Mir is Kashmir’s first – and, so far, its only – “peace psychologist.” Peace psychology is a type of psychology that focuses on mitigating the effects of conflict on society and developing ways to promote peace. Mir’s personal brand of peace psychology includes talk therapy, art therapy and stress management techniques, but she also teaches leadership skills to ordinary people, and helps them analyze the conflict unfolding around them so that they can better cope with their environment.
“I believe that where there is pain, chaos and conflict, there is scope for art, creativity and the deepening of relationships, if only we can make that switch in our heads,” Mir says. “This is the reason I teach people how to express their trauma, stress and conflicts through creative expression.”
Mir, 29, was born in Srinagar, in the heart of the Kashmir Valley. When the armed insurgency broke out in 1990, her father’s restaurant business was badly hit and they had to move to Leh, more than 250 miles (400km) east. She moved back to Srinagar in high school, and went abroad for university, first to Luther College in the United States and then to the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom for her master’s degree. After completing her studies, she decided to use her newfound knowledge in her conflict-ridden homeland.
Besides working as a counselor at a local private school, Mir also gives free sessions to women and youth from all over Kashmir, both individually and in groups, through her NGO Paigaam.
“Women here don’t realize how through their patience, perseverance, compassion and empathy they are taking charge of their families, in the absence of a male head,” she says. “Mothers are catering to the daily needs of their children and doing everything to keep them safe. They are fighting at micro and macro levels to ensure peace.
Mir says she tries to open their eyes to their own resilience: “When there is so much turmoil around, women mostly take their small steps of courage for granted, and this lowers their self-esteem,” she says.
Mir frequently represents the Kashmir region at various national and international forums on mental health and leadership development. She is currently working with a New Delhi-based organization on leadership development for educational officials working throughout Kashmir. The end goal is to improve student learning outcomes in a region where schools are frequently affected by general shutdowns.
Mir feels her work is particularly relevant at a time when the conflict is gearing up again, with frequent clashes and shutdowns.
“In peace-building, trust is important,” she says. And women’s trust in themselves is key to creating lasting peace.
Women in Kashmir are trying to change things in extraordinary circumstances and that is incredible.
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