Tamanda Nazimera: Mental health expert

Tamanda Nazimera is a mental health expert passionate about its awareness.

She fosters positive change in individuals and communities, anchored on distigmatising mental health using a holistic approach that accommodates everyone.

Tamanda is a nurse and with 11 years experience of working in public health, she has witnessed a capacity gap in mental health management.

This realisation, coupled with her personal encounter with mental breakdown as a young woman, motivated her interest in mental health.

She has been counselling people with mental health breakdown down for years and she is also a public speaker.

Everytime Tamanda helps a person with a mental issue, she describes the moment as a bitter-sweet moment because she is dealing with a person who is hopeless, crushed, bruised and bleeding.

But the best part of it is that she is assured there is still light at the end of the tunnel and she is helping someone realise their hidden potential.

“One of the key moments that sparked my passion for mental health awareness and depression management is when I became depressed which caused me to have suicidal thoughts.

“Depression is real and it can affect everyone. Unfortunately, our society does not regard it as such and considers it a weakness,” she said.

The nurse said she mostly advocates depression, loss, bereavement and end of life care.

But with practice and experience, she has added marriage counselling, mental health care and wellness support.

She said: “I am particularly passionate about people going through depression and emotional trauma, but my newly found passion is abused children.

“My clients’ views are valuable because I respect privacy, confidentiality and always refer to higher levels of help on a needs basis.”

Tamanda is subscribed to the American Psychological Association newsletter for international updates on mental health issues and online learning sessions.

She also follows reputable journals such as the Journal of Abnormal Psychology and National News updates.

Tamanda integrates techniques from different modalities based on the clients’ needs and preferences.

“However, I mostly use the cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in managing mental health issues. It focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviour that contribute to emotional distress.

“In CBT, individuals work with a therapist to develop coping strategies, challenge irrational beliefs and learn healthier ways of thinking. The goal is to break the cycle of negative thoughts and behaviour, promoting positive changes in emotions and actions,” she said.

Tamanda said CBT is a short-term, goal-oriented therapy that empowers individuals to actively participate in their mental health treatment.

“One of the biggest achievements is the growth of my mental health career from personal/marriage counselling to corporate consultancies in mental health and wellness talks.

“For me, every win against any mental health problem is a great success story,” she added.

Her memorable moment is managing a support group for teen mothers who returned to school, but developed depression due to bullying.

Tamanda disclosed that the programme was a success and some of those mothers are now in universities.

Challenges include work-life balance, ethical issues, limited resources, emotional toll and continual professional development.

The mental expert also said there are some common mental health misconceptions that they are a sign of weakness, people with mental illness are dangerous, children don’t experience mental health challenges and therapy is only for severe cases.

“It is sad that people think that way, but everyone can have a mental health breakdown. It is advisable to check on our family and friends,” she said.

Tamanda suggested changes to enhance mental health outcomes in the country.

They include increased awareness, education, accessible and affordable services, community support systems, reducing stigma and crisis helpline services.

“My plans are to establish targeted mental health support systems such as workplace mental health initiatives, child mental healthcare support systems and youth centres,” said Tamanda.

Through her experience, she noted that understanding factors contributing to depression and increased suicidal cases in any specific region is complex and multi-faceted.

Common factors include economic challenges, stigma and cultural barriers to seek help, healthcare system constraints, education gaps and substance abuse.

“It’s crucial for government to take a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach involving various stakeholders to address the complex issue of increased suicide and depression rates effectively,” observed the nurse.

Tamanda added that some of the measures to be taken are intensified mental health education, workplace mental health initiatives, crisis helplines, legislation and policy support and reducing socio-economic factors.

She holds mental health awareness in schools, churches and communities.

The nurse said mental health symptoms are persistent sadness, loss of interest in pleasure, changes in sleep patterns, fatigue, low energy, difficulty in concentrating, changes in appetite or weight, irritability, isolation, feelings of guilt or worthlessness and suicidal thoughts.

She advises professional help.

The nurse is working with a partner, the author of a book titled The Healing Process, to impact the lives of people, especially the vulnerable.

Her role model is Joyce Banda.

After reading her biography she was inspired by her tenacious spirit, big heart and gentle motherly heart.

She ensures her family does not compete for her attention or affection by planning and balance priorities.

“The hardest decision in her career path was to quit her job as a bed-side nurse to devote her attention to her three children,” she said.

To young women with depression, she says they are not the first or last to fall into emotional breakdown and it is their fault, but healing is their responsibility.

Tamanda has worked as a nurse at Ministry of Health from 2012 to 2022 and as an epidemiologist at World Health Organisation.

She has trained in depression management and end of life care by the Palliative Association of Malawi.

Tamanda got her mental health training during her studies at Kamuzu college of Nursing and after school she attended a certified training in counselling when she was working with palliative care patients.

She started practising mental health care in 2020 while working with African Enterprise, a non-profit International Christian organisation, as health programmes officer.

She is married and was born on January 3  1991.

Tamanda comes from Tsanulani Village, Traditional Authority Njolomole in Ntcheu. She is the third born in a family of five.

She wrote the Malawi School Certificate of education (MSCE) at Providence Girls Secondary School then joined Kamuzu College of Nursing where she got a Bachelors’ degree in nursing and midwifery.

She is currently working with an international organisation supporting the Ministry of Health in emergency outbreak response.

Her hobbies are writing, teaching, reading, debating watching movies and being photographed.