Our Initiatives
Cogworks
Cogworks is an initiative to encourage healthy ageing and enriching the lives of people with dementia. We wanted to bring a community of volunteers together to support people with dementia while their family is at work or in another country! The program focuses on engaging in physical and meaningful cognitive activities through creative expression and social interaction. We have a group of humble and kind artists from movement therapy, visual arts, yoga, and psychology, putting together a program that is most often tailored to each one’s needs.
Samartha - Low Fee Clinic
Samartha is a low cost clinic run by The Green Oak Initiative. We focus on improving efficacy in recovery for low income families. At Samartha, the mental health professionals offer medication management, psychotherapy, and conduct psychological assessments as well. The clinic is run in person for the community in and around Frazer Town (Pulikeshinagar), Bangalore. In addition to general mental health, specialist care in neuropsychology, perinatal mental health, child & adolescent care, de-addiction and geriatric mental health is also available through this service.
Timings & Fees:
- Every Friday: 2pm to 5pm
- Every third Tuesday: 9am to 1pm
- Fee for the clinic: Rs. 200 per session
If you are experiencing distress, anxiety, low mood, panic attacks, concentration issues, difficulty committing to work or relationships, feeling alienated from friends and family, or experience symptoms like seeing things and hearing voices, please contact us at 080-43404122 to schedule an appointment.
Helpline for healthcare workers
The mental health of healthcare workers is a long neglected area of need in our country. Doctors, nurses, midwives, lab technicians and all hospital workers are often exposed to highly stressful conditions and least likely to seek help. As the COVID crisis exploded around us, it became even more necessary to provide a service to the healthcare workers who were battling in the frontline. Rising to the occasion, our team started a free and confidential helpline to provide psychological support exclusively for healthcare workers. We upskilled ourselves with current knowledge on psychological first aid, and combined with our clinical expertise, developed a protocol for the helpline. We now provide this service daily Mon-Sun, 8am-10am & 5pm-8pm, with a plan to expand to longer hours in the future.
MBT Group Psychotherapy
Mentalisation Based Treatment (MBT) is an evidence based program for management of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The aim of the program is to enhance the individual’s capacity to understand the minds of self and others. This in turn not only improves emotional regulation but also, results in effective interpersonal relationships by improving
communication.
We, at the Green Oak Initiative, run MBT groups for individuals diagnosed with BPD. The group therapy program includes 12 weeks of introduction to MBT, and this group then segues into a weekly longitudinal MBT group that lasts for 15months. It is facilitated by two group therapists who have been trained in MBT. These therapists use the mentalizing stance characterised by curiosity to encourage the group members to mentalize effectively.
Our comprehensive program is the first of its kind in India which combines Group therapy with individual therapy and psychiatric care. Our group therapists coordinate and communicate regularly with the other professionals involved in the treatment of each group member in order to optimise care.
Book Club
Popular arts are a great source of information and when depicted correctly can be an ideal medium to dispel myths around mental illness and reduce stigma. Our bi-monthly book club THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS is an open community event where books that explore mental health, illness and wellness are discussed in a reflective safe space.
Movie Club
The Book Club alternates with a bi-monthly film OBLIQUE ANGLE FILM CLUB. Here we discuss films from diverse backgrounds that have mental health as a central theme. Participants range from a regular group of clinicians, service users, carers, to occasional drop-ins to share personal insights when a particular book or film has resonated with them.
Chiguru: Thrive to Five
Chiguru is our perinatal mental health initiative that addresses mental health issues from pre-conception to pre-school. We have an expert team of psychiatrists and psychologists who specifically work in the field of perinatal mental health. We offer services like counselling, evidence based psychotherapy and medical advice for women undergoing mental health issues during antenatal and postpartum periods. We also offer a specialised pre-conception counselling service for women who have a pre-existing mental illness and are planning a pregnancy. In addition, our team offers therapy for improved mother infant bonding, reflective parenting for pre-school children with developmental difficulties and support for the entire family.