A series of invited programmes are being organised to commemorate DANA’s 25th year. Next 2 programmes on various issues of Mrntal Health will in the form of discussion, debate, audio-visual presentations and musical shows will be presented at Birla Academy Auditorium on Southern Avenue on 23rd & 24th November, 2024 at 5.30 pm. All are cordially invited to attend and participate. The programme is attached.
10th October is celebrated as the Worl
d Mental Health Day every year. This year’s theme is ‘Mental Health in Workplace’. O this occassion DANA organised an Interactive Session on this theme today. Various Speakers spoke on this issue with special reference to the heinous crime against the Woman PGT at the R.G.Kar Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata.
10 October is World Mental Health Day
The overall objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.
The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.
In the World Mental Health Week, DANA will organise an Interaction Programme on this year’s theme ‘Mental Health in the Work Place’ on 6th October, 2024 at 11 am. Dr Gautam Bandyopathay, Ms Ratna Mitra and others will speak on the occassion.
Interested persons including DANA’s students and members are invited to attend this programme as a part of our seeking justice for ‘Tilottoma’ this year.
BEHAVIOR THERAPYIn order to celebrate DANA’s 25th year, a full-day programme on New Dimensions of Behaviour Therapy was organised today. The key speakers were Dr Sheila Banerjee, Sr Psycholohist and Prof (Dr) Gautam Bandyopadhyay, Sr Neuro Psychitrist. They spoke on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) & Dielictic Behaviour Therapy (DBT). 
As a part of DANA’s 25th year celebration, a Day Long Programme is planned on Sunday, the 14th July at 11 am. Interested persons may intimate DANA 9051252231 about their participation. There is no Registration Fee. DANA’s students and associates will get preference.
BEHAVIOUR THERAPY – NEW DIMENTIONS
11 am : CBT Speaker Dr Sheila Banerjee.
2 pm : DBT Speaker Dr (Prof) Gautam Bandyopadhyay.
ALL ARE WELCOME
DANA’s Annual General Meeting for the year 2023-2024 was held at DANA Premises on Sunday, the 23rd June,2024. The Secretary presented the Annual Report and The Treasurer presented the Audited Statement of Accounts. There was elaborate discussion on various programmes both inside and outside DANA i the current year for celebrating 25 years of DANA.
DIAGNOSTIC AND APPLIED NEURO-PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
(D A N A)
ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2023-2024
To be presented in the Annual General Meeting of DANA, which is to be held on June 23, 2024, at 12 p.m.
Diagnostic and Applied Neuro-psychological Association (DANA) is a registered non-profit organization which was established on February 10, 2000 by a group of Professional Mental Health Workers with a noble mission to render services to the community for promoting mental health status of the same.
DANA continues its work as a registered NGO since 2002, though in fact it has completed twenty-four years of its existence. Among the different categories of MEMBER there are 12 GENERAL MEMBERS, and 12 LIFE MEMBERS,32 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS beside 1 HONORARYMEMBER.
The Executive Committee of DANA for 2022-2024 consists of
Dr. Amal Kr. Mallick as President, Dr. Sheila Banerjee as Vice-President,
Dr. Sayandip Ghosh as Secretary, Mrs. Pallabi Mukhopadhyay as Jt. Secretary,
Mr. Pranab Kumar Moitra as Treasurer, Dr. Amit Chakraborty,
Dr.Gautam Kumar Bandopadhyay, Mrs. Sutapa Chakraborty,
Mrs. Bandana Mukherjee, Mrs. Ratna Mitra and Mrs. Rita Roy as Members.
Mrs. Sutapa Chakraborty, as Co-coordinator ensured very smooth functioning of DANA.
The Executive Committee Meetings were held on 25th June 2023, 25th September 2023, 6th November 2023, 21st December 2023 & 16th February 2024 on Hybrid (offline & online) platform.
Different Activities of DANA (April, 2023 to March 2024)
A – Clinical Services
The services offered by DANA can be assessed from the following statistics:
The professionals were associated with:
(1) Registered New Clients (Online and Offline mode): 450 338(till December’23) 450(all the year total)
2. No of Counseling Sessions, including Assessments (Online and Offline): 3002
3. A SPECIAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENCE CENTRE was set up last year,(2022-2023) which continues to Diagnose and Support Children with Special Needs (therapy and behavior management ). Total number of sessions: 39
Two Special Educators were appointed on a part-time basis to support the children.
4. DANA also supports the Non-privileged persons and those with Physical Disabilities for free treatment or, at times, with nominal Consultation Fees.
