Chronicles of the Psychology Alumnus

2019 -2020 PAGE 48 PSYCHOMAGICUM DAY 2 SESSION 1 - HOW TO SWAP BURNOUTS FOR BREAKTHROUGHS The first speaker of the day, Prof. Meet Shinde, from S.P.N Doshi College, Senior faculty member of Dept of Psychology a part of SNDT University, to help us understand how to swap burnouts for breakthroughs. He has conducted various workshops including ‘Writing Sensitively about Sexuality’, ‘Power Issues in the Current Socio-political’, ‘ and many more. Mr. Shinde has quite a few research publications including ‘Decoding Brand NaMo’, ‘Fathers Masculinity and the Daughters’. Sir helped us understand that our generation needs to do to take this tendency to overwork and transform it into a trend of efficiency by employing effective strategies. He spoke of errand paralysis and post office anxiety, and truly helped us understand this problem on a deeper level.

2019 -2020 PAGE 49 PSYCHOMAGICUM SESSION 2 - DAWN OF THE DATING APOCALYPSE From dating fatigue to the sting of rejection, even the most confident people are not immune to the negative effects of dating on our well-being. Our generation has had to invent new words like “ghosting” and “DTF” to re-define our dating Dr. Harish Shettyexperiences. shared his expert views on this matter. He is a Psychiatrist and has an experience of 38 years in this field. He completed MBBS from Topiwala National Medical College & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital in 1982 and M.D. (Psychiatry) from King Edward Memorial Hospital and Seth IndianGordhandas Sunderdas Medical College in 1986. He is a member of Medical Association (IMA) and Indian Psychiatric Society. Some of the services provided by the doctor are: De-Addiction, VIOLENT PATIENT MANAGEMENT, Depression Treatment, Gastroenteritis Treatment and Anger Management etc.

2019 -2020 PAGE 50 PSYCHOMAGICUM SESSION 3 - THE SKEWED PERCEPTION OF PSYCHOPATHS AND SERIAL KILLERS The youth finds psychopaths fascinating. Ted Bundy and Charles Manson have become household names. In this age of accessible documentaries and Youtube videos we begin seeing them as heroic, idolizing them, seeking their fame, and adopting their “cool,” dark aesthetic. This is very alarming, and to address it, we Ms. Urveez Kakaliahad to talk about the issue. Ms. Urveez Kakalia has completed her Master’s in Counselling Psychology from Smt. Maniben M. P. Shah College of Arts and Commerce, affiliated to SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai. She has worked with clients of varied ages from young children, adolescents, young adults, adults and older adults; covering a wide range of problem areas. With the aid of a PPT and a lot of research, she was able to truly facilitate our understanding of this topic.

2019 -2020 PAGE 51 PSYCHOMAGICUM SESSION 4 - Screening of Mental Health-related Movie Clips Film has long been a revelatory medium for the portrayal of mental illness(es), and various other related issues. Movies possess the power to shape how we perceive the world and it’s many eccentricities. However, not all depictions of mental health in movies are healthy, or even accurate, and this is a cause of concern. We compiled an array of clips from popular movies revolving around mental health- Ms. Reynellerelated themes that are relevant to the youth today. Moderated by Oliver, we hoped to facilitate an open discourse on these themes through the screening. Ms Rynelle Oliver is a UK certified health psychologist by training. Her mental healthexpertise are in the psychological well-being sector that focus on interventions, positive psychology, sensitivity training, stress management, and a range of corporate emotional wellness programs. In previous and current roles, her focus has been to identify specific issues and challenges faced in the organisation, developing training programmes and facilitate holistic learning modules to promote positive mental health in schools, colleges NGO’s and corporates. The audience was very absorbed during this session, and enthusiastically took part in the discussion. It was an enjoyable experience.

2019 -2020 PAGE 52 PSYCHOMAGICUM Psychomagicum, as always, was an extremely festive and fun time. The informative Ramp Walksessions, glamorous, engaging movie screening, and of course, the vibrant decorations were memorable. The insight and expertise of the speakers contributed immensely to our event and truly enlightened us. Their inputs were invaluable as we all gained a new perspective to address the contemporary mental health-issues relevant to our generation. The Ramp Walk promoted me inclusion and diversity, and brought a smile to everybody’s face. It was truly a successful event, and we feel grateful to have had the opportunity to have hosted it.

2019 -2020 PAGE 53 FIELD VISIT GOA- 27TH BOMBAY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE: FEBRUARY 2020 Department of Psychology had gone for a field visit to Old Goa for the 27th Bombay. Psychological Association Annual Conference in collaboration with St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa & Directorate of Art and Culture, Government of Goa. It was held on the12th; 13th of February 2020. Their theme for the year was “Cultural Symbiosis: Psychosocial This conference was a truly enriching and engaging experience for all the students who had participated. It gave the students an experience of being in a competitive and demanding environment. It has encouraged them to participate in more competitions like this and to engage in more qualitative research work.

