A young organization is introducing some innovative solutions to Armenia’s mental health challenges, and a big name in the private sector is stepping up to provide support. We talked to Artur Yeghiazaryan from “Miasin” International Charity Foundation and Zaruhi Saribekyan from Yerevan Brandy Company to understand the details of their fascinating partnership.
Interview : Nazareth Seferian
Photo : Yerevan Brandy Company
“Recently, a war veteran came to us with symptoms of physical pain, but none of his blood tests or other examinations could reveal the cause. He had been to several specialists, but none of them had managed to diagnose why he was experiencing this bodily pain,” says Artur Yeghiazaryan, head of “Miasin” International Charity Foundation. The solution to what was a physical symptom ended up being completely mental—the patient’s condition improved considerably after therapy sessions with a psychologist.
It would probably be an understatement to say that the past five years have been mentally grueling for Armenians. The uncertainty of the 2020 pandemic was compounded by the tragedy of the Nagorno-Karabakh War later that year, followed by further aggressions and the exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians, in addition to other constant challenges. It should come as no surprise that recent studies have suggested that up to 38% of the Armenian population could be suffering from mental health conditions. How can this massive challenge be effectively countered?
This is why “Miasin” International Charity Foundation was founded around four years ago by twelve Diaspora Armenian families. Its activities aim to develop resilience and improve the mental health of the population in the country.
On the right, Zaruhi Saribekyan, Communications Manager of Yerevan Brandy Company
Our mission focuses on transforming existing approaches to mental healthcare in crises, and we do this by offering innovative solutions and expanding access to psychological support for anyone in Armenia.
says Artur, “We specifically target the regions of Armenia, where mental health services are very weak, and have a particular focus on adolescents, who greatly need this support.”
There are two innovative approaches that Artur’s team is currently using to tackle Armenia’s mental health challenge. The first consists of a stress trauma management course, while the second brings together mental health and nature. “We developed the course based on the Israel Trauma Coalition’s experience, and close to 100 people have already completed it. We are now focusing a lot on bringing the concept of therapeutic horticulture to Armenia, which we are learning from an American organization called Partnerships for Nature,” Artur explains. These innovative solutions offered by “Miasin” have gained the appreciation of one of the leading names in sustainable and responsible business in Armenia – Yerevan Brandy Company.
“The modern world brings with it an imperative to master new skills, which one cannot ignore. In contrast to our parents, we need a higher level of media literacy today, must have basic knowledge of cybersecurity, and much more. Unfortunately, the ability to cope with stress has also become an integral part of contemporary life. We are very pleased that the specialists from the International Charitable Foundation ‘Miasin’ have taken on the important mission of imparting valuable knowledge and skills to the employees of the Yerevan Brandy Company,” says Zaruhi Saribekyan, Communications Manager of Yerevan Brandy Company. Around 30 employees of the company are currently enrolled in the stress trauma management course, including those who work at the farthest branch of the company located in Berd, Tavush Province.
The company’s staff clearly sees the value in this training. “Stress resilience and its effective management are critical in the realities of modern life. What I liked most during the training was the approach they used. The materials were presented in an interesting, unconventional, and highly interactive way. It might seem at first like nothing new is being said, but you feel that your scattered knowledge is coming together into a coherent system, ready to help when you need it the most,” says Marina Tirakyan, Manager of the Laboratory at Yerevan Brandy Company.
Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this partnership is the synergy that comes from using the gifts of nature for mental wellbeing.
Therapeutic horticulture brings together a professional therapist’s facilitation with gardening and other plant-based activities. It was first tried as an intervention more than 200 years ago by the American psychiatrist Benjamin Rush, and veterans’ hospitals in many countries have since used gardening as an activity for patients.
“Miasin” International Charity Foundation is now seeking to make therapeutic horticulture an established practice in Armenia, recognizing that it can be very diverse—the approach can be customized for adults and adolescents depending on the background of their trauma.
“We prioritize the use of evidence-based practices and are training our team to deliver the first comprehensive program on therapeutic horticulture in our country,” Artur says. Zaruhi sees a strong connection between this concept and Yerevan Brandy Company’s identity as a responsible corporate citizen. “As part of our work, we are cooperating with a broad network of grape growers. So, another vector of our collaboration with “Miasin” is a bridge that we are going to establish between communities. Brokered by Yerevan Brandy Company, there will be some grape growers who will provide their vineyards and host groups led by “Miasin” for the therapeutic horticulture sessions.
And there is a certain symbolism to this—the Ararat Valley was where humanity got a second chance after the Great Flood. It is beautiful to think of this place also as the source for the mental rebirth and renewed resilience of our people,” says Zaruhi. This partnership seeks to deliver therapeutic horticulture sessions to around 50 displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh by the end of 2025. This community-based approach to mental health will also reap benefits in terms of raising awareness. The viticulturists witnessing the therapeutic horticulture sessions could become tomorrow’s advocates of mental health in Armenia.
“Miasin” International Charity Foundation is confident when it comes to the efficacy of this work, but they believe that it should be scaled up to a national level so that the Armenian population can develop the necessary resilience. “Stress and trauma management should be elevated to national status in our country. Everyone should have basic notions of this, the same way that first aid is taught in schools and other institutions,” says Artur. By regularly and consistently delivering stress and trauma management courses all over Armenia, “Miasin” aims to establish a community of trauma supporters across the country. Artur’s organization is also in discussions with the Ministry of Health to officially include this course as part of the medical practitioners’ professional commitment in Armenia to continuing education.
It is important to emphasize that “Miasin’s” focus today is on tackling existing mental health challenges, while they would ideally seek to prevent them from occurring in the first place. There is increasing recognition globally of how individuals need to actively care for their mental health, rather than deal with it only when issues arise. The wide range of services provided by “Miasin” can be found on their website.
The innovative approaches introduced in Armenia by “Miasin” International Charity Foundation and the steadfast support of Yerevan Brandy Company suggest that some very interesting developments will soon bloom in the vineyards of Armenia.
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