B- Orientation Programmes/ Workshop
The following Orientation Programmes were held by DANA between April 2023 to March 2024.
1. A series of workshops titled ‘Child & Adolescent – Challenges & Outcomes’ were held by DANA between 30th April 2023 to 11th June 2023, on Hybrid (Online and Offline) platform. Total number of sessions: 10.
2. On 10th September 2023 DANA organized a programme against suicide on “Suicide Prevention Day” at Bangla Academy. The Key Speakers were Dr. Amit Chakraborty Mr Pracheta Gupta, Mr Sanjit Sengupta, Dr Nilanjana Paul, Dr Gautam Bandopadhyay and Dr Suddhendu Charaborty. The Moderator was Mrs Ratna Mitra. Dr. Sheila Banerjee introduced the topic and it was followed by the inaugural song, sung by Mrs. Subhra Banerjee Paul. The programme was followed by a play directed by Mr Soumitra Basu(ANTARMUKH) entitled “Chole Jete Jete Ekbar.
3. On the occasion of the World Mental Health Day DANA organized a Workshop on a topic “MENTAL HEALTH IS A UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHT” on 10th October 2023. Dr Gautam Bandopadhyay was the key speaker in that programme.
4. A training- cum- Workshop entitled ‘DAY TO DAY MENTAL HEALTH’ was held at DANA between 25th November 2023 to 17th December 2023, on Hybrid (online and offline) platform. Total number of sessions : 12
C – Cultural Activities
(a) On 25th October, 2023 DANA organized a “Bijoya Sammilani” which was hosted by Dr. Amit Chakraborty at his residence.
(b) On 24th March 2024, DANA celebrated “Bosonto Utsab” which was hosted by Dr Gautam Bandopadhyay at his residence.
D- Other Activities
a) To commemorate the 25th anniversary of DANA, a Special Promotion Reel was produced by Mrs. Koel Chakraborty, Graphic Designer through commissioning in English and Bengali for a duration of fifteen minutes each .
b) In order to celebrate the 25th year of DANA Indoor Seminars on various topics and two Invited Audiences’ Programmers’ at Birla Academy auditorium have been chalked out.
E – Computerization
E-billing and E- management of data related to all registered clients of DANA have been continuing over the last eleven financial years and is being effectively carried on.
F- Acknowledgement
A deep sense of gratitude is expressed to N P S M& Associates Chartered Accountants auditing the Accounts of DANA like previous years at a nominal fee.
Last, but not the least, it is the whole hearted co-operation from all Members and Office colleagues viz Ms. Puja Dutta, Mr. Subhas Moitra, and Mr. Animesh Patra, that has helped DANA to successfully render its service.
Dr. Amal Kumar Mallick President
Dr. Sayandip Ghosh Secretary.
As part of 25th Year Celebration of DANA, a special programme will be areanged at DANA on 26th May, 2024.
DANA – 25TH YEAR CELEBRATION
Lecture on POCSO ACT
Speaker: Dr Sujit Sarkhel, Editor, Indian Journal of Psychiatry.
Moderator: Dr Gautam Bandyopadhyay, Head & Professor of the Dept of Psychiatry, Calcutta Medical College.
Sunday, 26th May, 2026.
An Workshop cum Training on ‘Day to Day Mental Health’ will be organised by DANA startung on Saturday, the 25th November, 2023. The course will be a combination of Online (4) and Offline (8) classes on Satarday evenings and Sundays pre-noons and post-noons. The course-fee is Rs 2600. Onterested persons may contact DANA 9051252231 between 12 and 8 pm for registration. Ms Pallabi Mukherjee 9830679890 is also available for information, if any.
TENTATIVE SCEDULE OF CLASSES
Day to Day Mental Health
Class 1 , Saturday, 25.11.2023 ( online )
7 -7:30 pm
Introduction
7:30-9:30 pm
In search of identity ( adolescence crisis)
Speaker : Dr. Anirban Roy
Moderator : Dr. Amit Chakraborty
Class 2 , Sunday 26.11.2023 ( offline )
11 am to 1 pm
Deviations of Adolescents with focus on addictions
Speaker : Dr. Sayandip Ghosh
Moderator : Dr. Tultul Ghosh
1.30pm to 3:30 pm
Managing problems of adolescents
Speaker : Dr. Tultul Ghosh
Moderator : Dr. Sayandip Ghosh
Class 3 , Saturday, 2.12.2023 ( online )
7:30-9:30 pm
Men are from Mars,women are from Venus
A study in communications and relationships.