2019 -2020 PAGE 54 TWO-DAY EXTERNAL VIVA SESSION MARCH 2020 A two-day external viva session was organized by the department of Psychology of R.D.National College on the 3rd and 4th of March, 2020. Prof. Neha Dalal, Head of the Psychology Department of L.S Raheja College was invited to conduct the viva session with the Prof Nehastudents of TYBA Psychology. ma'am also holds a Post Graduate diploma in Psychotherapy and Counselling. The 19 TYBA Psychology students were divided in a batch of 10 students on the first day and 9 students on the following day. Prof Neha ma'am arrived at 12:45pm on 3rd March and a short doubt clearing session was conducted. Ma'am elaborated the theoretical concepts of the two experiments, the methodological issues as well as the concepts of statistical analysis . The viva sessions commenced at 1:45 pm following the doubt clearing session and went on till 3:30 pm. During the viva ma'am listened to the students patiently and gave them a feedback on their performance and also told them about the areas they can improve. The second day of the external viva session commenced at 2 pm and was concluded with a group feedback at 4:00 pm. A vote of thanks was given to ma'am for taking out the time out of her busy schedule, for facilitating our understanding of complex concepts and highlighting the areas of improvement.

2019 -2020 PAGE 55 PARADIGMS OF CAREERS IN PSYCHOLOGY MARCH 2020 The Psychology Department of R.D. & S.H. National College and S.W.A. Science College organized a one-day inter- collegiate seminar on “Paradigms of Careers in Psychology” which was attended by psychology students from various colleges across Mumbai on 14thMarch, 2020 in the conference room. Psychology practitioners from various specializations have been called upon to share their experience and provide information about their field of practice that can help students gain the requisite knowledge, information, skills and experience to understand the career opportunities open to them. Dr. Cicilia ChettiarThe session started at 8:30 a.m. and the first speaker for the day was who is a Clinical Psychologist in Khar West and also Head and Associate Professor of Department of Psychology at Maniben Nanavati Women's College. Dr. Cicilia provided the students with an overview of the courses available at SNDT University as well as a comparative analysis of the courses offered by the University of Mumbai. Ms. Maurelle D'sa, who is a sports psychologist and co-founder of GRIT Sport & Exercise Psychology Company, was the next speaker for the day. She told the students about a Sports Psychologist's job description and how they are supposed to study the motivation, temperament and success of an athlete in order to improve their self-efficacy across physiological contexts. Ms. Aishwarya BellamWe had from the field of Industrial Psychology who currently works with the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), that is to say the Taj Hotel Group. She spoke about the current scenario for Industrial Psychologist employment opportunities that are available in India. Ms. Aishwarya expressed how psychological concepts and theories of industrial psychology relate to the workplace.

2019 -2020 PAGE 56 PARADIGMS OF CAREERS IN PSYCHOLOGY MARCH 2020 Ms. Tejas ThakkarWith rising demand for seeking education opportunities, from Apex Consultant was called. He briefed the students about how the consultancy offers guidance to students and their parents on topics such as applying to college and how to navigate the application process for obtaining admissions at international institutes. The next speaker was Dr Satish Chandra Kumar, who is the Head and Associate Professor at Mumbai University's Department of Applied Psychology and Counseling. He started the session by providing a brief overview of how Psychology began in India and then went forward by summarizing the different specific psychology courses provided by Mumbai University. Mrs. Alpa M. AlureFrom the Clinical Psychology field we had, who currently works at the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital and the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, gave an insight on how clinical psychologists diagnose and the different types of tests used in the process. She familiarized the students about the Master's in Clinical Psychology program offered by various Indian institutes and the various skills required to become a Clinical Psychologist. Apla ma'am also talked about the various career paths and measures needed to become a RCI- Clinical Psychologist. Ms. Asira ChirmuleyThe next speaker was who acquainted the students about the various therapies accessible in the field of Psychology. She also spoke the importance of gaining information about Indian Psychology. Ms. Asira, who received Advanced training in Rational Emotive and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and RECBT – Children and Adolescents from Albert Ellis Institute, New York, imparted knowledge about the importance of specializing in therapies like RECBT, ACT, DBT and ABT. She also talked from a career viewpoint about the importance of such therapies. Miss Yukti Gupta, who works as an Assistant Professor at Special Education Department, SNDT Women's University, was the final speaker for the day. She started the session by teaching sign language to the students and by performing an activity made the students understand the challenges faced by children with special needs. Ms. Yukti then spoke about the course in Special Education and what the basic conditions are for enrolling in the course. For the students the session was insightful and enriching. Overall, the program has helped students develop a greater understanding of the opportunities that are available in the field of Psychology.

