Summary: In this episode of Enduring Health, Dr. Shan talks to Dr. Ramya Mohan about how creativity and arts can greatly improve our emotional well-being and mental health. Aside from being a psychiatrist, Dr. Ramya is also a musician and artist. She developed ‘CAPE: Creative Arts for Processing Emotions’, a self-guided music-based therapy which can be used by everyone, not just patients, who want to de-stress, calm, and support emotional well-being. Podcoin KEY TAKEAWAYS • Incorporating music and arts to improve mental health and emotional well-being works well since it increases the engagement among individuals and invites more expression of thought, feelings, and ideas. • Through her organisation iMANAS London, they’re able to promote positive mental health through creativity by various innovative events in communities. • CAPE is a self-guided and self-motivating technique where music is used to engage and empower individuals. Dr. Ramya developed ‘CAPE: Creative Arts for Processing Emotions’ as she wanted to find a solution to the capacity imbalance demand within the NHS. She wanted to figure out what kind of techniques with work even in large groups, not just on a one-to-one approach. So, she tried her technique with different populations of kids, and found that it can help them to improve both resilience and self-esteem. • CAPE applies to anyone, even the people who don’t have a mental illness. It does not interfere with any therapeutic planning. It also helps people on how to manage and face their own challenges. BEST MOMENTS • “It can be used for engagement, communication, sustenance, or recovery. It can be used at every step of the therapeutic process.” • “The idea is really that creativity is accessible to as many people as possible and that there should be no barriers in terms of culture, language, or any when one tries to be creative.” • “If in our own ways, we are able to contribute, how small it might be, to a young person’s development in such a positive way, it’s a very satisfying experience.” VALUABLE RESOURCES • iMANAS London ABOUT THE GUEST Dr Ramya Mohan is a British doctor, psychiatrist, educator, musician and artist of Indian descent. She studied at Bangalore Medical College (BMC) in Bangalore, India and later worked as a senior consultant in the UK for the National Health Service. Dr Ramya was involved in art before going to medical college. She's an alumna of Bangalore Medical College where she obtained her medical degree. In 1993, she on the Prime Minister’s medal for creating a marble art mural for Republic Day. The award was presented to her by then Prime Minister of India, P.V. Narasimha Rao. She later discovered during her psychiatric training she could use art to aid recovery and communication in children. She is known for her work in the field of Clinical Psychiatry by integrating Neuroscience with the Creative Arts. Since 2008, she has been with National Health Service as a Senior Consultant Psychiatrist and a Medical Educator. She employs her self-developed therapeutic technique ‘CAPE: Creative Arts for Processing Emotions’ where she uses music & art as media to support emotional well-being, cure mental illnesses and aid personality development. In 2015, she founded iMANAS London, an organisation created to promote the integration of medicine, arts and neuroscience. In May 2016, she released her self-guided therapeutic technique ‘CAPE: Creative Arts for Processing Emotions’ in collaboration with the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, musicians and linguists. This technique has a basis in her Neuroscience research on music, emotions and the brain, bringing together Eastern and Western music and well-evidenced therapeutic techniques like mindfulness, guided imagery and CBT to support self-guided emotional processing and regulation. Dr Mohan has composed the vocals and lent her voice to this project; a collaborative effort with well-known musicians and linguists. CAPE has been referenced and featured in various media publications namely The Huffington Post and Deccan Herald. • www.ramyamohan.com • www.imanaslondon.com ABOUT THE HOST Dr Shan Hussain is an author, general practitioner, health coach, wellness advisor and ambassador to the World Health Innovation Summit. As Founder of The Health Studio and a medical doctor of 18 years, he has a special interest in health promotion and disease prevention. He works with individuals and organisations to help naturally improve health in a sustainable, holistic manner. Dr Hussain has developed several coaching and mentorship programmes designed to help reverse the symptoms of many stress-related health problems. His best-selling book, 'The Big Prescription' serves as a guide for readers to learn about evidence-based holistic health practices that create the foundation of his work. CONTACT METHOD Dr Shan Hussain • Connect with Dr Shan Hussain through his website at http://www.thehealthstudio.net. • If you would like to support our Podcast, please visit our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/enduringhealth Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/enduringhealth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