Speaker : Dr. Gautam Bandyopadhyay
Moderator : Dr. Amit Chakraborty
Class 4 , Sunday 03.12.2023 ( offline )
11 am to 1 pm
Repairing the broken nest : Marital counselling Speaker : Dr. Amit Chakraborty and Ms. Ratna Mitra
Moderator: Mrs. Bandana Mukhopadhyay
1.30pm to 3:30 pm
Love and Sex
Speaker : Dr. Amit Chakraborty
Moderator: Mrs. Bandana Mukhopadhyay
Class 5 , Saturday, 09.12.2023 ( online )
7:30-9:30 pm
Midlife Crisis
Speaker : Mrs. Pallabi Mukhopadhyay and Mrs. Suvra Banerjee Pal .
Moderator : Dr. Sheila Banerjee
Class 6 , Sunday 10.12.2023 ( offline )
11 am to 1 pm
Warground Workplace
Speaker: Mrs. Pallabi Mukhopadhyay
Moderator : Mrs. Bandana mukhopadhyay
1.30 pm to 3:30 pm
Loneliness
Speaker : Mrs. Bandana Mukhopadhyay and Ms. Suvra Banerjee Pal
Moderator : Mrs. Pallabi Mukhopadhyay
Class 7 , Saturday, 16.12.2023 ( online )
7:30-9:30 pm
The Twilight years – problems of the elderly and elderly care
Speaker : Dr. Sayandip Ghosh and Mrs Ratna Mitra
Moderator : Dr. Gautam Bandyopadhyay
Class 8 , Sunday 17.12.2023 ( offline )
11 am to 1 pm
accepting the final eventuality
Speaker : Dr. Amit Chakraborty
and Mrs .Ratna Mitra
Moderator : Dr. Amal Kumar Mullick
1:30 to 2:30 pm
Presentations by participants
2:30 to 4 pm
Valedictory Session
Course Fee : 2600 /-
Dr Subhamita Moitra, a researcher in the field of Neuro Psychology has observed:
While the entire world observes Mental health day on 10th October, there are dark corners in every segment of the world where people are suffering from mental health issues!
In this twenty first century, when messages are sent faster than feelings are evoked, “mental health” is still differentiated from “health”, it still doesn’t come under the coverage of health itself. Definitely, the developed countries have managed to provide a better mental health support infrastructure and have appreciably established mass mental health awareness. But the developing countries are still struggling!
Apart from the socio economic crisis, there are many other challenges which somehow subside the need of mental health to be recognized as one of the top priorities in developing countries. Neither the level of awareness nor the policies are adequate. Though the Mental health act was revised and reformed in 2017 in India, there is still a paucity of appropriate policy and insurances for providing optimum health care in case of mental health. Even most of us don’t know about our rights as citizens of the country when it comes to mental health issues. We don’t speak out because we feel ashamed or hesitant to say that “I have mental issues”, as a result of which, the crisis remains unattended leading to a sharp increase in number of OPD visits, hospitalization and other mishaps across cross all ages and socio economic strata worldwide (including India). Therefore it’s high time to talk about our feelings, our sorrows, our challenges.
But it’s not easy to talk about ourselves. Since childhood, we learn to take care of others but not ours! We seek happiness in others but we never ask ourselves “am I happy”. Of course, it doesn’t mean that we must not think for others. But it means that we should take care of others as well as ours. On this World mental health day, let us plan to build together some small scale support systems where our near and dear ones can seek help. This system doesn’t need a medical or occupational expert, it can simply be a group of people who can be silent listeners, to whom people can express themselves without the fear of being judged. The assurance of not being judged and all personal information being protected can make a person feel safe to express grief, anxiety, dark desires and many more. Can we do it…?
Happy World Mental Health Day to one and all
#WorldMentalHealthDay2023 #WorldHealthOrganizationWHO #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthindia #MentalHealthMonth #wellness #wellbeing #creativity_and_wellness_with_subhamita
“Our minds, our rights”
World Mental Health Day 2023 is an opportunity for people and communities to unite behind the theme ‘Mental health is a universal human right” to improve knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promote and protect everyone’s mental health as a universal human right.
‘Mental health is a universal human right”
Like previous years, on the occassion of World Mental Health Day, DANA will organise an interactive programme at its Hall on 10th October at 5 pm. All are welcome to participate on this year’s theme ‘Mental health is a universal human right”.