Chandana Bhuyan

22/01/2026

Bridging Vision, Policy, and Practice | ISMHAA
6–8 January 2026 | India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

The successful culmination of the 1st International Mental Health Policy Summit (ISMHAA) stands as a strong testament to what becomes possible when evidence, ethics, lived experience, and policy dialogue come together with clarity of purpose.

The Summit offered a truly global and interdisciplinary platform, bringing together policymakers, clinicians, researchers, educators, civil society leaders, and individuals with lived experience to engage in meaningful dialogue on the future of mental health policy, training, and implementation. Its strong emphasis on action—from policy critique and evidence-based recommendations to the collective vision of a White Paper on Mental Health Reform and Implementation—made it particularly impactful.

I place on record my deep appreciation for Dr. Chinu Agrawal, Organising President, ISMHAA—a leader of rare vision and perseverance. As the driving force behind this summit, her ability to conceptualise, mobilise, and execute such a complex global initiative reflects exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to strengthening mental health systems. As her research scholar, it is both a privilege and a proud moment to witness her scholarship translate into meaningful policy-level impact.

Warm congratulations to Dr. Priyaranjan Avinash, Co-Founder of The MindScape, on his appointment as President, Men’s Mental Health Standing Committee, ISMHAA. His contributions as an invited speaker at the Round Table Discussion—highlighting critical policy-level challenges—and his role in chairing multiple academic sessions and paper presentations significantly enriched the Summit’s scholarly depth.

Hearty congratulations to Dr. Mythili Hazarika on her insightful sessions and leadership as President of a Standing Committee, and warm greetings to Tushar Singh on receiving the ISMHAA Fellowship Award.

It was also heartening to see one of my interns participate in the Summit, and I extend congratulations to colleagues and friends Tanu, Nithya, Saloni, and seniors Aruna Sarawgi and Nandita for their recognitions and contributions.

It was a delight to listen to Dr. Anne Vernon, Arthur C. Evans, Ph.D. , Rainer Kurz, Jamuna Rajeswaran , and ever-smiling Dr. Preeti Galagali!

At The MindScape, we remain committed to aligning clinical practice, research, and advocacy with such evidence-informed, ethically grounded initiatives—working collectively toward sustainable mental health systems.

17/01/2026

Bridging Evidence, Practice, and Policy | ISMHAA Mental Health Policy Summit 2026

Honoured to present my research co-authored by Dr Priyaranjan Avinash and Dr Chinu Agrawal ma’am at the 1st International Mental Health Policy Summit (ISMHAA), held at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, as part of the Global Dialogue on Mental Health Policy.

My oral presentation,
“Bridging the Gap Between Psychopharmacology and Psychotherapy:
A Cross-Sectional Study of Referral Practices, Barriers, and Attitudes Among Psychiatrists and Psychologists in India,”
examined a critical yet under-addressed gap in Indian mental healthcare.

Key insights from the study highlighted:

• A clear disconnect between positive professional attitudes and actual referral practices
• Structural and systemic barriers limiting interdisciplinary collaboration despite readiness
• Greater professional experience correlates with higher interdisciplinary confidence
• Collaboration is currently driven more by individual initiative than by institutionalised care models

Core conclusions and policy implications:

• Strong professional support exists for integrated mental healthcare
• However, system-level and policy-level reforms are essential
• The urgent need for standardised referral protocols, integrated care settings, and formal collaborative frameworks
• Bridging pharmacological and psychotherapeutic care requires formalised systems, referral pathways, and institutional support—not goodwill alone

This platform reinforced an essential truth:
Mental health reform cannot remain aspirational—it must be operational, structured, and policy-embedded.

Grateful to ISMHAA for creating a space where research, clinical realities, lived experience, and policy dialogue converge meaningfully.

At The MindScape, this aligns deeply with our commitment to integrated, ethical, and evidence-informed mental healthcare—where collaboration is not optional, but foundational.

📍 ISMHAA Mental Health Policy Summit 2026 | Day 2
📅 8 January 2026 | New Delhi

14/01/2026

Grateful to serve as a Mentor at Startup Clinic on 10th Jan under BECon Regionals ’26, an initiative by the Entrepreneurship Development Cell, IIT Delhi. Representing The MindScape, it was deeply fulfilling to engage in focused one-on-one conversations with early-stage founders—listening to their journeys, refining perspectives, and working together toward clarity, confidence, and direction.

Startup Clinic is a mentorship-driven platform that has previously brought together global and national leaders such as Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, Dara Khosrowshahi, Nitin Gadkari, Raghuram Rajan, and Sanjeev Bikhchandani, reflecting the scale and credibility of this ecosystem.

Moments like these reaffirm my belief in the power of early, thoughtful mentorship—where ideas are not just evaluated, but nurtured with responsibility, insight, and purpose.
Honoured to contribute and always grateful for opportunities that allow meaningful exchange, learning, and collective growth within India’s evolving startup ecosystem.

12/01/2026

Grateful to be part of the Pre-Summit Workshop of the International Mental Health Policy Summit 2026 on “Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children: Empowering Caregivers to Cope and Thrive” by ISMHAA.
An enriching day of learning from eminent experts on evidence-based approaches, caregiver mental health, neurodivergent adolescents, and the role of emotional and spiritual resilience in parenting.

Workshops like these are crucial in bridging policy, practice, and lived experiences of families navigating neurodevelopmental challenges.
Kudos to DrChinu Agrawal ma’am for bringing the experts from different fields to give us a holistic perspective on this topic!
Looking forward to integrating these insights into clinical work, training, and advocacy for child and family mental health.