R.D. NATIONAL COLLEGE Newsletter of Activities and Achievements

2020 - 2021 R.D. NATIONAL COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-2021 Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur Head, Department of Psychology Associate Professor R.D. National College Contact No: 9821067319 [email protected]

2020 - 2021 PAGE 57 FACULTY MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur Head, Department of Psychology Associate Professor, R.D National College. Dr. Meghna has been working at R.D. National College since the year 1999. She started out as a assistant professor and through persistent hard work and diligence she made her way to the position as Head of the Department of Psychology in the year 2012. She is extremely motivated and efficient as a leader and guide's students towards success through various endeavors. Over the years, Dr. Meghna has written and published multiple research papers. She strongly encourages community service and undertakes every challenge in her way with grit and determination serving as a role model to the students of the department. Ms. Shweta Mishra Assistant Professor from A.Y. 2019 - till date R.D National College Ms. Shweta graduated with a Masters in Clinical Psychology from V.E.S College, University of Mumbai. She is very involved in all the activities the department conducts and undertakes. Ms. Shweta is very passionate about research. She is extremely encouraging and compassionate as a teacher. She provides a fresh approach to teaching by incorporating her experience into subject matter. Ms. Ruhee Contractor Assistant Professor from A.Y. 2020 R.D National College Ms. Ruhee is a Postgraduate in Clinical Psychology from Manipal Academy. She has an inclusive attitude towards mental heath and has a strong passion for research. As a teacher, she is driven and motivated to enhance learning for students with her unique teaching style. Ms. Ruhee encourages students to be their best possible self.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 58 STUDENT PROGRESSION AND RESULTS

2020 - 2021 PAGE 59 CONTENT 1. Alumni Event - Learning to use Google Classroom 60 2. Flip The Switch: Moving To An Online World 61 3. FLY - Finding the Leader in You 64 4. World Suicide Prevention Day 66 5. World Mental Health Day 71 6. World Students’ Day (Vachan Prerna Diwas) 75 7. Three-day Alumni Mentorship Program 80 8. International Day of Older Persons 82 9. Innovator's Talk on “Recycle the Present. Save the Future” 88 10. Mock Viva Session with Prof. Neha Dalal 91 11. Mental Health and Graceful Aging 95 12. International Women’s Day 99 13. Inclusive Ramp Walk 103 14. The International Day of Happiness with the Annual Fest 106 Psychomagicum 112 15. Volunteered for the XXVIII Bombay Psychological 113 Association Annual Conference 16. Aspiring Careers of Psychology- Live in growth: A Look 124 128 in various career paths in psychology 129 17. Research Paper Presentations 18. Acknowledgement 19. Contributions

