Mental Health Prison Arts-Based Session
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Nayi Disha: A peep into a unique session on Arts-based therapy, conducted by Project Mumbai with residents of Mumbai’s high security Arthur Road District Central Prison.
Sometimes, the most powerful reflections come from the quietest corners—places we rarely think about and people whose stories we are seldom allowed to hear. Inside the walls of Mumbai’s Arthur Road Prison live individuals navigating regret, longing, and above all, the hope for a second chance. This is a small window into their world.
Nayi Disha is Project Mumbai’s effort to create oncousivity through emotional wellbeing, especially in prisons. On May 5th, something profoundly unusual unfolded as part of Project Mumbai’s Nayi Disha initiative. Our team of clinical psychologists engaged the inmates in therapies which were unusual and yet, immensely beneficial to their emotional space and growth.
Why Arts and not just Art? Because expression has many forms—drama, rhythm, visual art, movement, games—and all these together make up the therapeutic approach known as Arts-Based Therapy (ABT).
For all those who attended the session, it was an opportunity to step into an unfamiliar yet safe space of self-expression. The medium? Metaphors and music. The group listened to the soulful Hindi song “Aashayein”, each person asked to choose a line that spoke to their heart. Then, with brushes, crayons, they began to draw or paint what those lyrics made them feel.
As they drew, they sang along—with hope and consolation, a rare moment of togetherness. Afterward, each participant shared their artwork, opening up about the emotions they carried. Their reflections were raw and deeply moving, that’s the same quotes you’ve read above in the creative. These are not just words—they’re windows into the hearts of people often overlooked. And for many, this was their first encounter with art as a form of healing.
Palak Shah , our colleague at Project Mumbai and a counselling expert shared that Arts-Based Therapy sessions will now be conducted once a month at Arthur Road Prison, continuing to offer these individuals moments of dignity, expression, and most importantly—hope.
Because sometimes, all it takes is a song, a few colors, and a safe space to let hope rise. And Project Mumbai is grateful to be able to hold space for such moments.
