B. Sc. Psychology

DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES

OBSERVATION VISIT AT NIEPMD: ​Date of Visit: 26/02/2026

National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD), Muttukadu, Chennai. All the students from B.Sc. Psychology, Asan Memorial College of Arts and Science

​The purpose of this visit was to provide undergraduate psychology students with practical exposure to the rehabilitation processes for individuals with multiple disabilities. NIEPMD, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, serves as a premier center for human resource development, research, and patient care in the field of disability.

​​OBSERVATION AND DEPARTMENTAL INSIGHTS:

​During the tour, students visited several key departments to observe their daily operations:

​Clinical Psychology Department: Observed the assessment of intelligence (IQ), social maturity, and behavioural patterns. The faculty explained the use of specialized scales for children with developmental delays.

​Early Intervention Unit: Focused on the “Golden Period” of development, where therapists work on sensory integration and motor skills for infants and toddlers.

​Special Education: Witnessed customized Individualized Education Programs (IEP) designed for students with varying levels of cognitive and physical challenges.

​Occupational & Physiotherapy: Noted physical environments are adapted to enhance the functional independence of service users.

​Vocational Training Center: Observed how adults with disabilities are trained in crafts, gardening, and office skills to promote financial independence and self-esteem.

​​​Patient-Centric Care: The importance of patience, empathy, and tailored communication was highlighted as a core competency for future psychologists.

​Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Learned how psychologists, social workers, and medical professionals coordinate to provide holistic care.

​​The visit to NIEPMD was highly educational, bridging the gap between theoretical textbooks and the reality of rehabilitation psychology. It provided a profound understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with multiple disabilities and the critical role psychology plays in enhancing their quality of life.

DHRUTI EVENT‘26

The Department of Psychology, Asan Memorial College of Arts & Science,  in collaboration with Dhruti Charitable Trust, organized a “Mental Wellness Awareness Activities” on 13th February 2026 .

The program aimed to create awareness among young students about the importance of mental wellness, creating self awareness, reducing the stigma & cultural barriers, improving the coping skills and equipping students to access support and provide a comprehensive overview for future improvements.

The students from the Department of Psychology  conducted different activities for students in the campus to understand themselves, their peers and to know their strengths and weaknesses. They conducted three activities – Letting go off Negative Emotions, this activity focussed on letting go of hard and negative emotions by writing the emotions on a balloon and bursting it. This activity aimed to give a cathartic experience to the students.

The second activity aims to work on Knowing your peers. This involves socialization of peers and accepting them as who they are. Improving authenticity and acceptance among students. The Third activity focusses on self awareness. Me Tree activity portrays the person, their strengths, weaknesses and their future goals as different parts of the tree. This activity boosts visualisation and knowing their positive aspects and the negative aspects of themselves.

The event was guided by Ms. Jaya , event Co-ordinator from Dhruthi Charitable Trust with the support of the student volunteers from Psychology Department.

Many of the college students from Shift I& II (All UG&PG) participated in all these activities and gained a lot of insights and self awareness. Overall the program turned out to be a successful event

Guest Lecture – Rewiring Negative Emotions through Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

The Department of Psychology organized a Guest Lecture on Rewiring Negative Emotions through Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) on 02.02.2026. The Guest Speaker for this Session is Dr. Kanmani Thivya Mahesh, the Founder of Arise – Shine Counselling  Training Services. She is a renowned Counselling Psychologist, Corporate Trainer, Behavioral, Leadership & Career coach, A Motivational speaker and PoSH & POCSO facilitator. The Session aimed to provide valuable insights into the Neuro Linguistic Program and explore the basic components of it.The session was attended by the students of the Psychology and English Department.

The session involved the aspects of both theoretical and therapy techniques of NLP. The theoretical aspects dwell into the two main components of NLP, Neuro and Linguistics and how these both wire our memories in the brain.. The therapy techniques involved the Application of theories and techniques in Counselling Settings by learning wiring and rewiring of patterns and behaviour.

Being an exception from the regular workshop pattern, the program comprised a lot of activities like  forming patterns, & rewiring the patterns, envisioning goals, reconstructing negative emotions through Visual Imagination and regulating emotional well-being.