2020 - 2021 PAGE 60 ALUMNI EVENT - LEARNING TO USE GOOGLE CLASSROOM AUGUST 2020 TYBAOn 12th August, the department of psychology conducted an orientation program for Psychology students at 10:30 am via Google Meet. The session was conducted by Elvin Kothiya, she was the host of the session. The focus of the session was to learn new skills to make online learning easier and effective. The session was compulsory for all the TYBA psychology students. It was an open session, to get our doubts cleared and ask questions. Elvin began the session by giving us information about different google extensions that she uses to screen record the online classes and webinars and also for taking attendance during the Google meet sessions. Her main focus was to educate us on tools that would make studying online simpler for us. The objective of the session was to learn how to use Google classroom. Elvin explained to us the Google Classroomdifferent features about by presenting it on the online session. She also elaborated on how it would be easier for the classwork and to submit our assignments using it. She showed us how our work would be organised in the classroom, with features like classes and google calendar. There are other online applications by Google like google docs, google slides and google sheets, which are handy. The host elucidated on these topics about the other online google applications and on how to make presentations and collaborate on those presentations with your team members using Google slides. CanvaElvin instructed us on different editing applications like, that can be used to edit photos or make banners and certificates. She also helped us out with scanning documents to upload them online using applications like Microsoft lens. At the conclusion of the session, she answered all our questions, if we still had any remaining doubts. She put an effort to explain it again. She made it a point to clarify and aide us with our difficulties associated with online learning. The session was instructional and straightened out all our uncertainties.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 61 FLIP THE SWITCH: MOVING TO AN ONLINE WORLD AUGUST 2020 On August 17, 2020,The Department of Psychology conducted a 5 day- Flip the Switch Webinar Series for all the Third Year- BA students of R.D.National College. It was led and organised by the Dr. Meghna Basu ThakurHOD of the Department of Psychology, and by the alumni of the department. In the times of COVID, where everything is starting to be online, the objective of the sessions was to help the students learn and get comfortable with using online applications that would help them during their entire academic year. The session was open for all, to clear any doubts and questions. During the course of 5 days, the mentors made sure to help the students learn about every application that would make their future college assignments and classes easier. The com parers for Sara Ansari Rida Sheikhthe first day were and they started with Google Classroom, an app, and that would be used by all students throughout the year for all submissions and study materials. We also learnt how to operate Microsoft Teams. Elvin KothiyaOn the second day, introduced Google Meet to the students, which is the official site Pallavi Bidkarfor all classes and meetings whereas taught on how to make crisp, formal presentations.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 62 FLIP THE SWITCH: MOVING TO AN ONLINE WORLD Elvin KothiyaThe third day was led by who taught us how to use Canva, an app that is extremely useful for posters and certificates. She also explained to the students about the various online certification courses that have come into light during the pandemic and how they help in not only building a resume but also imbibing knowledge.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 63 FLIP THE SWITCH: MOVING TO AN ONLINE WORLD Bhakti Chheda PriyaOn the fourth day, and taught the students on how to make Google Forms and link it to the excel sheets so that they can complete their work in an organized way. They also pointed out the importance of paper presentations that take place for the students of the Department of Psychology. BhaviOn the final day of the webinar series, covered the topic of excel which is extremely important Laxmi Berafor the students of Psychology and Economics, followed by who reminded us of the importance of Community Service. At the end of every session, the mentors patiently clarified any difficulties that the students faced so that they can get along with their new academic year without any trouble.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 64 FLY - FINDING THE LEADER IN YOU SEPTEMBER 2020 The FLY Scholar program is designed for college level the five pillars which were the five non cognitive skills students by the Competitiveness Mindset Institute that we would be experiencing during the coming (CMI) an organization in the USA, dedicated to research sessions. We were then briefed about the framework of and education in the area of Competitiveness, this program which was an abbreviation called LIFE Professional Effectiveness and Ethical Leadership. The where L stands for Learning, I stands for Introspection, FLY program was a 12 day program that was conducted F stands for Fellowship and E stands for Engagement. from the 3rd of September to the 14th of September We were then given certain Group Norms such as be 2020. Everyday was a new session with different precise and to the point, criticise ideas and not people etc. interesting topics and each session was held for 2 hours from 5pm to 7pm. Due to the worldwide outbreak of Every session started with a few warm up activities, COVID 19 virus and the lockdown this program was after which we were taught about a non cognitive skill. conducted using a virtual platform which was zoom. The The very first pillar that was taught to us was session was based on the 5 non-cognitive skills which Conscientiousness which means “Doing the right thing were Conscientiousness, Innovativeness, Taking even when no one is watching” after we were done Initiative, Perseverance and Problem Solving. The main discussing about the pillar we were sent into break out aim of this program was to help the students develop rooms on zoom wherein we were put in groups of 5 or 6 these 5 non-cognitive skills through a change in mindset. where we discussed certain incidents in our lives where we came across this certain non cognitive skill. Similarly The facilitators of this program were Dr. Sreelaxmi in the next session we learnt about Taking Initiative Murthy and Nandini Rao, who led us through this which means “Responding to a need without being journey of the fly scholar program. Our very first session asked” this session was a very fun and interactive began on the 3rd of September, where we started off by session. The facilitators also showed us a short video on having a fun ice breaker session where each one of us how it is important to take initiative in our day to day introduced ourselves and spoke a little about our likes lives. We were also taught certain techniques and and dislikes. We were then given a brief introduction on strategies such as the Risk Mitigation strategy.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 65 FLY - FINDING THE LEADER IN YOU After each pillar was done we were given an online We were then told to fill an online form called the feedback form to fill based on what we had learnt from Buddy exercise where we had to teach someone about the previous sessions. The next non cognitive skill that any one pillar that we connected to the most. This not we learnt was Innovativeness and how important it is to only enhanced our understanding of that skill but also be innovative in today's times considering the helped us realise how we could help others in various competition in the real world. In this pillar we were told different ways. Finally we were given a group project to think outside the box using The Scampler Technique. called Capstone project where we had to make groups The next pillar that was taught was the problem solving of four and plan a campaign, then describe how we non cognitive skill wherein we were told that a real implemented that campaign, how we measured the problem is one that has a practical or implemental success of our campaign and then what we learnt for the solution and one in which we can be a part of it. The campaign. On the last day of this program each group technique used for this pillar was called Reverse spoke about their capstone project and the success of that Brainstorming. The last and final pillar was particular campaign. Perseverance which is a quality that enables you to do or continue something that is difficult. We were told that it The learning that we gained from this program was is the ability to not give up and keep moving forward. immense. In conclusion, we learnt alot from each other as After we were done with all the five non cognitive skills well as all the people we reached out to during this we were then asked to make a Goal chart where we campaign and program. The 5 pillars that we have penned down our goals for the future. Then in the last inculcated in ourselves over the period of this program is session which was on the 14th of September, we definitely going to enhance our non cognitive skills and summarized the knowledge that we obtained during our help us immensely in the future. 12 day session at FLY scholar.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 66 WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY SEPTEMBER 2020

