By Nisma Rafiq

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — In the presence of 100 people, she stood up. Trembling and confused; she fumbled with words as tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She finally said it out loud. She expressed her depression, stress, sorrow, and fury. Shaking, but trying to keep the microphone firmly in her hand she confessed how anger gets the best of her. She spoke out about how she is hurting and no one understands. It was hard for people who were familiar with her, to believe that such a cheerful soul could be hurting to this extent. She was a stressed mom; a mom with a special needs child who spoke out in the 5th Annual Mother’s counseling.

According to studies, special needs moms have been found to have similar level of stress-hormones as combat soldiers. Their life is a series of ups and downs, decisions to be made in few seconds, and a lot of questions which require answers immediately. Last Friday, HOPE for exceptional needs called upon all these moms for counseling.

Sheraton, Monestra flowers, Bath and Body Works, Lush, Astra food, Hilton hotel, Spa Lounge, Bostani, Label 47, FJ Cakes, Lamasat, Gold’s Gym, Lettering Gems, Ganache, Hot and Spicy Grill, Taza Grill, Munching Joy, Shadzeba, Sara, and Jeddah Eateries sponsored the Fifth Annual Mother’s counseling 2019.

Nandini Ashok, a former teacher at HOPE, was one of the hosts of the evening. She stated that women are known for putting others first while neglecting themselves. “One out five women suffers from mental health conditions which are never said out loud,’’ she said, continuing, “Either it is considered a taboo or pushed under the rug. In any case mental health always takes the back seat in this busy life where a woman plays various roles assigned to her and aims for perfection.”

Medical Director at HOPE Dr. Uzma Raheem explained why they have organized such an event for Mother's counseling. "Throughout the years, we have found out that special needs children are easy, but parents are hard and we've decided to tackle the problem." She declared this event is for mothers who have lost their kids, mom of special needs children and stressed moms.

Mother's counseling event had various sessions arranged to lead to the path of emotional wellness and mental wellbeing. First session conducted by Yoga Suzy started with Yoga; body positions that releases GABA transmitters essential for mental health. It followed with a raffle draw and gifts by Spa Lounge. Next, Alicia Ali, founder of Qudra healing, guided the ladies in expressing sorrow and happiness through writing. She made everyone believe they are poets inside. "Writing will help you calm down and to express instead of suppressing emotions," she recommended.

Dr. Uzma Raheem held a Q&A session where the participants retrospect what disturbs and makes them angry. During the Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dr. Raheem talked about dampening and how every thought, if repeated, creates a neural pathway in brain while making the body recognize the same feeling. She talked about how positivity in life changes everything. She recommended deep pressure massages to help heal and create oxytocins in the body.

“Looking for mental health is vital for any woman; invest in yourself and live a fulfilling life,” she insisted, adding, “Put aside any expenditure and focus on yourself.”

“Just when I saw that this event is for moms who’ve lost a child, I came here seeking peace of mind,” Naila Atta one of the participants told with Saudi Gazette, adding, “I lost my mom, and then my baby and I still cannot recover from the loss.”

Therapy session was followed by Zumba Session by Ivy from Gold’s Gym. Azzah Ahmed, one of the sponsors of the evening expressed her delight, “I just wanted to make moms happy in between all what they are going through.”

The thought-provoking event ended with various games and giveaways from sponsors.