Thu Oct 09 17:38:33 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text, focusing on the key details and written in a more concise and news-oriented style:
**Headline: New Parenting Clinic ‘Koottu’ Opens in Ernakulam, Kerala, to Support Families’ Mental Health**
**KOCHI, India – October 9, 2025** – A new parenting clinic, named ‘Koottu,’ is set to launch at the General Hospital in Ernakulam, Kerala, offering guidance and support to parents facing challenges in raising their children. The initiative, timed to coincide with World Mental Health Day, aims to provide a much-needed mental health resource for families in the region.
The clinic will operate on Saturdays and offers a platform for parents to address behavioral issues, seek advice, and improve their parenting skills.
“This is envisioned as a mental health support system for parents,” said Dr. Daya Pascal, consultant psychiatrist and Nodal Officer, District Mental Health Programme, Ernakulam. “Parents can ask their queries [and] assess the behavioral issues of children.”
‘Koottu’ is a collaborative effort between the Psychiatry department of the General Hospital and the Ernakulam District Mental Health Programme. A team comprising a psychiatrist, school mental health counselors, and a clinical psychologist will staff the clinic.
The clinic emphasizes a holistic approach, focusing on the family as a unit rather than solely addressing issues within the child. Dr. Pascal highlighted the rising prevalence of behavioral issues in children, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. She noted that issues like internet overuse, mood swings, scholastic backwardness, and other concerns are frequently overlooked.
“We need to raise awareness as well as increase the detection of these behavioural issues,” stated Dr. Pascal. “Our aim is to spread more awareness on building positive life skills for kids so that they can be protected from mental health hazards like internet addiction, drug use and violence,”
The clinic is positioned as a guidance center, not a treatment facility, with the primary goal of promoting positive parenting and addressing family dynamics to improve children’s overall well-being. The launch of ‘Koottu’ marks a significant step toward prioritizing mental health support for families in Ernakulam.
First Piper 