2020 - 2021 PAGE 67 WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY On the eventful day of 12 September 2020, the Department of Psychology at R.D.National College organized an Intercollegiate International Webinar honoring the motive behind World Suicide Prevention Day. Over 200 participants from all over the world participated in the webinar, the event was also graced by some very eminent speakers who with their knowledge and skills successfully addressed some important topics regarding suicide prevention. The webinar commenced with the joyous inauguration of this momentous program by none other than Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur, Head of Dept. of Psychology, who then Shri.welcomed our first speaker- Deepakkumar Mukadam, Founder at Academisthan who is also the Chancellor’s Nominee on Management Council. He then provided his insight and assurance to students who are experiencing a mental standstill in their progress. His significant experience and insights provided students the much needed assurance they were looking for, particularly in these uncertain times.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 68 WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY The second eminent speaker of the day was Dr. Subin Mathews, Australia based Psychologist who is also an Alumni of the college. Dr.Mathews received a warm welcome oncoming back to the institution as a speaker, he later continued to educate us on the topic of suicide risk assessment and opened our perspectives in understanding the various factors of suicide risk assessment. His informative and interactive session later paved the way to better our understanding regarding suicide prevention. Thereafter, a short video created by the students of the department of psychology that sent a message of suicide awareness was screened. Students portrayed the symptoms of suicidal tendencies and also presented the ways to cope up with them. A collective effort was seen in the short video.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 69 WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY The third session was conducted by Ms. Asira Chirmuley, Mumbai based Clinical Psychologist who very skillfully simplified the very complex topics of Cognitive behavior therapy for suicidality. She then presented to us a simplified acronym (P.R.E.V.E.N.T.I.O.N) as a suicide prevention method of CBT approach. Her knowledge and expertise regarding the topic not only helped us comprehend the topic better but also rendered a much practicable method of suicide prevention. The fourth eminent speaker of the day was Dr. Aparna Joshi, Co-ordinator at iCall and Faculty Member at TISS, who informed us about iCall, an online mental health helpline that facilitates online mental health aid. Her experiences with iCall and her immense passion towards the purpose inspired us greatly not only to extend a helping hand towards those who might need it but to also redirect them to the rightful resources. iCall counselors are highly trained professionals who are well acquainted with a broad range of mental health concerns and provide their services in any language demanded, eliminating all the possible barriers that stand between you and a better state of being!

2020 - 2021 PAGE 70 WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY Our last session of the day was graced by the shining personality of Bollywood and Television Actress, Ms.Shruti Panwar who with her soulful presence gave us tips on leading a positive life by practicing healthy habits even during the immobilizing lockdown. She further shared with us her experiences and provided a ray of hope to hold onto even in times of distress. Her beaming smile and thoughtful words not only refreshed our minds but also gave our program a joyous end. Later that evening, the students of TYBA Psychology namely, Arshiya Khan, Aditi Shirke, Vaishnavi Golvankar and Niyomi Joshi, conducted a live session on Instagram that addressed the topics of High suicide rates amongst the LGBTQIA community due to internalized homophobia and Impact of Covid-19. The live session was an interactive one targeting the core audience that is the youth. The topics covered through the entire webinar were not only engaging and informative but especially timely as the suicide rates have soared high since the lockdown. Suicide Awareness is particularly needed in such times of distress. Without the relentless efforts of Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur towards the Department of principalPsychology and the support of our Mrs.Neha Jagtiani our eventful program would not have been a fruitful one!

2020 - 2021 PAGE 71 WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY OCTOBER 2020

2020 - 2021 PAGE 72 WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 10th October 2020On the eventful day of , the Department of Psychology of R.D National College organized an Intercollegiate International webinar to honour International World Mental Health day. Over 100 participants from all over the world participated in the webinar, this event focused on flourishing our minds and thinking in a positive way. Ms.The first speaker of the day was Pankti Chauhan she is an art teacher, Art therapist, NLP Practitioner, Zen Counselor. She gave us an brief information about Art Therapy and conducted the session by playing music and asked us to focus on our mind and thoughts and then continued giving us a tour of how we should discover our mind and how we should choose positive thoughts. Her talk made the students realize the importance of Art. The second speaker of the day was Mrs. Pearl Mistry, she is a Counselor at TISS, she is a teacher and an Entrepreneur. She spoke about positive Self-Talk and how we should become our own best friend. She gave us the SOS technique that is S-STOP, O- OBSERVE, S-SHIFT she also gave us many positive key words such as I can, I will, I do. She is truly an inspiration for everyone out here.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 73 WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY Our last session of the day was elevated showed us few yoga positions and by Mrs. Prajakta Jarode, she is Yoga, asked us to sit and exercise in those Nutrition and Fitness Instructor she positions. Thereafter, a beautiful song elaborated to us the importance of yoga and how we should exercise daily and Jeenawas sung by our classmates maintain fitness. She stated that yoga believes to motives influences our value Supritiand. Without the relentless system which in turn determines our attitudes and behaviour she even spoke efforts of Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur how yoga can change our behaviour and make us more creative lastly she towards the Department of Psychology and the support of our principal Mrs. Neha Jagtani our eventful program would not have been a fruitful one.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 74 WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

