Cafe Katta

Let’s go back in time a couple of weeks, only to launch ourselves forward. On a beautiful, warm evening on the 24th of September, Tridal Hangout Café (THC) hosted a very unique programme—an open dialogue with Dr. Anand Nadkarni on ‘Anything and Everything about Mental Health’. A packed audience on the gorgeous terrace of THC actively participated in finding answers to many interesting and relevant questions that attested to their quest for awareness and knowledge. What ensued was an interchange on topics such as spirituality, affordability of mental health services, communication with adopted children about their parentage, gaming as a vocation---spanning a wide, wide range, in justice to the name of the programme indeed!

The occasion was to mark the launch of yet another unique THC initiative- Café Katta. Café Katta was an idea that came to the THC team on an eventfully heavy working Saturday. The premise of the idea: as mental health awareness permeates the thick membranes of society steadily but rigorously, finding expression in mundane situations, we observe healthy dialogue, questions, even objections and reservations about various mental health issues and concepts.

One the one hand, there is a quest to find authentic information about topics that have always stayed relevant---such as management of various mental health disorders, relationship issues, various ‘how to’s’---such as how to maintain work life balance, meaning of spirituality in modern life, etc. The other limb is a fairly recent growth that finds its muscles strengthening. This limb comprises of issues that some might call postmodern, or even old wine in a new bottle. Examples such as consent in relationships, healthy emotional boundaries, empiricism in thinking, shame and vulnerability, enabling unhealthy habits come to mind. In a fast paced world whose axis is ever shifting, the importance of discussing these topics and concepts contextually, in a manner relevant to individuals and groups of today is nothing short of a need of the hour. Hence, Café Katta---a YouTube channel that looks forward to catering to a diverse population with the aim of mental health awareness and destigmatization through healthy dialogue and discussion.

Now, any topic and concept that falls under the umbrella of social sciences and therefore mental health presents with many angles. To illustrate this point, let us consider a widely known example---depression. It presents many angles such as its neurobiology, factors that predispose individuals to depression, its symptoms, medical and psychological management, how a workplace- friend circle and society can be cooperative and supportive of an individual with depression, caregiving for depression, suicide awareness and helplines….phew, you get the point, I’m sure. This brings us to a key characteristic of Café Katta---its goal to discuss any topic from its scientific, familial, medical, sociological, political and at times legal perspective. Not only would such a style facilitate awareness and knowledge, but also inclusion of various members of the society as stakeholders in the larger battle against mental distress, and the drive towards positive mental health---an excellent recipe for destigmatization!

In excitement to roll out this initiative, we look forward to having you continued audience for Café Katta.