A Step Toward Systemic Change: SoulNirvana at the 1st International Mental Health Policy Summit

Some events don’t just add to your calendar — they stay with you.

Attending the 1st International Mental Health Policy Summit was one such experience.

I had the opportunity to be part of this landmark summit alongside Dr. Sonali Karandikar Sikdar ma’am. Organised by the International Society for Mental Health Advocacy and Action, the summit felt less like a conference and more like a collective pause, a moment to reflect on where mental health in India stands today, and where it truly needs to go.

More Than a Summit, a Shared Intention

What stood out immediately was the diversity of voices in the room. Psychologists, mental health professionals, policymakers, industry leaders, NGOs, students, and community members from across the globe came together with one shared purpose: creating measurable and sustainable impact in mental health systems.

Curated by Dr. Chinu Agrawal, the summit wove together policy advocacy, system reform, youth and education initiatives, community engagement, and public awareness in a way that felt grounded and actionable rather than theoretical.

Key Voices, Shared Learning

One of the most impactful moments was the keynote by Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr., who spoke about the evolving role of psychologists and the importance of translating individual clinical work into population-level impact. His reflections offered valuable insights that felt adaptable to the Indian mental health context, especially as we think beyond one-on-one care.

Dr. Ann Vernon highlighted the importance of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in early childhood, reminding us that prevention and emotional literacy must begin long before distress becomes visible.

Dr. Rainer Kur introduced the World of Work–Life Model (WOW-L) and HUCAMA Factors, offering fresh ways to understand and assess workplace mental health — an area that increasingly demands structured, evidence-based approaches.

Conversations That Felt Urgent and Relevant

The panel discussions brought the reality of today’s challenges into sharp focus. Conversations on scaling psychology from 1:1 to 1:many explored accessibility and inclusivity, while sessions on lived experiences and Gen Z mental health addressed topics like AI use, sleep, life skills, and the culture of instant gratification.

As Chair, Navin Kumar emphasised the importance of critical reflection in ethical policy development. Dr. Amool Ranjan Singh reinforced the need for early psychological intervention and the integration of social and life skills alongside academics — a reminder that mental health cannot be treated as separate from education and development.

Day Two: From Dialogue to Contribution

The second day focused on paper presentations and roundtable discussions. I attended the roundtable sessions, where research, lived realities, and policy considerations intersected in meaningful ways. These discussions made it clear that strong policy must be informed by both data and on-ground experience.

A particularly significant moment was the signing of the white paper submission at the end of the summit. It felt symbolic — a collective commitment to moving conversations into action.

A Personal and Professional Milestone

For me personally, and for SoulNirvana, this summit was deeply affirming. It reinforced the need to move mental health beyond individual care toward policy, systems, and collective responsibility.

The conversations echoed what we see every day in practice: advocacy, early intervention, and scalable models are essential if we want sustainable impact. Mental health cannot rest solely on therapy rooms; it must be supported by thoughtful policy and community-level action.

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Chinu Agrawal for curating a platform that truly signals systemic change in mental health in India.

Looking Ahead

The 1st International Mental Health Policy Summit felt like the beginning of something larger, a shift toward collaboration, accountability, and long-term vision in mental health care.

At SoulNirvana, this experience strengthens our commitment to not only individual healing but also contributing to broader conversations around mental health systems, education, and policy. These are the spaces where lasting change begins.