Hamsika Prakash @hamsikaprakash
The Real Deal @therealdeal_sws
In a world where mental health awareness and storytelling intertwine, Hamsika Prakash stands as a beacon of empowerment and authenticity. As a Mental Health Advocate, Reflective Storyteller, and Finalist for Mrs Galaxy Australia 2025, she embodies resilience, passion, and the power of shared experiences. Through her diverse roles as a fashion choreographer, dancer, podcaster, and proud FurMum, Hamsika is redefining the way we connect with ourselves and others.
Her platform, The Real Deal | Everyday Relatable Stories | Reflective Stories, is a testament to her commitment to creating a space where individuals can share their journeys without fear or judgment. She believes in the transformative power of storytelling, using it as a tool to inspire, heal, and break societal stigmas surrounding mental health. As a reflective storyteller, she crafts narratives that resonate deeply, encouraging others to embrace their vulnerabilities as strengths.
Beyond advocacy, Hamsika’s love for dance and fashion choreography adds another dynamic to her inspiring journey. She blends artistry and movement to express emotions, creating performances that captivate and empower. Her presence in the pageantry world as a Mrs Galaxy Australia 2025 finalist further amplifies her mission, proving that true beauty is found in courage, confidence, and compassion.
In this exclusive Perumira interview, we delve into the mind and heart of Hamsika Prakash, exploring her journey of advocacy, creativity, and self-expression. Join us as we uncover how she continues to uplift voices, champion mental well-being, and inspire the world—one story at a time.
Mental Health Advocacy
1.- What inspired you to become a mental health advocate, and how has your journey shaped your perspective on life?
My lived experiences with severe clinical depression and anxiety inspired me to advocate towards mental health because I know how much of a support people need at times like this. With the stigma around mental health, not a lot of people discuss about it openly. My journey with mental health helped me find my voice and speak up wherever required. It helped me understand what is it that I need in life and what is it that I can give back to the society. My journey led me to not only help myself but also others in need.
2.- How do you balance the challenges of advocacy with your personal mental well-being?
It’s difficult at times but it also empowers me so much when someone reaches out for my support. I genuinely feel that I heal a lot when I’m in the process of being there for someone in need. There are days when my body is physically exhausted even though its actually the mental exhaustion resulting in poor physical health. But every time someone approaches me to have a discussion, I feel I’ll probably come out of my own shell if I have a conversation which will help me further with my mental wellbeing.
3.- What strategies or tools have you found most effective for raising awareness about mental health issues?
Sharing lived experiences and the steps I have taken towards it is probably the most effective for me in raising awareness because I feel I have a lot to contribute since I’m talking out of my own experience and have first-hand experience in dealing with situations. Through my podcast, I have opened up about a lot of my struggles and what I have done to overcome them. I launched my very first book/reflective planner which has the exact same tools that I used during my healing phase. I also am organising storytelling events which not only focuses on sharing some inspiring stories but also helps with putting into effect, the tools to use to reflect on ourselves and how we can change for the better.
4.- Can you share a moment where your advocacy work had a profound impact on someone’s life?
I have had multiple women reach out to me after hearing my podcast episodes that they found it so relatable and opened about their own struggles. They always tell me that they feel like they have a safe space whenever they are talking to me. I have had women call me to ask for suggestions and the tools to overcome some of the feelings they have been having which are not good for their mental health. So, it always feels really good when someone trusts me with their stories and take me into confidence. A part of me always heals whenever I help others. I love women lifting other women.
5.- What advice would you give to someone struggling to open up about their mental health?
Taking help is very underrated. It helps immensely and in a world like today, there is help always available. My advice would be to open up either with their doctor or a trusted family member or friend to start with. A lot of us fear being judged when we open up about what we are feeling, so I feel opening up with a doctor or a therapist actually helps so much because they come from a very non-judgemental place, they would listen to everything without judgement and provide comfort and tools needed that actually helps. My other advice would be to search for podcasts and videos of real lived experiences by people because when you hear people about what they have gone through and relate to them, you automatically feel like doing what they did to feel better which in turn might help so much in healing & recovery.
Reflective Storytelling
6.- What role does storytelling play in your advocacy work, and how does it empower others?
Storytelling plays a huge role because my advocacy is based on my experience. The more I open up about my journey, the more I feel I will connect with people who have been through the same. Stories are very powerful, and people often don’t realize the power of owning your story and being proud of your journey. Nobody’s life is perfect, and we all have our own struggles but when we put up an act that everything is fine and lead a not so authentic life just for society, we are not doing justice to ourselves. I always promote authenticity because I have realised the power which comes with it. People get empowered by storytelling because of the relatability. Even though the world is filled with multiple cultures, there are so many core problems which are universal, and you can connect with anyone over these.