31/12/2025

Wish you all a very happy new year!

24/12/2025

Mental health is not a trend.
It is a commitment — to ethics, science, and compassion.

At The MindScape, we work at the level of healing and care.
Through ISMHAA (International Society for Mental Health Advocacy and Action), we take this work forward into advocacy, education, and ethical action.

Because mental health deserves understanding — not sensationalism.

From awareness to action.
Together.






ScienceBasedCare
PsychologyWithPurpose
MentalHealthProfessionals
LivedExperienceMatters
TraumaInformedCare
MentalHealthIndia
MentalHealthLeadership
FromAwarenessToAction

24/12/2025

Therapeutic work can often feel quiet and solitary. As therapists, we hold our clients’ stories with deep responsibility, honouring confidentiality and protecting their identities. For the same reason, our work rarely finds a public voice—yet it remains deeply meaningful.

Still, it is important for people to know that therapy works.

On rare occasions, a client chooses to express their experience in a way that can be shared—without compromising privacy—and those moments feel profoundly affirming. I feel truly grateful to one such client who, with immense thoughtfulness, gifted me something deeply personal and handmade, and graciously consented to this reflection being shared here 😇

What touched me most was the sincerity behind the gesture—especially the heartfelt letter written by her children, which left me quietly moved. Moments like these serve as gentle reminders of why we do what we do 🙏🏻😇

I share this not as praise, but as reassurance—for anyone wondering whether healing is possible. Therapy is a collaborative process. It requires presence, honesty, consistency, and willingness from both the client and the therapist. When that partnership is nurtured, meaningful change becomes possible.

May this stand as a quiet testament to the power of therapeutic work—and to the resilience of those who commit to the journey 💫🧿

21/12/2025

Grateful to have been invited by MPOWER – Meghalaya Programme for Wellbeing, Empowerment & Resilience (Government of Meghalaya) to participate in the Consultative Workshop on the Meghalaya Adolescent Wellbeing Curriculum held on 19th December 2025.

I couldn't make it to Shillong, but they still insisted on presenting my perspectives online 😇 I am glad to contribute psychological insights to discussions on building a competency-based, age-appropriate, and culturally contextualised adolescent wellbeing curriculum for the state of Meghalaya.

The consultation focused on crucial domains, including emotional well-being, mental health, healthy relationships, life skills, digital well-being, substance-use prevention, reproductive health, and holistic adolescent development. It was encouraging to witness a strong, multi-sectoral approach involving education, health, mental well-being, and community stakeholders.

Honoured to be part of this meaningful initiative aimed at strengthening adolescent resilience and wellbeing through evidence-informed, context-sensitive frameworks.
Looking forward to seeing these collective insights shape impactful policy and practice for young people.

Grateful for the trust and opportunity to contribute.

11/12/2025

On 29th November, I had the honour of attending The Power Connect as a Special Guest & Invited Speaker. This gathering brought together some of the brightest entrepreneurs and professionals from Northeast India.

Thank you, Kaveri Banikya, for creating a platform that celebrates ideas, resilience, and meaningful networking.
I talked about the power of collaboration and how consumer psychology works.
Also, learned a lot from highly experienced speakers from different areas 😇

I believe that when passionate individuals come together with openness and purpose, powerful conversations begin—and from those conversations, powerful change follows.

Grateful for the warm felicitation and the opportunity to be part of a community that leads with courage, creativity, and collaboration.
Here’s to building bridges, strengthening networks, and empowering each other to grow. ✨

10/12/2025

A late post:

My decision to become a Psychologist had many reasons; one was my desire to reach out to children and teenagers who are struggling in some way. This session on “IMPORTANCE OF PROPER REGULATION OF EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS OF STUDENTS FOR SHAPING THEIR FUTURE " with more than 100 students from the remote areas of Majuli allowed me to do exactly that.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity and for the invitation extended by the NGO “Udayan-the rising” which is doing remarkable work to support and uplift children from these communities.

"ছাত্ৰ ছাত্ৰী সকলৰ ভবিষ্যত জীৱন উপযুক্ত ভাবে গঢ় দিয়াত আবেগ অনুভূতিৰ সঠিক নিয়ন্ত্ৰণৰ আৱশ্যকতা"

Dated on: 23/11/2025 (Sunday)

03/12/2025

03/12/2025

🌍 *ISMHAA 2026 — A Historic Mental-Health Event*

Join the APA CEO, top Government officials, and global leaders at the International Society for Mental Health Advocacy and Action (ISMHAA) Summit.

📅 *7–8 January 2026*
📍 *India Habitat Center, New Delhi*

A first-ever opportunity to contribute to India’s mental-health policies.
Seats are limited.

Participants are invited to contribute through:

1. Presentation of actual work done in mental health advocacy, community initiatives, or service delivery

2. Case studies and impact studies demonstrating real-world outcomes

3. Policy gap identification and recommendations for strengthening national and regional mental health systems

For Membership & Registration:

1. Life Membership :
https://forms.gle/eDEo7ZyG5vJeWYHD9

2. Annual Membership :
https://forms.gle/qw44bMLutYVd7JSt7

3. Summit Registration :
https://forms.gle/UhwXuDiFHJMyHMhG6

To know more *visit: ismhaa.org*

Write to us at : *office.ismhaa@gmail.com*

Connect us at : *+91 7406332200 , +91 7618444165*