KOCHI: Going through an abuse that you can’t share with the outside world? Scared your parents or friends might judge you? Outreach Child Support, a social welfare organisation, in association with a group of young psychologists have started Outreach Space, a place which offers free psychological support and guidance to youngsters in the city.
According to Geo P George, who is one of the main pscyhologists working with the centre, Outreach Space was started because it’s founders believe treatment of mental health is inaccessible or unaffordable in urban areas.Lack of privacy in various counselling centres in the state is yet another reason.
The centre provides psychological help free of cost.
“First we needed to know whether setting up such a centre was required in Kochi. We put up a post on Facebook asking if anybody needed mental health support, there the response was huge. This is why we decided to take the project further. The space was opened to the public on November 14,” said Geo.
How it functions
Some of the methods and therapies used to treat the patients in the center include CBT(Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ), RET(Rational Emotive Therapy) among others.“Urban India has become the highest point of threat for cases of suicides and depression,”Geo said. He also added that loneliness is becoming a main cause for depression these days and that one in every five people in Kerala require mental health support . “We conduct training programmes for the children we support and also give them Rs 500 every month,” said Reeby Tijo who works as an Assistant Director at Outreach space. The centre aims to widen its reach and plans to open new branches in nearby cities in the coming months.