2020 - 2021 PAGE 75 WORLD STUDENTS’ DAY (VACHAN PRERNA DIWAS) OCTOBER 2020

2020 - 2021 PAGE 76 WORLD STUDENTS’ DAY (VACHAN PRERNA DIWAS) 15th October 2020On the significant day of, also known as World Students’ Day or Vachan Prerna Diwas, the Department of Psychology, R.D. National College, organised an international and intercollegiate webinar in order to celebrate the Head oflife of the late Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. This event was headed by the the Department of Psychology, Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur. There was an overwhelming response from over 200 participants from all over the country and world, ranging from several age groups, especially the college-going students and teachers from various esteemed colleges. Among us, were present well known and renowned speakers, who possessed vast knowledge in their respective fields. This highly awaited event was inaugurated by Mrs. Shreya Mehta, an esteemed artist, painter and sculptor, who warmed hearts with a cheerful demeanor, as she took the audience on a tour through the process of creating versatile art. Various sculptures, vases and beautiful paintings were displayed and the audience was fascinated by her remarkable talent and skill.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 77 WORLD STUDENTS’ DAY (VACHAN PRERNA DIWAS) PrimeIn fact, one of her most noteworthy paintings was even presented to the Minister of India, Narendra Modi. Furthermore, Mrs. Shreya Mehta took us on a tour through her life, leading by example and immense experience and hardships. To fully capture the spirit of World Students’ Day or Vachan Prerna Diwas, and to honor Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s Birth Anniversary, the students of the Department of Psychology put together a short video on this exceptional “Missile man” and his equally exceptional life and accomplishments. All his contributions to the country, speeches and words of wisdom were compiled into this wonderful video, which took the audience down memory lane and instilled pride in their hearts. Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam not only received the Bharat Ratna award, but was also known as the people’s president. After this heartwarming video was played, it was time to welcome the first Mrs. Janet Gasperesteemed speaker of the Vachan Prerna Diwas event. Chowdhury, a Chief Human Resource Officer, greeted the audience with a warm smile and an abundance of knowledge. She went on to share her opinions as well as some helpful advice for the students on how to empower themselves to become better learners, in order to become better leaders of tomorrow.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 78 WORLD STUDENTS’ DAY (VACHAN PRERNA DIWAS) Furthermore, Mrs. Janet Gasper Chowdhury shared her experience of meeting Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam with the audience, who listened intently for each detail. Our next speaker, Dr. Kaneenica Ninawe, a clinical psychologist at King Edward’s Hospital, took over the platform next and graced the audience with her delightful persona and shimmering smile. She went on to speak about “Women’s Education and Girl Power”, taking the audience through a magnificent powerpoint presentation created by her, with powerful sentiment. Dr. Kaneenica Ninawe touched upon the topics of what women are deprived of, which included decision making power, freedom of movement, access to education, access to employment, exposure to media and domestic violence.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 79 WORLD STUDENTS’ DAY (VACHAN PRERNA DIWAS) After leaving us thoroughly educated on this topic, Dr. Kaneenica Ninawe Head of theparted following which the vote of thanks was given by the Department of Psychology, Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur, wherein she extended gratitude towards the supporters and organisers of this event. She also extended her special appreciation to all the speakers who took time out of their busy lives to grace our event, after which she thanked all the participants, who attended the webinar from all over the world. In conclusion, the event as a whole was indeed a great success, seeing smiles of joy and pride in the audience after the video which was made to honor Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam played, truly made our day! We too got to learn a lot from the knowledgeable speakers that were present, such as how to appreciate the arts, become better learners and leaders and how to be empowered women who empower others.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 80 THREE-DAY ALUMNI MENTORSHIP PROGRAM OCTOBER 2020 The alumni students of the Department of Psychology have a history of conducting a mentorship program where they come together and teach the current TYBA Psychology batch with a unit in any one of their 5 theoretical papers. This year too the alumni students, Ms. Elvin Kothiya, Ms. Bhakti Chheda, Ms, Priya Kewalramani, Ms. Saara Ansari and Ms. Laxmi Bera from the academic batch of 2019-20 came together to conduct a mentorship program with the TYBA Psychology students from the academic year 2020-21 studying in R.D National 3 daysCollege. It was a program conducted over a course of starting from the 20th of October 2020 till the 22nd of October 2020, where they taught the TYBA Sem V students their 3rd unit,i.e., Assessment Methods for Selection and placement & Recruitment, in Paper VI Industrial/Organisational Psychology. Over the course of the 3 days Priya, Bhakti, Elvin and Saara covered the first major subtopic of Assessment Methods for Selection and placement where Priya explained the different characteristics that are needed related to their jobs, Bhakti went over the different types of psychological tests based on their formats (such as group vs individual, close-ended vs open-ended, paper-and-pencil vs performance, power vs. speed, etc.),Elvin stressed on the different types of psychological tests based on what they measure (such as cognitive ability tests, psychomotor ability tests, knowledge and skills tests, personality tests, emotional

