‘She Heals the World’ Docu-Film tribute to SL’s female mental health professionals

Dr. Chinthake

Dr. Kurukulasuriya

Mandhike

Shadmi

In view of Mental Health Awareness Month, students from the Departments of Psychology and Mass Communication and Creative Media at the National Innovation Centre of the National Institute of Business Management (NIBM) premiered a documentary titled ‘She Heals the World – Women in Mental Health’ at PVR Cinemas recently. The documentary is a tribute to the many female mental health professionals in the country who work behind the scenes to assist those in need of psychological support. 

“The documentary carries a message of hope for generations to come,” said NIBM lecturer and one of the producers of the documentary,  Shadmi Wijayawardhana. “It’s not about a single film, it’s about stories that are unheard and unseen but deeply felt. As we step into the Mental Health Awareness month in May, we need to understand the struggles behind closed doors that mental health professionals endure while serving the country. Mental health matters and the people who work tirelessly to spread this message matter even more,” she added. 

Speaking at the event, NIBM Chairman Dr. Chinthake Perera said that they have a different approach when it comes to projects. He said that their goal is to raise the bar higher when it comes to academics in Sri Lanka. “We are presenting this documentary to professionals in the field. That’s what we expect from the academics as well. This way, students become role models as they share their creations with professionals and practitioners in various fields. We need to present our work to the industry,” he added. 

The documentary featured Consultant Psychiatrists, Counsellors, Psychologists, Child Protection officers, NGOs and other organisations related to mental health promotion. They shared insights about their contribution to the field of mental health and the kind of challenges they have to encounter while engaging in their profession. 

In his remarks, NIBM Director General Dr. D. M. A. Kurukulasuriya said that there’s a war between humans and technology today. “So there is a challenge in striking the right balance. We need to develop neurocognitive skills of people because the attention span has gone down, and people are more interested in scrolling through social media. As a result our mental health has deteriorated. Therefore, it is important to create a positive mindset and help people to solve problems that they encounter in their day-to-day lives. 

“We aim to produce mental health professionals to the world so that we can have the right balance between technology and humans. At NIC we are working hard and have partnered with the University of Essex in UK in order to develop these courses up to that level and to get the right technology so that our learners will be equipped with the right skills,” he added. 

Writer and director Mandikhe Perera shared some experiences while filming at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). “I observed the number of calls that the nurses working at the helpline receive per day. 

They get calls regarding so many different problems. So I kept wondering about how they feel when they receive these calls. Imagine how privileged we are to be with those who support us. 

Therefore,  this documentary is a tribute for them, to recognise women who are trying to calm the storms of many other people,” he noted.