Ishita Sanyal's life completely changed when she learned that a loved one was believed to have the most dreaded mental illness, schizophrenia. As a psychologist, she felt helpless to improve the quality of life for the affected individual or the parents. Neither medication nor counseling can provide what is most needed in these cases - rehabilitation, learning life skills, social  interaction, and communication.

None of the centers she looked into offered real, practical answers. She decided to do it herself, founding the Turning Point center and designing its entire program. Where other centers offered bookbinding or pickle making as occupational therapy, she launched a computer training program for mental patients, the first of its kind in Calcutta.

Her programs have garnered international praise, usually accompanied by astonishment that she has done all this without funding. She is recognized as a pioneer in making patients more responsible. Her paper on the role of responsibility in mental treatment has been adopted by the WFSAD Conference (World Fellowships for Schizophrenia and Related Disorders).

Turning Point's first conference took up the subject of caring for the caregiver. Under her leadership the first parent group was formed in Calcutta, a precursor to the present trend toward family acceptance and contribution as an alternative to institutionalization.

Ishita has arranged a number of awareness programs on mental health, and plans to start a mental health quiz program at Swabhumi.

In addition to all these activities, she is a regular columnist at the Telegraph, working to promote broad public awareness and understanding of mental health issues.


Academic Qualification: 

Post Graduation in Social Therapy from ESI, New York
Graduation in Psychology Honours. Secured 2^nd Position in the University.

Post Graduation in Counseling & Psychotherapy

 
Professional experience: 

Director of a documentary “ from Dusk to Dawn”
Was attached to B.N.R. Central Hospital, Garden reach for a year from 1997-1998.
Founder Director of a new NGO  – Turning Point in 1998.It is the first organization  which provided Rehabilitation & counseling services for the persons suffering from mental illness.
Started a new center –Disha at 2000.
Columnist in Times of India for 2 years.
Expert eye / freelancer in Telegraph & some other magazines.
Columnist in TTIS
Columnist in Bengali Magazine
Writer & Editor of the Book ABUJH MON, which was highly appreciated by Nabanita Dev Sen & Sunil Gangopadhay.
As the Founder Secretary of Turning Point, main fields of work is content development , report writing & administrative works for Turning Point

Details of works at Turning Point-

Administrative, entrepreneurship development programme for mentally ill persons, writing projects, application for funds, making arrangement for awareness programmes, Conducting them, Mental health conferences, networking between different organisations not only nationally but internationally. Building groups & resources in as low cost as possible for promoting awareness programmes & self Help groups.

Staff Management including day-to-day running, problem identification, finding solutions, decision making and other HRD issues like conflict resolution, training, guiding and stimulating interest amongst staff.

Liasioning and Intersectoral coordination with governmental, non-governmental and private organisations. Intellectual competence—learning and processing new information, analyzing problems and new situations, and exercising sound judgment. Leadership skills—motivating, influencing, and providing direction to others and interacting and cooperating with others to achieve common goals with Team skills are the other areas that I have developed.  

The Communication skills with effective articulation my thoughts and ideas and proactively listening to others with prioritization skills in organizing, planning and juggling multiple priorities and assignments to maximize productivity with customer service focus in developing, maintaining, and ensuring the high quality of client or customer relationships are some of the acquired skills other than the technical skills of acquiring and using specific knowledge of the technical tools required for such positions.

Cost saving innovative approaches in facility planning, Program & event management.

The day to day upgradation of my knowledge & research findings have been recognised worldwide as I presented a number of papers in both National & International conferences.

Received David Feinsilver Award as the best research paper in 2003. 

Fields of Work at Disha
Administrative Works
Career counseling & guidance
Influencing Presentation Skills
Effective Communication
Negotiation Skills
Decision Making
Effective understanding of Human Potentialities & Human Behavior through Psychometric Scales

Consultation to corporate houses, Government offices & Private sectors for -
Stress Management
Motivation
Development of performance
Changing Lifestyles
Change management
Leadership Development
Team Building
Development of Self Esteem & Self Confidence
Involvement & the pleasure of work
Group Dynamics
Emotional Quotient
Performance Review Skills
Self Awareness skills together with self control strategies
Personal Counseling where needed
Increasing Personal Effectiveness of the Human Resources of an organisation
Preparing specific modules according to the individual need of the corporate houses.

Psychometric Assessment of the personality pattern & guidance to the management for the best possible utilization of manpower in industries. 

Human Resource development & utilization

Research works & assessment on factors affecting Human Behavior 

  Received David Feinsilver Award as the best research paper in 2003 It is an International Award given to the best research papers in two years.
Received UGC-CEC Educational Video Competition Awards as Best Programme in Social science category
Winner of Rashtriya Gaurav Award
Additional activities:

Acting as Consultant Psychologist.

Have adequate knowledge of Computer & internet

Doing research works on Mental Health.

Rehabilitation work for Chronically mentally ill person.

Facilitating & managing Group work.

Initiating Debate, Quiz etc.

Acting as Director NAMI, Eastern Region, India.

Acting as Director ISPS, India - an International Organisation.

Acting as Volunteer in UNV Projects.

Member of WFSAD

Publication & Papers:         

Published a number of papers in both National & International Conferences.

Papers & works have been highly appreciated in Japan, London, Australia, Paris, Netherland, Madrid.

Received DAVID FEINSILVER AWARD, as the best research paper in 2003.

Published a book Abujh Mon

Recently writing a chapter in an international book on Psychotherapy in India.

 Writing a chapter in another book to be published by World Health Organisation.

Written a chapter in Studies in Health Technology and Informatics

 Professional memberships:           

1.Member of WFSAD

2.Member of NFMI

3.Regional Director NAMI,Eastern India

4.Representative of ISPS, India

5.Member of Mental Health Forum, Kolkata

6.Associated with CCJ, Committee of Concerned Journalist

 

Languages:  English, Bengali.  

Proficient in Computer applications & Information Technology literate.

Community activities:          

UN online volunteer.

Actively associated with the Retired Persons.

Associated with Community works related to mental Health

Actively involved in promoting Anti Stigma Programme designed for mental illness.

 International experience:

Worked with the President of WFSAD, Mr. Jim Crowe

Have participated in International Conferences & presented papers there.

Have participated in International meetings organised by NHS on National Health Policy throughout the world.

Done Awareness programme on mental health at Afghanistan.

 Papers :

Integration of Psychotherapy in concept change within a culture-India.

Reducing parental overload & emotional burden by formation of self help group & taking part in fighting stigma.

Child Abuse - The main cause to all mental illness.

Reducing emotional parental overload & emotional burden by formation of self help group & taking part in fighting stigma.

Fast life, Competition leads to frustration, Losing friend & being a loner in the effect of Today’s youth.

Stress & loneliness in the youth of developing countries.

Fighting insomnia, controlling body & mind through Autosuggestion

A Creative & Comprehensive Play Therapy Approach for New Millennium children.

Empowering the impaired through the appropriate use of Information Technology and Internet.

Family Empowerment - A New Road Ahead

Mental Health

Responsibility, Reward & Rehabilitation- the three R’s to success.

Stress of Expatriates

The Challenge of Psycho Social Rehabilitation in the coming Years

Mental Health of Women


INTEREST:

1 I like work that is both creative & challenging
2.I like to have some change & new avenues in my work in coming years.
3.I like multifunctional activities in my life.
4.Utilising my interactive & communication skills through new avenues in future.
5. Like to develop entrepreneurs from persons who are different, who are neglected, who will like to start their own livelihood.