2020 - 2021 PAGE 81 THREE-DAY ALUMNI MENTORSHIP PROGRAM intelligence tests, integrity tests, vocational interest tests), Saara explained the topics related to the biographical information, work samples, assessment centers and electronic assessment. The second major subtopic of Recruitment was covered by Laxmi which included the topics of recruiting different applicants, getting the applicants to accept and keep jobs that they have offered and the policies and issues with regard to selection such as the reservation policy, gender and disability status of applicant. It was a wonderful experience to have the seniors teach us these topics where they made the lectures fun, interactive and explained the topics in the same way they had understood and learnt them.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 82 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS OCTOBER 2020 “HAPPINESS IS NOT THE YEARS IN YOUR LIFE BUT THE LIFE IN YOUR YEARS!” 29thOn the significant day of Change (CSSC), in collaboration October 2020, the Department of with R.D. National College, Psychology, R.D. National College Department of Psychology, headed organised a Valedictory Webinar on by the Head of the Department, Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur. There was International Day of Older Persons an overwhelming response from (IDOP). The event was supported by around 220 participants from all over the country, ranging from the Ministry of Social Justice and various age groups, especially the Empowerment and The National senior citizens and college going Institute of Social Defence. It was students. organised by The Regional Resource Training Center (RRTC) and Center for Study of Social

2020 - 2021 PAGE 83 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS The backbone behind putting together the entire webinar was the esteemed Advocate Nirmala Samant Prabhavalkar, who with her cheerful demeanor inaugurated the event. Among us, were present well known and renowned speakers who had vast knowledge in their respective fields. The first speaker was Dr. Vasant Mundra, he spoke about the impact of thoughts and habits on brain functioning and mental health, sleep hygiene, he also helped in maintaining a healthy physical lifestyle as well as gave some tips on how to get better sleep in Dr. Harish Shettythe later years of life. The second speaker was who with his humour and wit gave the participants knowledge about the virtue of patience in matters that deal with the older population. He also insisted that the participants engage in various activities such as exercising the mind and body on a daily basis, playing board games with loved ones and encouraged them to Dr. RD Potdarlead a healthy, active lifestyle in their senior years. We then had share his thoughts and inputs on the interrelationship between seniors and

2020 - 2021 PAGE 84 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS juniors and the bond that they need to share in order to grow in all aspects of life. He also told us that we need to find ways in which we can find happiness in life considering the ongoing situation of the pandemic. Our last and final speaker was Ms. Asira Chirmuley, an extremely sought-after psychotherapist, who gave us a wonderful abbreviation for living where L stands for look at what you have today, I stands for install the idea of reasonable expectations, V stands for vote for change rather than waiting for it, I stands for integrate life as a whole experience, N stands for need to embrace uncertainty and G stands for grow in adversity. She also highlighted the fact of how important it is to prioritise oneself in today’s tough times, by mentioning ways to deal with uncertainties and accept them, as well as live life without overthinking. After this, we conducted a fun and interactive question and answer session with the participants, followed by a musical medley sung by none other than a student Supriti Epilifrom our very own Psychology Department,, who with her melodious voice took us down memory lane with her ever soothing, old Hindi songs.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 85 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS We had most of the elderly participants sing along to Mud Mud ke na dekh and Dr.Mere Sapno ki Rani to which they all applauded with great enthusiasm. Harish Shetty very excitedly requested for the song Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaye and also sang along. Towards the end of the webinar, we organised a couple of games and quizzes to engage participant interaction, where we received cheerful smiles and intelligent, happy senior winners. The games included guessing old songs, completing sentences from old Bollywood movies and guessing riddles, all of which the senior participants thoroughly enjoyed, as could be seen by their enthusiastic answers and thrilled reactions after which, all the participants energetically applauded them. Thereafter, we displayed a heartfelt video, made by the students of the Department of Psychology showing the different ways of interacting with and spending quality time with the elderly persons in their lives.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 86 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS To sum it all up, for the vote of thanks the Head of the Department of Psychology, Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur extended gratitude towards the supporters and organisers of this event. She also extended her special appreciation to Adv. Nirmala Samant Prabhavalkar and Dr. R.D. Potdar, after which she thanked the speakers Dr. Vasant Mundra, Dr. Harish Shetty and Ms. Asira Chirmuley along with all the participants for having graced this Adv. Nirmalaevent. Another vote of thanks was graciously extended by Samant Prabhavalkar, who thanked Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur for bringing the entire event together. She also extended her appreciation towards the speakers and organisers of the event. In conclusion, the event as a whole was indeed a great success, seeing the smiles on the faces of the elderly, genuinely made our day! We too got a lot to learn from them like how to live life in the moment and take every single day with a stride and develop a positive outlook towards life.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 87 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS

