Sensitisation Programme on Mental Health for Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff

The Govind Ramnath Kare College of Law, Margao–Goa, has organized a program on “Sensitisation Programme on Mental Health for Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff” on 11th July 2026 at 2:00 p.m. in the Smart Classroom, VVM’s GRKCL. The programme was commenced with a warm welcome by Dr. Shruti Nadkarni, who welcomed the resource person Dr. Vithoba Narayan Mhalkar, Associate Professor, Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, Bambolim, Dr. Maria Goretti Simoes, Associate Professor & Vice Principal, other faculty members, and staff. She also introduced the resource person, Dr. Vithoba Narayan Mhalkar, highlighting his expertise and contribution in the field of mental health.

After the welcome speech the resource person Dr. Vithoba Narayan Mhalkar delivered an insightful and informative session on the importance of mental health and emotional well-being in educational institutions. He emphasized the need to recognize the signs of stress, anxiety, and burnout among teaching and non-teaching staff and discussed practical ways to maintain a healthy work-life balance. He encouraged the participants to prioritize self-care and support whenever required, and contribute towards creating a positive and supportive workplace environment and he also advised that a one should have a self-awareness of your own self, he guided how to build the self-awareness with help of SWOT analysis (Strength, Weakness, opportunity and threat). He explained that mental health is an essential component of overall health and significantly influences an individual’s personal, social, and professional life.

During his session, Dr. Mhalkar emphasized the importance of recognizing the early signs of mental health concerns and encouraged participants to seek timely support without fear of stigma. He discussed practical strategies for managing stress, including maintaining a healthy work-life balance, engaging in regular physical activity, practising relaxation techniques (such as me time of 45 minutes), communicating openly with colleagues and family members, and seeking professional counselling whenever necessary. Lastly, he highlighted that stress, anxiety, work pressure, and emotional exhaustion can adversely affect both physical health and work performance if left unaddressed.

The programme was highly interactive, with the participants actively engaging in the session and benefiting from the valuable knowledge and practical guidance shared by the resource person. The programme created greater awareness about mental health and reinforced the importance of promoting psychological well-being within the institution.

The programme concluded with a token of appreciation by Vice Principal to our resource person and with a heartfelt vote of thanks proposed by Asst. Prof. Sonia Shirodker, who expressed sincere gratitude to the resource person for his enlightening session and thanked the management, faculty members, non-teaching staff, and all the participants for their enthusiastic presence and cooperation, which made the programme a great success.