Yogyakarta, June 5, 2026—Amidst the dynamic pace of academic life and the increasingly high demands of professionalism, mental health issues are often still marginalized. Responding to this urgency, the Ajisaka Festival 2026 of the Department of Communication Science, FISIPOL UGM, returned to present a reflective discussion space. This series of inspiring talk shows was held on Friday (05/06).
The talk show consisted of two sessions. The first session, which took place in the Auditorium on the 4th floor of FISIPOL UGM, discussed a reality deeply familiar to today’s younger generation: the crisis of mental exhaustion, or burnout. Bearing the title “When ‘Doing Your Best’ Feels Never Enough: How We Talk About Burnout Matters”, the discussion was guided by Kafka Vadanta as the moderator and featured Clinical Psychologist Gayatri Hutami Putri. In this segment, the phenomenon of mental fatigue was dissected through a comprehensive professional lens.
“Burnout is a sign that you have limitations, and it is okay to experience it. When you encounter burnout, reflect on your current burdens. Work smart so that much time is not wasted,” stated Gayatri.
The discussion emphasized that recognizing one’s limits and validating feelings of exhaustion is not a sign of weakness, but rather a crucial step in emotional management to survive in a highly competitive environment.
Moving on to the second session, which was inclusively opened to the public at Sansiro Park, FISIPOL UGM, the discourse was expanded by highlighting the role of communication and art mediums as liberating alternative spaces for expression. Carrying the theme “Dissecting the Soul, Concocting Language, Finding Form” (Membedah Jiwa, Meramu Bahasa, Menemukan Rupa), the discussion panel featured a Lecturer in Communication Science who is also part of the Career Development Center (CDC) of FISIPOL UGM, Acniah Damayanti S.I.P., M.Sc., along with Yogyakarta-based artist Setia Utami.
This cross-professional presence offered a rich collaboration of perspectives; the audience was invited to understand how artworks can serve as a channel for catharsis when spoken language is no longer able to represent or contain the complexity of human emotions.
The common thread of these two sessions was the effort to deconstruct the stigma surrounding counseling and mental health, which are often still looked down upon in society. The narrative firmly established that emotional validation is an essential initial foundation for the younger generation.
This was reinforced by Acniah’s statement regarding the provision of safe spaces for students.
“We (CDC) are trying to eliminate the stigma that counseling with a psychologist is inherently negative, because sometimes people just need to be heard,” Acniah expressed in front of the participants.
Through the execution of this discussion series at the Ajisaka Festival 2026, students and all attending participants are expected not only to gain new insights but also to discover healthier and more applicable ways to understand and manage their daily emotional fluctuations.