In conclusion, the workshop provided essential knowledge on NLP and its application in Counselling Settings. The students left with a basic understanding of NLP, its components, Techniques and applications of it in Real life settings.

The Dementia Care Foundation (TDCF), CURI Hospital:

As part of the academic curriculum for psychology students, an observational visit was organized by the Department of Psychology, AMCAS to The Dementia Care Foundation (TDCF), CURI Hospital, Thoraipakkam from 20.01.2026 to 22.01.2026 as three batches. The visit aimed to expose students to clinical aspects of mental health, and gain an in-depth knowledge about Dementia, its types, treatment, therapies and patient-centred services

Students were welcomed by Mrs.Gayathri Ananthakrishnan (Founder), who gave an overview of the history, mission, and initiatives of The Dementia Care Foundation. The session highlighted the Foundation’s philosophy of combining clinical treatment with social rehabilitation.

The Dementia Care Foundation is a non profit organization which provides care for elders with Dementia. The services include in-patient services, day care facilities and other Therapeutic workshops and sessions catered to build a quality life for elders and their families.

Mr. Raj Kumar. A, Ms. Vivega.C Ms. Divya M & Ms. Shruthi. S accompanied II and III year students respectively from the department of Psychology. During the observational visit, students gained valuable insights about Dementia, its types, the treatment plans, therapies and activities that they apply to patients. They also participated in many activities with the patients in assisting them during Cognitive Stimulation Therapy and were exposed to staff-patient interactions, and other rehabilitative services like dance movement sessions, Physiotherapy activities and Art workshops .

ENDOWMENT LECTURE 2025-2026

The Department of Psychology at the University of Madras organized the Professor S. Karunanidhi Endowment Lecture for the academic year 2025-2026. Held on January 7, 2026, in Hall F-50, the event featured a comprehensive program titled “Mind Your Sleep,” which ran from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The session was hosted under the leadership of Dr. T. Lavanya, Professor and Head of the Department.

Keynote Speaker and Expertise

The lecture was delivered by Dr. N. Ramakrishnan, a highly distinguished expert in the field of sleep medicine. Dr. Ramakrishnan serves as a Senior Consultant in Critical Care and Sleep Medicine and is the Director of Critical Care Services at Apollo Hospitals. Additionally, he holds the position of Director at the Nithra Institute of Sleep Sciences in Chennai, bringing a wealth of clinical and academic authority to the presentation.

Scientific Sessions and Curriculum

Following an initial inauguration period from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM, the program was structured into three distinct educational modules:

* Science of Sleep: The first lecture, titled “Why We Sleep?”, took place between 10:30 AM and 11:30 AM, focusing on the fundamental biological necessity of rest.

* Sleep Disorders: From 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM, the second lecture addressed “Problems With Sleep,” specifically focusing on the identification of common disorders and the importance of seeking early medical intervention.

* Sleep and Mental Health: The final core session explored the “Bi-directional Relationship” between sleep and mental well-being, concluding at 1:30 PM.

The event concluded with a formal Vote of Thanks at 1:45 PM, marking the end of a detailed exploration into the critical intersections of physiological rest and psychological health.

The Mind Theatre

On 25.10.2025, a workshop titled The Mind Theatre was conducted by the Dementia Care Foundation at Curi Hospital in Thoraipakkam from (9 am – 1 pm). The workshop aimed to provide valuable insights into dementia care and explore techniques for engaging patients with cognitive impairments. The session was attended by five students, along with the Head of Department Mr.Rajkumar A, who participated in both the learning and interactive discussions..

One of the key aspects of the workshop was the presentation of The Mind Theatre, a unique approach to engaging dementia patients through creative and sensory-based therapies. The concept behind this method is to use visual aids, music, and storytelling to trigger memories and encourage mental stimulation, which can help reduce anxiety and enhance emotional well-being.

In conclusion, the workshop provided essential knowledge on dementia care while encouraging a compassionate and creative approach to patient engagement. The students left with a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by dementia patients and the importance of innovative therapies.

World Mental Health Day

The Department of Psychology, Asan Memorial College of Arts & Science, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Dhruti Charitable Trust on 10^th October 2025 (Friday), to commemorate World Mental Health Day.

