Srinagar: In a novel approach to mental wellness, a new initiative merging clinical psychology with ecological immersion was launched here on Friday, aiming to create a scientifically-grounded model for holistic healing.
The Regenerative Healing Lab, a joint venture between SAGG Eco Village and ExpectCare Mental Health Clinic, was unveiled alongside the 1st J&K Psychiatric Society Conference at the SKICC. The project is designed to address what organizers call a growing crisis of “chronic stress and disconnection” by formally integrating nature-based therapy with clinical research.
The Lab is founded on the principle that personal healing and ecological health are intrinsically linked. It will offer structured retreats, therapy programmes, and professional training hosted at the SAGG Eco Village, with the goal of measuring the psychological and physiological impacts of spending time in natural settings.
“This initiative consolidates over a decade of our work in nature-based recreation and ecological living,” said Fayaz Ahmad Dar, Founder of SAGG Eco Village. “We’re now validating through science what communities have always known intuitively — that nature heals, and true well-being begins when we reconnect with it.”
Nasir Patigaru, Managing Director of ExpectCare Mental Health Clinic, described the Lab as a “living framework” for research and healing. “It’s a space for both healing and research — integrating data on stress, resilience, coherence, and physiological recovery,” he said.
The initiative has been welcomed by mental health professionals in the region, who see it as a timely and culturally resonant addition to existing treatments.
“Chronic stress and disconnection are everywhere, yet our nervous system was designed to heal in relationship with nature,” said Dr. Shah Neelofer Hassan, MD Psychiatry. “Even brief contact with natural environments can regulate stress, restore balance, and reconnect us.”
Other experts emphasized the unique role of natural rhythms in calming the mind. “When we immerse ourselves in nature, we give the mind a rare permission to breathe,” noted Dr. Majid Shafi, MD Psychiatry. “Natural rhythms like wind, water, sunlight, and trees quiet the noise inside us in ways medication alone never can.”
Dr. Fazle Roub, a DM De-addiction Psychiatry specialist, highlighted the project’s pioneering nature. “This is a first of its kind in our valley, integrating evidence-based mental health interventions with Kashmir’s natural environment,” he said. “Through measurement of physiological and psychological outcomes, this initiative offers a novel approach to addressing everyday stress and mental health issues.”
Programmes at the Lab will range from single-day Nature Therapy sessions to extended residencies dubbed “Roots of Regeneration.” The ultimate objective, organizers say, is to establish a scalable and scientifically validated healing model from Kashmir, where the regeneration of the self and the local ecology are seen as one integrated practice.
