation in their capacity, also men who face discrimination, and amongst others.

Women empowerment has been thrown around a lot, especially by huge corporations without a lot of actual groundwork. So, it’s a buzzword when it’s used as a buzzword. At the same time, I know many people from all different genders that are doing phenomenal work in bringing actual change in society.

In the Indian culture are you talking more about mental health? Or is it put under the carpet?

As a very vocal mental health advocate, I’ve seen both. Quick background about myself: I was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety in my last year of college, was on medication for almost two years and had a lot of therapy. Then had a burnout in 2020.

All of this has been pretty public on my social media. I’m very active on LinkedIn with a substantial readership, so I make a point to share my experiences, no matter how uncomfortable they are to share. This normalizes not being okay and more and more people open up.

We need to note that my background is still very privileged. My parents recommended I see a psychiatrist when I felt low, I could leave my job when I was burnt out, I could afford therapy, I could open up about my struggles and it did not affect my job.

This isn’t the case for everyone. So, I’ve been noticing a major shift in how we talk about mental health but at the same time, all of us live in a bubble. That bubble could be big or small, but we never get to see the actual vast spectrum of experiences others from different backgrounds have. 

Why is mental health not given the same importance as physical and financial health?

If I break my leg, I can’t hide it. People will know I have a broken leg. If I go bankrupt, people will know. If I’m depressed, I can smile it away and nobody will know unless I tell them.

There are many reasons contributing to the shushing of mental health, the stigma, the lack of understanding, the fear of judgment, and the cost to treat it. 

When I share my experiences with mental health, I get tons of comments from people publicly sharing their stories. At the same time, I also get a lot of DMs of people silently opening up about their struggles because they’re afraid their peers will see it and judge them.

I’m sure the narrative is changing very rapidly, but what we need to keep the momentum going is more inclusive conversations on a range of different platforms. Mental health is still an issue that many cannot even afford to think about. We need to make sure it does not end up becoming something that only privileged people know and care about.

I want to know something unique about your city and the food scene.

I’ve lived in 5 cities by now. So, we’ll need to do another piece about this question entirely if I go in depth about it but let me talk about Indian food. I pride myself on being a foodie and I’m happy to say that I live in heaven. From 5-star hotels to street food, it’s all a blessing. 

If you’re into sweet food, you’ll never leave India. If you’re into spicy food, I’m sure I don’t have to explain how India is the spice heaven of the world. If any of your readers decide to visit India, I hope they reach out to me, I’ll take them out to try the best food they can find!

I love your wicked sense of humor. So tell me a few jokes.

Haha, on the contrary, I’ll give you a very bland answer. 

I’m not a jokes person, you know? My humor is very situational. I’m the one who tells those jokes that if you weren’t there, they will mean nothing to you. I do like to think I’m funny, as much as my partner gets tired of my relentless puns and dad jokes, he’s told me one of the reasons he decided to spend his life with me is because I make him laugh. 

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