Expressive Arts · Dance/Movement Therapy · Trivandrum
A movement and wellbeing space where expressive arts, mental health, and community come together — safe, inclusive, and non-judgmental for individuals and groups to explore, express, heal, and reconnect with themselves.
About Us
Founded by Krishnendu in 2018, Nävém is a movement and wellbeing space in Thiruvananthapuram that brings together expressive arts, mental health, and community. Through movement, dance, music, visual art, storytelling, and reflection, Nävém creates safe, inclusive, and non-judgmental spaces for individuals and groups to explore, express, heal, and reconnect with themselves.
Nävém fosters self-awareness, emotional wellbeing, resilience, and meaningful connection through creativity and embodied practices. There is no pressure to perform or be “right”—every body, emotion, and expression is welcomed.
Unlike one-time retreats or workshops, Nävém is rooted in the local community, creating opportunities for people to return, reconnect, and grow over time. Whether through regular sessions, workshops, or group experiences, we hope to make conversations around mental health more open, accessible, and free from stigma.
Our Approach
Nävém's approach is experiential, body-based, and participant-centred. We use creative and embodied practices to support reflection, emotional expression, and mind-body awareness in a safe, non-judgmental environment.
Philosophy
Nävém believes that healing begins by making space for emotions to be felt, witnessed, and expressed. We value experience over instruction, and connection over perfection.
Sometimes, the body expresses what words cannot. The American Dance Therapy Association defines Dance/Movement Therapy as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote the emotional, social, cognitive and physical integration of the individual.”
At Nävém, Dance/Movement Therapy is our primary approach. Rather than focusing on learning a particular dance form or technique, we use movement as a language for expression, communication, and self-discovery. Through guided movement experiences, participants are invited to explore emotions, deepen body awareness, develop healthier coping strategies, and reconnect with themselves and others. No prior dance experience is needed—only a willingness to move and explore.
Sometimes words are not enough. Expressive Arts brings together movement, visual art, storytelling, writing, music, and other creative processes to help people explore and express their experiences. Rooted in the understanding that creativity has long been a way for humans to make meaning, our focus is on the process of creating rather than the artistic outcome. Healing often begins where words end.
Based on the evidence-informed programmes developed by Dr. Paul Lam, Tai Chi for Health combines gentle movement, breath, and mindfulness to support balance, reduce stress, and enhance overall wellbeing. At Nävém, we approach Tai Chi as a mindful, body-based practice rather than a martial art, using gentle movement to support nervous system regulation, cultivate body awareness, and create space to slow down.
Sometimes, what we need most is a space to talk and be heard. Our counselling sessions offer a safe, confidential environment to reflect on your experiences, while recognising that movement and creative expression can also support the process of self-understanding.
About Krishnendu
Krishnendu B. S. is a Dance/Movement Psychotherapy practitioner, social worker, counsellor, and Tai Chi for Health practitioner from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, with over eight years of experience. She is trained in Dance/Movement Therapy through CLL–TISS, Mumbai and Kolkata Sanved, Therapeutic Dance in Education through the Creative Movement Therapy Association of India, and Tai Chi for Health (Rehabilitation, Arthritis, Fall Prevention, and Diabetes) through Dr. Paul Lam's Tai Chi for Health Institute. She is a Linnaeus-Palme Scholar whose work is rooted in community mental health and psychosocial wellbeing.
Deeply informed by lived experience, she is passionate about creating safe, inclusive spaces where individuals and communities can reconnect with themselves through movement, creativity, and embodied practices.
Nävém was born from Krishnendu's own journey. Growing up, she often wished for a space where she could express her feelings without fear of rejection or shame—a space where she felt truly seen and understood. Over time, she discovered that emotional wellbeing isn't only nurtured in one-to-one conversations; there is something deeply meaningful about being witnessed, accepted, and supported by a group. That belief became the foundation of Nävém: creating safe spaces where people can pause, connect, express themselves, and know they don't have to navigate life's challenges alone.
Who Can Join Us?
10+ Years
rooted in Thiruvananthapuram,
growing with community
Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, looking for a creative space, seeking meaningful connection, or simply curious to explore yourself through movement and the arts, there's a place for you at Nävém. Come as you are. Our sessions are open to people of all ages and backgrounds. No dance experience or artistic background is needed.
Services
At Nävém, we are dedicated to enhancing mental health and emotional well-being through a comprehensive range of therapeutic services. Our programs are designed for diverse populations, including children, young adults, educators, mental health practitioners, social workers, psychologists, special educators, parents, seniors, caregivers, and corporate teams. We focus on fostering personal growth and building supportive communities.
Our regular programmes are held at Nävém's space located at Trivandrum and are open to individuals and small groups.
We-Time is Nävém's flagship community wellbeing programme, running since 2018. It is a small, facilitated support group where people come together to pause, reflect, and share life's experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Each session combines creative and embodied practices with group dialogue, offering space to explore emotions, gain new perspectives, and experience the strength of being heard, understood, and supported by others.
