Over a hundred mental health sessions given to animal rights activists!

Below is a guest blog from Dr Ishani Rao who leads our Protect the Mind initiative.

I am so honoured to have been hosting one-to-one mental health sessions with animal rights activists this year through Protect the Wild. In the past, it wasn’t clear to me how I would be able to combine my passions of activism, caring for people’s mental health, and protecting the natural world. Rob Pownall, the unstoppable and relentless founder of Protect the Wild, attended a talk that I hosted at VegFest last year about veganism and the challenges that accompany it. Protect the Mind was consequently developed as we recognise the stressors and struggles that are intertwined with challenging social narratives and standing up for the animals. This allows me to combine the skills that I have learnt during my mental health training as a GP, with the strategies that I have learnt over the years as a motivated animal rights and climate campaigner.

I have hosted around a hundred sessions over this year, some with regular faces who I have developed incredible relationships with. Other activists simply require sporadic check-ins, a supportive and understanding ear, or simple suggestions as to how we can remain healthy and happy activists. Of course, there have been some challenging consultations as the burden of our awareness about animal and environmental injustice becomes apparent.

Here is some feedback from two powerful animal rights activists who I have supported over the last year:

“Ishani’s well-being sessions were so helpful for me as someone who is a vegan activist and has ADHD. My issues revolved around vystopia and conflict in relationships. Ishani listened without judgement and offered some ideas to work through the discomfort. I never felt rushed during our time together. She was kind throughout with splashes of humour added in which is just what I needed. I’m so grateful for the sessions she provided.”

“The session with Ishani are amazing. I came across Ishani at the perfect time as I was really struggling having recently found out what was happening to animals, then going vegan. She is so kind and understanding- after every session I come away feeling really positive. I am able to look forwards for the animals, rather than constantly feeling mortified which probably isn’t practical for them. I look forward to every session and am really appreciative of the opportunity to have them!”

These sessions are also a learning and motivating process for me, as I discuss strategies and coping tactics with determined activists. They are collaborative spaces where we can brainstorm and navigate the challenges of living in a world which normalises animal exploitation. I really love speaking to people who are trying their best to make the planet a better place. Thank you Rob for helping to make this initiative happen, and I am excited to continue creating safe spaces for activists.

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