25/09/2025
The Voice of Brokenshire: Mental Health Awareness and Su***de Prevention Symposium
Featuring: Sir Steve Indino, RPm and BSP Student
In the middle of September, the school hosted a symposium to raise awareness regarding mental health and su***de prevention. This aims to shine light on these silent battles and clear out harmful stigmas that do more harm than good. Aside from honorable hosts and distinguished speakers, the voice of the faculty and students must be heard in order to share different perspectives regarding this sensitive yet important topic.
"First and foremost, we have to learn not to invalidate whatever feeling. The issue with depression and anxiety is that people invalidate how much or how severe the depression isโor it has to be diagnosed. There's a lot of questions before taking care of a person," says psychology instructor Steve Indino regarding the misconceptions about depression and anxiety and what we can do as a person someone can lean on.
"For me, I've been doing counseling for a while already. I learned to take every concern the same. If someone comes to me saying they're having sadness or having some anxiety, I will not wait until they are diagnosed to validate or help them. So that is first."
"And another thing is, many of these people that we perceive or perceived to be diagnosed with anxiety or depressionโmany times they seek help and when they seek help people are fast to give advice and say 'you should do this' or 'do that'. Advice should be carefully given because what works for you might not work for me."
"So as a practitioner who has been doing counseling for a while and have been tackling these issues, I will say for students, teachers, or whoeverโyou don't need to be a psychology professional to help. Everyone can lend an ear and listen. So the next time somebody comes for helpโseeking help for anxiety or depressionโyou don't ask are โyou diagnosedโ or โhave you been to a psychologistโ. No. The person came to you and you are their first line of aid. So what you do is listen. Listen, listen, listen. Because at the end of the day, we just want someone to really listen and we can worry if it's a real depression or anxiety later."
This informs us that we must never invalidate or take things lightly. Though we may not understand what they are going through, that is okay. What is important is we lend a helping hand and give a shoulder they can lean on in these trying times.
Additionally, as the school caters to enriching the knowledge of people in the psychology profession, we have reached out to an esteemed student (who desires to remain anonymous) to give their insights with these problems.
"Most students already know about mental health and su***de prevention but they don't know who and where to reach out if they need help," they say as they tackle methods on raising awareness and aiding those who want to seek help during but do not know where to go.
"As a psychology student, advertising, promoting the guidance office especially here at schoolโthat they can also be their support system. They can help them when they're struggling during the times na di nila gud kaya."
"And then people have this stereotype mentality that people in the guidance office that only problematic students can reach themโbut no. The guidance office is open for every student because their office is present to help students. That's their purpose and if students won't reach them, ibig sabihin mawala na ang purpose so we must and need to reach the guidance like magduol lang sila."
"You are not alone. Acknowledging your weaknesses is a sign of strength."
This student's brave words remind us that in the Brokenshirean family, we're united in support of one another. When struggles seem overwhelming or you feel like you're walking alone, know that the guidance office is a safe haven โ open to listen, to support, and to help you through, no matter the size of the challenge.
๐ผ: Samantha Dypiangco
โ๏ธ: Samantha Dypiangco
Special Thanks to:
Sir Steve Indino
BSP students
