Interview with Ms. Shelley Danser
Master of Social Work,
Licensed Social Worker, 
Durham Academy Upper School Counselor

1. What does mental health mean to you?
Mental health, according to me, is the equivalent of physical health. It is about the wellbeing and healthy emotional state of the mind.

2. Why do you think mental health is important and why should it be made aware of in children, including those who cannot afford its resources and are below the poverty line? 
Mental health is connected to our overall wellness and can have an impact on our physical health. There is a high percentage of mental illnesses beginning in childhood/adolescence and these only develop further if not catered to immediately. However, mental illnesses should be normalised just as much as physical illnesses as they are of equal importance and have equal biological basis.
Children below the poverty line may have a higher risk of mental illnesses due to unavailability of resources and no access to preventive measures. Hence, it is important to make these children aware of mental health and its importance.

3.⁠ ⁠Can you describe your experience working with children and adolescents? Have you ever worked with those from underprivileged backgrounds?
I have been a counsellor for the past 6 years, so I've been in this position since I was 25 years old. When I was 24 I was working with population of folks who didn't have any insurance and I had to take up home therapy with them because they had no access to external resources. Essentially, mental illnesses can prevail in anybody, but some people may have stressors that can make symptoms worse.

4. What strategies do you use to create a safe and welcoming environment for children who may be hesitant to seek help or open up about their feelings?
Being direct, building a genuine, authentic connection, not putting pressure can help students open up. Explaining things in a transparent way and not questioning them can help them feel more comfortable. Basically not being nosy and prying for details and knowing and accepting that they are the experts on themselves can provide a safe place to process and explore.
We can definitely find lots of things in common and there is no need for ethnocentrism. We need to understand other peoples backgrounds without judgement. 

5. Do you reconcile with the aim of the YANA community? Do you have any ideas/suggestions of programs we can inculcate within the YANA community that you think would be successful?
I feel as if The YANA Community is something we need so much more of and I completely reconcile and endorse the aim of the organisation. COVID-19 to some extent has helped breaking the stigma, but there is a long way to go.
Children and adolescents in the 21st century may be more comfortable asking for a therapist and families are more willing to provide that help but there is still a stigma.
The most important thing to teach, if it is not being taught already, is that mental health is as important as physical health.
Poor mental health is not a sign of weakness and should not be stigmatised. Some ideas that can be incorporated are creating our own resource hub and connecting the arts and the Hindu concept samatva in our modules.

Taken by: Anisha Horne, Head of Marketing
Edited by: Nysa Jain, Founder and Head of Workshops