The MOU was signed in the conference hall of AMCAS at 10 AM between Dr. T.S Santhi, the Principal of Asan memorial college of arts & science and Mr. Suresh Arunachalam, President and Trustee, Dhruti Charitable Trust. Dr. S. Kanimozhi, (Dean – Administration), Dr. Jaya (Dean-Academics and research), Mr. A. Rajkumar (Head-Dept. of Psychology), Ms. Jaya Venkatesh (Co-ordinator, Dhruti Charitable Trust) took part in the prestigious occasion.

The program aimed to create awareness among young students about the importance of Mental Wellness, Reducing the stigma & cultural barriers, Improving the coping skills and Equipping students to access support and organize seminars and conferences in pertinent areas of mutual interest.

 In addition to this event, the students from psychology department actively participated in spreading awareness about world mental health day and created “Wall of Positivity” where the students wrote positive remarks on cards. “Post-it” where they went to each class collecting emotional feedback on sticky notes. “Emotion Cards”– where students were given specific situations and asked them to find solutions using emoticons.

Mental Wellness Awareness Workshop

The Department of Psychology, Asan Memorial College of Arts & Science, organized an enlightening mega “Mental Wellness Awareness Workshop” in collaboration with Dhruti Charitable Trust. The program was organised in August 2025 for about 7 sessions, in 5 days.

The program aimed to create awareness among young students about the importance of Mental Wellness, Reducing the stigma & cultural barriers, Improving the coping skills and Equipping students to access support and provide a comprehensive overview for future improvements.

The Inaugural session of the event was graced by Mr.Ramji Venkatachari, founder Druti Charitable Trust Dr. T. S. Santhi, Principal, and Dr. S. Kanimozhi, Dean – Administration and Head, Department of Microbiology, and the faculties of Psychology Department.

The Speakers of the session were Dr.Sangeetha G, The Director of psychological services at Dhruti., Dr. Divya Prabha S, Counselling Psychologist, Ms.Sri Sakthi, Psychologist & editorial board member in Mental Compass Magazine.

Entire college students from Shift I& II (All UG&PG) attended this program and greatly benefited from the insightful presentation and gained valuable knowledge about Mental Wellness. Overall the program turned out to be a successful event.

Enhancing Art Therapy Skills through Sacred Geometry & Intuitive Expression

The Department of Psychology organized a one-day workshop on “Enhancing Art Therapy Skills through Sacred Geometry & Intuitive Expression” for Psychology students on 12.8.25 at Mini Auditorium.

The workshop aimed to provide students with experiential learning in art-based therapeutic techniques, integrating both traditional symbolic forms and modern expressive practices.

The workshop was facilitated by Ms. Varalakshmi Bharanidharan, an art therapist and Founder of Varaaz Arts Studio. With extensive experience in combining psychology and creative techniques, the resource person guided students through interactive sessions and hands-on activities.

Students engaged in a guided activity where they designed their own mandalas and geometric forms using colours.They also understood intuitive expression through colours, patterns and free-flowing art as a means of emotional release. This experiential process allowed participants to practice mindfulness, patience, and focus, leading to self-reflection.

Observational Visit

As part of the academic curriculum for psychology students, an observational visit was organized by Department of psychology, AMCAS to The Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental health (BALM), Kovalam on 1.08.2025. The visit aimed to expose students to real-life practices in mental health care and to deepen their understanding of psychosocial rehabilitation, community mental health, and patient-centred care.

Students were welcomed by Ms.Sandhya (Co-ordinator), who gave an overview of the history, mission, and initiatives of The Banyan. The session highlighted the centre’s philosophy of combining clinical treatment with social rehabilitation.

The Banyan is a pioneering mental health organization in India that provides holistic care for individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness. Its services range from emergency and crisis care to rehabilitation, community mental health programs, vocational training, and long-term care.

Mr. Raj Kumar. A, Ms. Vivega.C & Ms. Divya M accompanied all the students from department of Psychology. During the observational visit, students gained valuable insights into the functioning of a mental health care facility and the holistic approaches used for patient well-being. They were exposed to the therapeutic environment, staff-patient interactions, and various rehabilitative services provided.