Responding to Experienced and Anticipated Discrimination (READ) training- Project INDIGO

On the 20th and 21st of January 2023, Project INDIGO from Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) Nepal implemented two days of Responding to Experienced and Anticipated Discrimination (READ) training for mental health professionals and other professionals working on the mental health care program. The training was held in Hotel Sarowar, Lakeside, Pokhara, Nepal. Dristy Gurung, INDIGO project manager, and Dr. Ravi Raj Timasina, Consultant Psychiatrist, Index Specialty Clinic Pokhara, were the facilitators of the event.

The primary goal of the READ training program was to recognize mental health professionals’ own stigma on mental health, address interpersonal discrimination, foster advocacy at the individual/family level, and promote human rights.

There were a total of 13 participants, out of which pre-post data was collected from 12 trainee participants. The training participants were from Gandaki Medical College, Teaching Hospital and Research Center (GMCTH), Manipal College of Medical Science, Charak Academy Pvt. Ltd, Charak Memorial Hospital Pvt. Ltd, and Dhaulagiri Zonal Hospital Baglung.

The participants were engaged in case sharing, discussion on the treatment gap in mental health, and role-plays on patient-centric dialogue. Training also had people with lived experiences (PWLEs) sharing their stories. The theme generated from the overall training was -giving power back to the person who does not have power/who needs it the most.