With the vision to make mental health treatment accessible for all, IIT Kharagpur MBA graduates Lawrance Bamania and Sakshi Shah launched Good Lives during the lockdown. They offer end-to-end services for creating mental health awareness in offices and outside. Very recently, the team launched Mental Blossoms, a podcast that focuses on pandemic-induced stress, work-life balance and the LGBTQIA+ community. Bamania says, “One in every five people suffer from mental health problems. Through the podcast, we wish to reach out to as many audiences as possible.” But it’s their Insta Live sessions that have seen overwhelming response. They’ve been in touch with more than 2.5 lakh people, who’ve asked questions to therapists and sought guidance. Shah adds, “Along with social distancing, people also experienced emotional distancing. Many were stuck in locations away from their families, and felt a lack of connect. They had to spend a lot of time with their own self. An empty mind is a devil’s workshop—this became quite real for some people.”

Sakshi Shah