SECTION 3

SUMMARY

From the first day of internship at St. Mary’s Psychiatric, Deaddiction and Rehabilitation

Centre, Mysuru, I had known that I chose the right institute for my internship. The

counsellors, nurses and all other staffs were very professional. I had the opportunity to

witness first hand how theory is translated in to the real world. The counsellors gave a

detailed introduction explaining on many topics which were very helpful. They guided me

and motivated to interact with patients and take case histories. As it was a completely

unfamiliar experience, I had slight difficulty in interacting with the patients. The difficulty

was mainly due to my inexperience and language barriers. I was hesitant to interact with the

patients as I was apprehensive about what to and what not to talk with them. But after a few

days, it became easy for me to navigate through the patients. Both the counsellors were very

welcoming and supportive. They gave really insightful advices regarding handling patients

and their family members, taking care of one’s own mental health while working in this field,

sharing their personal experiences and about future career opportunities.

I was able to understand and learn so much beyond what textbooks and classrooms could

offer. Seeing the patients and interacting with them was an eye-opening situation. The

experience I gained through interning at St. Mary’s Hospital is not comprehensible with

words.