Christ University is probably one of the few universities to have focused on the mental well-being of its students since 1995.  

The counseling service for students which began with a single mental health professional has today organically grown into a service that promotes and safeguards mental health with various programs and awareness activities. 

The stigma around seeking support for mental health is being challenged by focusing on making it wellness and youth focused.

One such initiative is the celebration of world mental health day.
World Mental Health Day, celebrated every year on October 10, is aimed at raising awareness and spreading education about mental health issues and concerns.  
This year the theme of 2023 World Mental Health Day is ‘'Mental health is a universal human right'.  It aims at raising awareness about mental health and driving positive change to promote health and wellbeing of all. It was in this backdrop that the programmes/initiative for the World Mental Health Awareness Week as part of the Mindshift Series 2023 (an initiative of CCHS - Centre for Counseling and Health Services, in collaboration with the Department of Psychology ) was planned.
 

Zumba - Healing Through Movement and Dance 

Recognising the importance of  movement and dance, zumba was planned as one of the activities of the mental health awareness week (Mindshift 2023). Zumba, the combination of exercise and dance, has several health benefits - improves cardiovascular health, muscle strength, flexibility and improves mental health by relieving stress and anxiety. Students grooved to the music following the instructions of the zumba trainer Ms. Sheela Mary who has over 9 years experience in the field. It was well received by the students, They found it to be fun, therapeutic and mood boosting.