Tai Chi for Health is a gentle, evidence-informed movement practice based on Dr. Paul Lam's programmes. At Nävém, we use Tai Chi as a body–mind practice that supports relaxation, mental wellbeing, and nervous system regulation. It is especially beneficial for those experiencing stress, anxiety, or the physical effects of emotional distress, and for anyone looking for a gentle, practical way to reconnect with their body. Tai Chi can also complement counselling by offering body-based tools to support self-regulation and everyday wellbeing. Suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
Dance for Wellness is a joyful movement space for anyone who loves to dance—or simply wants to move without pressure. Rather than focusing on technique or performance, these sessions celebrate movement as a way to relieve stress, boost mood, reconnect with the body, and experience the joy of dancing together. Through music, guided movement, and creative exploration, we create a cheerful, welcoming community where everybody is free to move, express, and belong.
Nävém offers individual and group counselling for those seeking a supportive space to reflect, process, and grow. Many people who come to us are already working with a psychologist or psychiatrist and are looking for a complementary, body-based approach alongside talk therapy. Depending on individual needs, sessions may gently integrate movement, creative expression, and reflective practices to deepen self-awareness and support emotional wellbeing.
Nävém offers experiential workshops that bring together Dance/Movement Therapy, expressive arts, and mental health in engaging and accessible ways. We facilitate introductory workshops for those interested in exploring Dance/Movement Therapy for personal growth or professional learning, as well as themed workshops on emotional wellbeing, relationships, and connection. Each workshop is thoughtfully adapted to the needs of the group.
Topics include
Nävém collaborates with schools, colleges, NGOs, healthcare settings, corporate organisations, and community groups to design experiential wellbeing programmes. Sessions can be conducted at your institution or at the Nävém studio and are tailored to your context and participants.
An experiential training for those who wish to explore expressive arts as a medium for personal growth and facilitation. Designed for students and professionals in Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, Education, HRM, Dance, Theatre, Visual Arts, and other creative or helping professions, the workshop combines movement, art, storytelling, writing, and reflection. Participants experience the process firsthand while learning how creative and embodied practices can be thoughtfully integrated into educational, community, and wellbeing settings. Available as one-day or multi-day workshops.
An experiential training programme for teachers, teachers-in-training, educators, schools, and parents. The programme focuses on teacher wellbeing, self-care, and mental health while introducing expressive arts and experiential approaches that can be integrated into everyday learning. Sessions also include socio-emotional learning, creative movement, and practical tools to support the emotional wellbeing of children and adolescents, helping create more compassionate, connected, and inclusive learning environments.
Customised wellbeing programmes for organisations, institutions, and community groups that support emotional wellbeing, stress management, and meaningful connection. Designed for corporate teams, healthcare professionals, caregivers, NGOs, public sector organisations, senior citizens, parent–child groups, couples, and other communities, these experiential sessions use movement, expressive arts, and reflection to help participants reconnect with themselves and one another. Programmes are tailored to the needs of each group and can be conducted at your organisation or at Nävém.
Media
A few of the stories that have covered Nävém's work in schools, communities, and conversations around mental health in Kerala.
Mathrubhumi
അടിപൊളി മൂവ്മെന്റ് തെറാപ്പിയുമായാണ് ആൽഫാവേഴ്സിന്റെ നാലാംദിനത്തിന് തുടക്കമായത്. തലയും കാലും പുരികവുമെല്ലാം താളത്തിൽ ഇളക്കിയും കൈകളുയർത്തിയും കുട്ടിക്കൂട്ടം രസിച്ചു. മൂവ്മെൻ്റ് തെറാപ്പി വിദഗ്ധയായ ബി.എസ്. കൃഷ്ണേന്ദുവാണ് സെഷന് നേതൃത്വം കൊടുത്തത്.
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The Hindu
October 10 is World Mental Health Day. We look at three spaces in Thiruvananthapuram — The Orange Room, Kappiness and Navem — that offer assistance to people dealing with mental health issues. At a time when stigma and fear of judgement come in the way of seeking mental health care, Thiruvananthapuram has a host of spaces that offer support and guidance to navigate the situation.
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Indian Express
IN recent years, conversations around mental health have gained prominence as more people recognise the importance of therapy and emotional support. With this growing awareness, various therapeutic approaches, including Dance Movement Psychotherapy, are emerging as transformative tools for healing.
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Let's Live
Just don’t stop choosing yourself When I was in high school, some of my classmates got second stud piercings done. I loved it and asked my mother if I could also get my second stud pierced. She said no. I asked her a couple of times in the following days, and she kept saying no. One day she said, “Not now. Get it after you get married. A boy from a good family who comes to see you might reject you if he or his parents don’t like girls with a second stud.” I was shocked, and I felt so bad about myself. I felt like a puppet.
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IIT Palakkad
Team Mitra organised an expressive therapy workshop, Movere: Beyond Words, led by Ms Krishnendu B.S., a dance/movement therapy practitioner, for the first time on campus. The 2.5-hour experiential session was designed to create a safe and engaging space for participants to explore the connection among their bodies, minds, and emotions. Through movement, creative expression, reflection, and group processes, participants becam..
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Curious about a session, planning a workshop for your organisation, or simply want to know more? We'd love to hear from you.
Phone / WhatsApp
+91 73566 54346Location
Near CET, Sreekaryam, Trivandrum
Movement is our language