2020 - 2021 PAGE 88 INNOVATOR'S TALK ON “RECYCLE THE PRESENT. SAVE THE FUTURE” NOVEMBER 2020 10th November 2021,On the momentous day of the Department of Psychology of IIC 3.0 andR.D. National College organised an ‘Innovator’s talk’ in association with IQAC. The Institutional Innovation Council 3.0 (2020-2021) collaborated with the event to highlight the significance of innovation in today’s generation. The event was conducted virtually in Google Meet. It was a one-hour talk and over 55 participants participated in the event. Dr. MeghnaThe event commenced with a joyous inauguration by none other than Basu Thakur, Head of Department of Psychology, who then welcomed the speaker of the event Mrs Shruti Jhaveri, a well-known ingenious artist. She graduated from the prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and has since then exhibited in over 25 shows across the globe including countries like Belgium, Indonesia, Korea, Dubai and New York. She has specialised in Mixed Media Artworks and is truly a visionary in terms of her innovativeness. She makes unique masterpieces with waste. Mrs Shruti Jhaveri started with her experience of initial stages of hard-work. Her mindfulness towards recycling is incomparable. She highlighted her work from different cultures of different continents and how she could think out of the box. She insisted on the ways one could face the challenges in life by overcoming fear and anxiety. She emphasized on the significance of mother earth and how she involved bit and pieces of it to make her work look more creative.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 89 INNOVATOR'S TALK ON “RECYCLE THE PRESENT. SAVE THE FUTURE” She initially used wood, plastic and metals for her work. She shared her artworks from her first show which was held in Mumbai. She shared her brand video which depicted her work of experience with different materials. She also enlightened the students with the techniques to make clay at home. A short video was displayed of her work at international levels. She stated the importance of good vibes as it helps one to feel relaxed and calm amidst the lockdown and she also stated few power words to keep in mind. Her journey towards mastering her goals taught the students to expand their knowledge and ideas towards pursuing a field of their interest. Her talk made the students realize the importance of being innovative as well as independent. Her mastery over art and artistic works truly encourages students to be ambitious and dedicated. She uplifted the students to be confident and focused while maintaining the vigour.Few questions asked by the participants were addressed impeccably. To sum it all up, for the vote of thanks the Head of Department of Psychology, Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur extended her gratitude towards the supporters and organizers of this event. She also Mrs. Shruti Jhaverextended her special appreciation toi along with the participants for having graced the event.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 90 INNOVATOR'S TALK ON “RECYCLE THE PRESENT. SAVE THE FUTURE” In conclusion, the event as a whole was indeed a great success as the participants seemed interested as well as motivated with her life experiences.

2020 - 2021 PAGE 91 MOCK VIVA SESSION WITH PROF. NEHA DALAL DECEMBER 2021

2020 - 2021 PAGE 92 MOCK VIVA SESSION WITH PROF. NEHA DALAL MOCK VIVA Individual feedback was given to each REPORT student by our expert examiner who guided the students about the areas The mock viva organised by the where they needed improvement. Department of Psychology of R.D. An overall feedback about the viva was 6thNational College was conducted on December, 2020. given to our Head of Department, Dr. Meghna Basu Thakur, following which The mock session was taken by an expert marks allotment was submitted. Prof. Neha Dalal, I/C Head of department at Raheja College. Each The viva was conducted in 2 batches - 10 students were examined in the 1st Batch individual was asked five viva questions from 9 am to 10.30 am and then 11 that were supposed to be answered students were examined in the 2nd Batch within the time limit of 10 minutes from 10.40 am to 12.40 am

2020 - 2021 PAGE 93 MOCK VIVA SESSION WITH PROF. NEHA DALAL RECORDING LINKS 1st batch 9am to 11 am (10 students) Click here 2nd batch 11 am to 12.30 pm (11 students) Click here

2020 - 2021 PAGE 94 MOCK VIVA SESSION WITH PROF. NEHA DALAL MARKS & FEEDBACK SHEET FOR EACH STUDENT

2020 - 2021 PAGE 95 MENTAL HEALTH AND GRACEFUL AGING MARCH 2021