Workshop on Mental Status Examination
DATE Feb 24, 2025
SPEAKER Dr. Rajinder Kumar, MBBS, MD (Psychiatry)
MIER College of Education (Autonomous) conducted an insightful workshop on Mental Status Examination for MA Psychology Semester I students. The session featured renowned psychiatrist Dr. Rajinder Kumar, MBBS, MD (Psychiatry), who has 17 years of experience across various psychiatric settings and currently practices at Pulse Hospital, Jammu. Dr. Kumar specializes in treating anxiety disorders, depression, psychosis, substance abuse disorders, and childhood behavioural disorders.
A total of 22 students participated in the workshop, which commenced with a welcome address by Dr. Priya Choudhary, Assistant Professor of Psychology. She extended a warm welcome to all faculty members and the resource person, Dr. Rajinder Kumar.
Dr. Kumar began the session by highlighting the importance of active listening, referencing Ian McWhinney’s insights on patient care. He emphasized the significance of understanding a client’s history by attentively listening to both patients and their attendants. Drawing from his extensive clinical experience, he discussed key stages for identifying warning signs in patients and outlined effective strategies for clinical intervention. He also utilized photographs depicting various facial expressions to teach participants how to interpret gestures and analyze behaviour.
The workshop was highly engaging, allowing students to actively participate in discussions and seek clarifications. A role-play exercise involved students from the MA Clinical and Counselling program taking on the roles of psychiatrists, while Dr. Kumar acted as a client. He guided them through effective interview techniques to ensure meaningful therapeutic outcomes.
Prof. Adit Gupta commended the faculty of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSSH) for their efforts in organizing the event and encouraged the continuation of such initiatives in the future.
The workshop concluded with a formal vote of thanks by Ms. Sonika Kumari, marking a successful and enriching learning experience that enhanced students’ understanding of mental status examinations.
