On two days, 14th and 17th August 2025, under the auspices of Sri Prasanna Veeranjaneya Seva Trust, Mrs. Suma Nagesh, experienced Emotional Counsellor conducted a workshop for lady students of our Yoga School, SPV Yoga Kendra. The title selected for the workshop was ಮಾತು – ಮಹತ್ವ (importance of interpersonal communication or communication skill)
Following were the highlights and feed back on the conduct of the workshop.
Introduction
It was a pleasure to attend the workshop on communication conducted by Psychologist Suma Nagesh madam. The workshop was packed with scientific facts and activities designed for easy understanding, focusing on the psychology behind communication and its establishment since ancient times.
Scientific Insights
The workshop provided valuable insights into how the brain functions during communication. For instance, the prefrontal cortex helps us think intelligently, while the amygdala serves as the emotional center. Understanding how to utilize our brain and senses is crucial when engaging in conversations.
Self-awareness was emphasized as a key component of effective communication. We learned how to pause and reflect on our emotions and intelligence while speaking.
Practical Exercises
Several engaging exercises were conducted during the workshop:
Imitating Emotions: Participants were asked to imitate an angry person to understand the nuances of emotional expression.
Rephrasing Sentences: We practiced rephrasing our sentences to communicate more effectively.
Understanding Primitive Responses: We explored how the human brain functions similarly to that of primitive man, particularly in response to fear.
Tearing Newspaper Activity: This activity was particularly interesting and helped illustrate points about communication.
Invitation Activity: This exercise also provided valuable insights into effective communication.
Gender Differences in Communication
The workshop highlighted that men and women function differently due to biological, psychological, and physiological differences. Understanding these differences can help set realistic expectations in communication.
Group Dynamics
The workshop had over 30 participants in the first session and about 7-10 in the second session. It was evident that everyone present was open to acknowledging their shortcomings and seeking help. This open mindset fostered a judgment-free environment where participants could share their experiences and learn from one another.
Conclusion
The workshop was a transformative experience, allowing us to reflect on our past behaviors and consider how we can improve our communication moving forward. Suma Nagesh madam was patient and thorough in addressing all questions, providing clear explanations of complex concepts. Her passion for psychology and therapy was evident, and we felt blessed to be in the right company at the right time.
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Key Takeaways
From the workshop,
We learned that the brain is hardwired to communicate and understand in certain ways. In our daily lives, we often face arguments with various relations — be it with couples, parents, children, friends, or colleagues. We realized that the words we speak can have a significant impact, and often, the message is perceived differently by the listener. There can be multiple gaps in communication that we experience regularly; and that we should work on reducing/avoiding such communication gaps.
Report and feed back and given by Smt. Vaishnavi Pavan Jagannathan one of the participants of the Communication workshop.
