22/08/2025
Every Sunday for the past five years, I’ve spent three hours volunteering as a counsellor with One Life Su***de Helpline. It remains one of the most humbling experiences of my life.
By weekday, I lead Learning and Development projects for one of India’s top training companies, with a focus on behavioral skills. By weekend, I listen to people in moments of their deepest vulnerability. These two worlds may seem different, but they’ve taught me the same truth: empathy and human connection can change lives.
Since the pandemic, mental health in India has become increasingly critical. The hyper connectivity of social media has left many people more disconnected than ever. Everyday conflicts and small stressors now spiral into emotional crises.
One call I will never forget was from a young girl. A disagreement with her parents about holiday plans pushed her to the edge. It wasn’t about the holiday, it was about loneliness, the absence of emotional validation, and the silent weight she was carrying.
I was asked by One Life to reflect on the types of calls I receive and what stands out most. And this is what I’ve realized: often, it’s not the “big” problems that push someone to despair, but the feeling of not being heard or understood in the “small” ones.
Five years of this work have not only deepened my understanding of human behavior but also strengthened my resolve to bring empathy, awareness, and mental health sensitivity into the workplace through the Learning and Development projects I lead.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please know you are not alone. Help is always just a call away.
Learn more about One Life here: https://1life.org.in/
***dePrevention
