About Us

DBCARES – Mental Health & Emotional Support

DBCARES (Don Bosco Counselling, Assistance, Rehabilitation, and Emotional Support) is a Salesian initiative dedicated to providing mental health support, emotional well-being, and rehabilitation services. Rooted in Don Bosco’s Preventive System, DBCARES aims to guide individuals through counseling, psychological support, and personal development.

Counselling Services Activity Report

DBCARES – Counselling, Assistance, Rehabilitation, and Emotional Support

DBCARES is a Salesian initiative dedicated to providing psychological, spiritual, and social support. It actively works with students, teachers, religious personnel, young people, and families through counselling, training, and animation programs to foster personal and professional development.

Key Meeting: Provincial House, Trichy – June 28, 2024

A strategic meeting was held at the Provincial House, Trichy, gathering counsellors from various Salesian institutions. The discussions focused on:

• School and ITI staff animation
• Individual and group counselling for students
• Parent engagement
• Parish-based counselling during novena days

The provincial stressed the importance of deploying counsellors in all CBSE and Matric schools and expanding services to other sectors such as media, Vazhikaatti, and substance abuse prevention.

Counselling and Animation Activities

Psychological and Spiritual Animation

Workshops and training were held for teachers, sisters, and youth to improve self-awareness, stress management, and emotional well-being. Programs included:

• Blissful Teacher
• Self-Awareness Training

Student Counselling and Group Therapy

Group sessions addressed issues like mobile addiction, substance abuse, and family conflicts. In ITIs and schools, students received motivation and guidance on:

• Career growth
• Self-love
• Emotional balance

Family and Individual Counselling

Personal counselling was provided to hostel students dealing with addiction, sleeplessness, and concentration issues. Family therapy sessions supported 15 families in resolving conflicts and building healthy relationships.

Major Training and Counselling Sessions

Workshops for Educators and Religious Staff

• The Power of the Subconscious Mind – Psychological animation for sisters and staff
• Preventive System of Don Bosco – Psycho-spiritual training for Salesian Cooperators
• Barefoot Counselling Techniques – Empathetic listening and student psychology for teachers

Youth Counselling & Addiction Awareness Programs

Group therapy covered key challenges like:

• Mobile and social media addiction
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Self-esteem development
• Understanding infatuation vs true love

Sessions used role plays, discussions, and personal sharing to promote insight and behavioral change.

Marriage Preparation & Psycho-Spiritual Retreats

Conducted at the Bishop’s House, the Principles of Happy Married Life program addressed relationship building and emotional maturity. Psycho-spiritual retreats for Servite Sisters and Brothers in Myanmar focused on mindfulness and vocational commitment.

International Outreach: Myanmar

• Mindfulness retreats for Servite Sisters
• Psychological formation for novices and brothers
• Subconscious mind training for students and educators

Impact and Achievements

• Individual Counselling: 140 individuals supported
• Family Counselling: 15 families engaged
• Group Counselling & Training: 2,500+ beneficiaries

Conclusion

DBCARES has significantly advanced mental health support and holistic development across institutions. With its wide-ranging activities, the initiative continues to foster emotional resilience and spiritual growth, aiming to scale up its programs to tackle modern youth challenges.

Implementation Report

DB CARES – Comprehensive Counselling and Psychological Support

The DB CARES initiative has successfully implemented a wide range of counselling, psychological animation, and training programs to support students, teachers, religious personnel, youth, and families. These structured interventions promote emotional well-being, career guidance, addiction awareness, and spiritual growth.

Psychological and Emotional Well-Being Programs

Throughout the year, DB CARES organized sessions focusing on self-awareness, motivation, and personal challenges such as addiction and self-esteem:

• Self-Awareness Program – Don Bosco Pallithammam (June 3): 40 staff empowered in emotional intelligence.
• Blissful Teacher Workshop – Don Bosco Thanjavur (June 22): 40 teachers trained in stress management and engagement strategies.
• Group Counselling – DBCAS Keel Eral & Don Bosco School V. Pet (Sep–Oct): 400+ students addressed mobile addiction, infatuation, substance abuse, and self-confidence.

Group Therapy and Counselling Sessions

• Mariyalaya Narasipuram (Aug 27–28): 12 students (Grades 8–11) underwent guided group therapy.
• Madurai ITI (Oct 22–23): 120+ students participated in addiction and self-esteem-focused counselling.
• DB Tharangam (Feb 24–26): 350 students engaged in therapy on addiction, relationships, and mobile use.

Preventive and Psycho-Spiritual Animation

DB CARES emphasizes psycho-spiritual development and the Preventive System of Don Bosco:

• Salesian Cooperators, Madurai (Sep 14): 26 participants explored faith-based counselling.
• Fatima College & St. Joseph School: 34 sisters engaged in sessions on Blissful Communion and The Power of the Subconscious Mind.

Marriage Preparation Courses

The Principles of Happy Married Life course was regularly held at the Bishop’s House (June 2024–Feb 2025), benefiting over 200 young adults with:

• Relationship skills
• Emotional maturity
• Conflict resolution techniques

International Outreach – Counselling in Myanmar

Between August 6–28, DB CARES conducted impactful sessions in Myanmar, including:

• Mindfulness Retreats for Servite Sisters
• The Power of the Subconscious Mind – Psychological animation for students and novices
• Total participants impacted: 127

Family and Individual Counselling

• 23 families received structured counselling to resolve conflicts and build stronger relationships.
• 159 individuals underwent personal counselling addressing addiction, anxiety, and career-related concerns.

Conclusion

DB CARES has made remarkable progress in mental health care, youth empowerment, and psycho-spiritual counselling. With over 2,500 beneficiaries across various sectors, the initiative continues to build emotionally resilient and spiritually grounded individuals. Looking ahead, DB CARES plans to expand its outreach, with a special focus on youth addiction recovery and family counselling programs.

Annual Plan Report

DB CARES – Annual Plan 2025–2026

DB CARES has structured a comprehensive annual plan focusing on counselling training, student leadership development, and mental health awareness. The initiatives aim to equip staff and students with essential psychological and peer counselling skills while promoting emotional well-being in educational institutions.

Barefoot Counselling Techniques Training

To enhance counselling skills among educators, DB CARES will conduct two training sessions at the Don Bosco Provincial House:

• August 22, 2025: 20 staff members will be trained in empathetic listening and understanding today’s students.
• January 23, 2026: Another batch of 20 staff will learn foundational counselling techniques to support students better.

These sessions aim to help educators create a more supportive and emotionally responsive school environment.

World Mental Health Day – October 10, 2025

DB CARES will lead a large-scale mental health awareness campaign across schools, ITIs, polytechnics, and colleges:

• Interactive awareness sessions on mental health
• Poster presentations and competitions
• A “Mental Health Pledge” campaign to encourage openness and support

The goal is to destigmatize mental health and foster a culture of care and emotional safety within educational institutions.

Student Leaders Training (Peer Leadership Program)

DB CARES will train student leaders to act as peer mentors through basic counselling and support techniques:

• November 18, 2025: 30 school students will be trained in peer leadership and emotional support strategies.
• March 17, 2026: 20 students from ITIs, polytechnics, and colleges will receive similar training.

These peer leaders will become mental health ambassadors, promoting a supportive environment among fellow students.

Conclusion

The DB CARES Annual Plan for 2025–26 reflects its unwavering commitment to mental health advocacy, leadership development, and counselling education. By empowering educators and students alike, the initiative aims to establish a sustainable, empathetic support system across Don Bosco institutions.

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