Our Brain Is The Strongest Tool: Sudhanshu Rai, Life Coach

What according to you is the relationship between storytelling and mental health?
Our brain is the strongest tool and is considered to have both receptors as well as transmitters to process as well as conclude various information available in the environment. Storytelling plays an important role in channelizing our thought process, thereby boosting our imagination power. Storytelling is the perfect healer for mental health issues as well. When you listen to a story, you travel to an imaginary world full of possibility and thrills. Listening to stories gives one the option to slightly digress from the issues around them, helping them to live in a moment with the Narrator’s imagination. Thus, storytelling plays an important role in giving wings to one’s imagination and helping them retain a balanced body and mind.

How can story narration be a solution for stress?
There is a tendency among people to listen to music, watch spiritual videos, or do any similar thing before sleeping. They do this to overcome even a fraction of stress they undergo in their daily lives. In the prevalent lifestyle in metros as well as smaller cities, any momentary solution to stress is more than welcome. Similarly, when you listen to a story before sleeping, it calms you and you get a sound sleep. Stories often touch upon our nostalgia too, taking us back to our happy times. So wouldn’t it be right to say that storytelling the best solution for stress?

How important is it to create more awareness about mental health at school level?
It is imperative that we address the issue of mental health at school level. It helps in shaping the overall personality of an individual at the budding stage. We need to have more workshops, and storytelling sessions in schools to ensure the mental well-being of our future generation.

Who benefits more with regard to mental health via story telling - old or young? And why?
Storytelling benefits all, irrespective of their age. This is one art that appeals to children, teenagers, adults and elderlies alike. Listening to stories of our interest helps in having a healthy mind.

What are the challenges and acceptability ratio in India?
Just like any other form of art, storytelling has its own challenges. To be honest, it has seen a lean patch in the past, but thanks to some new-age storytellers, storytelling has revived and surging towards its prime. With regard to the acceptability ratio, I would say that there’s always an audience for good content. However, it is true that the acceptability of storytelling as a performing art currently has a long way to go.