In Conversation with Royina Bakshi - #ChatStarter and starting conversations about well-being with your community, family and friends.

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Transforming Perceptions

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This week with RU Okay Day on the 9th September and World Suicide Prevention Day on the 10th September Áine chats with Royina Bakshi about the development of the app #ChatStarter and how that can assist in starting conversations about well-being. Royina, is a 24 year old student living in Melbourne. She graduated university last year after a year of online study due to the pandemic and now works in communications and public relations. She moved to Melbourne two years ago from India and has found it hard to deal with the stresses of lockdowns and COVID.  Royina speaks about the major factors that contribute to her poor mental well-being and the impact of not being able to see her parents, who live in Dubai, and her grandparents who are back in India. Royina is very passionate speaking about her culture and how many of her Indian friends refuse to get help when they have mental health issues. Royina says this is widely common in India as things like depression and anxiety are seen as ‘white people’ issues. She’d like to help spread the message to her Indian community that it’s not shameful to seek help when it comes to people’s mental health.