Neerja Birla says mental healthcare should be available in rural areas, finds art therapy liberating

There’s no better investment than in your health, especially your mental health. One of the people at the forefront of pushing for mental health reforms is Neerja Birla, who is the Founder and Chairperson of Mpower. She says that in India, we’ve come a long way. What was once considered taboo to speak about is now getting the attention it deserves, but there is still a long way to go.
“In recent years, we have made significant strides in the way we approach mental health – there is more awareness about the impact of and the need for mental health care today. But I do fear that most of the change is still limited to the very urban demographic and that we have miles and miles to go in terms of ensuring that awareness and access to mental healthcare are prevalent at the rural, grass-roots level or even at the semi- urban levels,” Birla says.

Birla and her team are trying to reach out to more people to make them think about their mental health and their latest project aims to use art to combat the stigma associated with mental illness. Mpower in association with Chal Rang De organized its 3rd edition of ‘Art Express’, a two-day wall painting extravaganza to normalize the topic of mental illness in the society through art, on the 25th and 26th of January at Mumbai Central Station.

Birla herself is a fan of art therapy and says, “While one may not be able to make art on a moving train or car, I find that having beautiful, vibrant art to look at while one travels can help to infuse positivity and keep one’s mind inspired and calm. There are also a lot of apps that offer colouring activities for adults, which I personally find very calming and enjoyable, and is the next best thing to the feeling of holding a paintbrush in real life.”

Birla herself used to paint and finds that art therapy is liberating. “It gives me an outlet to express emotions that one might not know how to articulate. It also creates a safe space where there is no right or wrong and no judgement – only a sense of freedom in creating something and having others connect to the thoughts you’ve expressed. I find that art helps me calm down, focus on the moment and get in touch with my own emotions.”