HSE Mental Health Day

On October 10, the whole world celebrates Mental Health Day. Our favorite university is not an exception. HSE organised a large-scale amazing celebration of this holiday at Pokrovka.

The program was really exciting. There was a huge variety of activities: starting with exhibition of works created by talented students of HSE School of Design connected with the topic of mental health and drawing colorful mandala drawings and followed by canistherapy with dogs and practising hatha yoga. Let us tell how we spent this day and what easy steps can be done on the way to your mental health.

Canistherapy. How Dogs Can Help Humans To Feel Better?

Canistherapy is a worldwide known method of psychotherapy, which is consisted of interaction with dogs. We were visited by “Argues-eyed hearts” – an organization with 9 specially adapted dogs of different breeds, who help people, especially children, but also youth and adults to deal with stress. Undoubtedly, how can anyone get sad when they are surrounded by such extremely cute, positive and fluffy friends as dogs. The pictures can confirm it!

Hatha Yoga. Why Is This Practice So Useful?

Two-hour class of hatha yoga took place in the dance hall of Pokrovka and was organised by professional instructor Maria Filimonova. She showed and explained the students some basic exercises of hatha yoga, which they can use for pscycho-emotional regulation in everyday life. Hatha yoga is not just a complex of physical exercises, which helps you to improve your health and to keep fit, but also the techniques, which influence your mind. That is why practices of hatha yoga have been considered the base of meditation.

Mindfulness – The Way To Make Your Life Easier or More Complicated

A professional psychologist Anna Roznatakovskaya explained the students what mindfulness was, demonstrated them some practices for beginners for regularly use. They did two basic practices of mindfulness: breath concentration and chocolate meditation. The meaning of these activities was to abstract from surrounding situations and to concentrate on the particular thing you are doing at this very moment.

In the first case the visitors of the master-class were just sitting at their chairs, relaxing and concentrating on their breath and changes in their bodies.

The second case was connected with eating chocolate, but it was not just a usual lunch, the participants were doing it very slowly and were concentrated firstly on the smell, then on the touch, then on the taste of the chocolate bar, etc. 

Both of these practices were demonstrated by Anna Roznatakovskaya to teach students to do all their activities consciously, by putting their minds deeply in the process to understand and catch the moment.

What Is The Meaning?

The main aim of the article is to show how important our mental health is and show how many methods to improve it exist. All of us should always pay attention for his or her self-perception and mood, fears and worries. There are a lot of practices and activities that can help you in various situations. Just be honest with yourself and ask for support if you need it. We are so strong, positive and cheerful all together. Peace and love!

Text by
Elena Sysa