Fostering Inner Strength Through Affirmation and Awareness

As part of its ongoing psychosocial support for adolescents, Kolkata Mary Ward Social Centre (KMWSC) conducted a focused counselling session on 16th July 2025 under the IDENTITY Project for adolescents from the Dhapa community. The session aimed to nurture emotional well-being through guided techniques like positive self-affirmations, brain yoga, and visualisation exercises.

Conducted by a trained professional, the session provided a calm and interactive space for adolescents to engage in self-reflection and learn practical tools to manage stress, build confidence, and improve concentration. Each component of the session was carefully designed to promote a balanced sense of identity, resilience, and self-worth — particularly important for adolescents growing up in socially and economically marginalised environments.

The practice of positive self-affirmations helped participants challenge negative thought patterns and reinforce a healthy sense of self. Brain yoga exercises were introduced as a technique to activate both hemispheres of the brain, fostering mental clarity and emotional stability. The visualization module guided participants to imagine safe and empowering spaces, helping them internalize hope and motivation.

The group responded with enthusiasm and openness, and many expressed how the session helped them feel calmer and more connected with their inner selves. The facilitator encouraged them to practise these tools regularly and use them during moments of anxiety, self-doubt, or conflict.

Such initiatives reflect the holistic approach of the IDENTITY project, which seeks to empower adolescents not just through education and rights-based awareness, but also through mental health and emotional resilience.

“When young minds are nurtured with strength and stillness, they grow with courage and clarity.”

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