48 participants from seven Rotary Clubs join an engaging workshop on mental wellness, resilience, and compassionate community support.
The Rotary E-Club of Sunshine, New York, brought together 48 participants from seven Rotary Clubs for “Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies,” an interactive Mental Health Awareness Workshop. The event was distinguished by the presence of District Governor Dr. Maksud Chowdhury and First Lady Dr. Shamim Begum, along with Past District Governor Syed Alirahi and Area Governors Makhfia Zaman and Shazia Alirahi, reflecting strong District support for this important community initiative.
Opening the Conversation
Sunshine Rotary Vice-President Shireen Shams opened the event, warmly welcoming attendees and thanking the panelists for contributing their expertise.
PDG Mahbub Ahmad, our Co-President, who moderated the workshop, outlined its purpose, noting that while we routinely care for our physical health, we often neglect our emotional well-being. Stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and caregiving pressures affect people across all walks of life, yet stigma and lack of awareness frequently prevent open discussion and timely intervention.
He emphasized that the workshop was designed to help participants recognize warning signs, develop practical coping strategies, and become better prepared to support others. He challenged everyone to leave with a commitment to improve their own mental wellness and reach out to someone who might need a caring conversation.
Four Experts, Four Perspectives
Four experienced professionals explored complementary aspects of mental health, using case examples from their respective practices to illustrate everyday challenges and practical solutions.
Dr. Nadira Islam — The Mind–Body Connection: Why Mental Health Matters to Physical Health: Discussed the important relationship between emotional well-being and physical health, emphasizing how stress and psychological concerns can affect overall wellness.
Dr. Rounak Ahmed — Recognizing the Warning Signs: Stress, Anxiety and Depression: Highlighted common warning signs of emotional distress, explaining how to recognize when everyday stress or sadness may require professional attention.
Naziat Hassan — Building Resilience: Practical Tools for Everyday Mental Wellness: A licensed mental health and substance abuse counselor Naziat Hassan shared practical techniques for managing stress and strengthening emotional resilience. A highlight of her presentation was a guided breathing exercise, in which she actively engaged the participants, demonstrating a simple technique for everyday relaxation.
Dr. Rumana A. Rahman — Helping Someone Who Is Struggling: From Awareness to Action: Explored how family members, friends, and colleagues can recognize emotional difficulties, respond with empathy, and encourage those struggling to seek appropriate professional support.
From Awareness to Action
A lively question-and-answer session followed the presentations, with participants engaging the panelists in meaningful discussions about mental wellness and practical ways to support themselves and others.
Each participant received a specially prepared Mental Wellness Resource Packet containing guidance on recognizing warning signs, everyday wellness practices, supporting someone in distress, and accessing professional resources. The packet also included discussion scenarios, a personal wellness action plan, evaluation questionnaires, and a follow-up worksheet to encourage participants to apply what they learned.
Fellowship and a Shared Commitment
The event concluded with a hearty lunch provided by the Sunshine Rotary Club, offering participants and panelists an opportunity to continue conversations and enjoy warm fellowship with Rotarians from the seven participating clubs.
Through this initiative, Sunshine Rotary seeks to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, encourage early recognition of emotional difficulties, and promote a more informed and compassionate community.
The workshop reinforced a simple but powerful message: Caring for our mental health is just as important as caring for our physical health — and reaching out to someone who is struggling can make a lasting difference.
Another example of Sunshine Rotary putting Service Above Self into action.
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