Dr. Maitri Gopalakrishna

Foundation for Arts and Health India (FAHI) (India)

Maitri Gopalakrishna, Ph.D. is a drama therapist, counselling psychologist and researcher based in Bangalore, India. She has been working in the intersection of community, arts, and mental health for nearly two decades. Maitri works predominantly with women and children, using the arts to address psychological trauma through a social justice lens. She has also designed and taught on multiple learning programmes in the arts therapies and counselling practice. Her work has featured in publications, conferences and in cultural venues in many parts of the world. Maitri is co-author on ‘Arts Practice and Ethics of Care’ resource guide commissioned by the World Health Organisation (www.withcare.art). Maitri was named Global South Arts and Health Envoy in 2023. Maitri, along with others, recently founded the Foundation for Arts and Health India that brings artists, creative arts therapists, health workers, researchers and lived experience experts together with academic, health care, cultural institutions, and community centres. FAHI’s mandate is to understand the relevance that the arts have to health, wellbeing, and healthcare in plural Indian contexts, and build partnerships to create meaningful and sustainable impact. FAHI works in the realms of practice, training and research.