7.- How do you develop the themes for your stories to ensure they resonate deeply with your audience?
The topics for my podcasts are truly based on my life experiences which is also the life experiences of so many people. The topics are very universal with only difference being the cultural involvement. Each culture gets involved differently. So, I look into my everyday life and also observe people in my life and surroundings to know what is it that they are talking about or frustrated about, there’s always a connection with so many things and thus I decide to talk about them and share whatever experiences I have had.
8.- Can you share a story that has been particularly meaningful in your career?
The story of me setting up boundaries with people has helped me so much in my career. Previously I would let anyone & everyone say things to me which resulted in me getting bullied really bad at workplace. People would never treat me with respect. My journey helped me gain my voice and I started standing up for myself and for what is correct. That is when I started noticing a shift in the behaviour of others. I started respecting myself which also resulted in other people respecting me. It not only improved my confidence but taught me life lessons about boundaries.
Mrs Galaxy Australia 2025 Finalist
9.- What motivated you to participate in the Mrs Galaxy Australia competition, and what does the title mean to you?
I used to be a very different person before my healing journey started and I don’t even recognise that person anymore and always feel I’m in denial mode when I think of that girl. Getting into pageantry in 2023 changed so many things for me. The confidence I gained, the networking skills I gained, some of the personal skills I learnt like skincare, haircare, makeup etc have helped me so much. It gave me a purpose when I didn’t have any. In 2023, when I participated in Australia Galaxy pageant for the first time, I had no knowledge of pageantry but still took so much out of my experience. This time around, I feel I am so much more prepared and aligned with what I need to do. The title means so much to me especially because I’m an Indian Australian. If I win the title, then I would be so happy to take up this responsibility and work towards being a change maker.
10.- How do you integrate your advocacy work into your journey as a national finalist?
My platform is mental health & animal welfare. So, I believe in always sharing my stories to help promote open conversations and normalise talking about things that are carrying stigma around them. Even as a national finalist, my prime focus is to promote open conversations and cite examples of how effective some of the things I have done are so people understand that taking these mini steps helps.
11.- What qualities do you believe set you apart as a contender for the crown?
The Crown belongs to the changemaker, and I already know I am one. I have been working tirelessly towards my platform to bring out content that actually helps and is useful, I have published my book which is also a reflective planner that has the exact tools I used for my own healing and it will help other women going through similar situations, I have organised storytelling events to help provide safe space for women to open up on their journeys. The changes are already in progress and it’s only going to amplify to greater extents as a titleholder. I also have a mix of both Indian & Australian culture which will help me reach more people. I speak 3 languages fluently and understand around 5 languages that will help me connect to more people & amplify the changes that I want to bring in.
12.- What message do you hope to convey through your participation in Mrs Galaxy Australia?
My message would be to step out of comfort zone and do something unique because we all have one life, and we all deserve to feel our absolute best and try things that Will help us build ourselves furthermore. Pageantry has its own stigmas, and I would hope people get to take part in one to realize what it actually means to be in a supportive environment and how much it helps you grow.
Dancer and Fashion Choreographer
13.- How did you discover your passion for dance, and what impact has it had on your life?
I have always had a fascination for dance and I’m a partially trained Indian classical dancer. During my early days, I had to stop dancing for a few years because of problem with my right ankle and thus couldn’t continue learning Indian classical dance but I do freestyle dancing and Bollywood dancing which I absolutely love. It lifts my mood always and makes me very happy. There is no way you will find me not dancing at any event I go. Whether it’s on stage or in the corner of the venue, I always am ready to shake a leg and create memories through dance. It’s an absolute happy form of my expressions.
14.- What challenges do you face when choreographing fashion shows, and how do you overcome them?
Being a part of a fashion show means working with so many different people. There are always creative differences around and sometimes very difficult to have conversations. People come with a lot of different mindsets, they have their own conditions of what they will do and what they won’t, so working with everyone’s needs is a huge ask and needs extreme patience in handling situations because there is always a chance that nothing might go as planned. Or some things might not go as planned. It’s also important to understand that not everybody will like you. I have a lot of patience, and I know not everyone needs to like me, so I overcome the difficulties by accepting this fact.
15.- Can you describe a project or performance that was particularly memorable for you?
I choreographed almost 45 women for a fashion show organised for a 10th year anniversary of my friend’s boutique and that for me was very memorable because of the effort I had put in. There were 3 different shows that included, and I loved conceptualising it and choregraphing it over a span of 6 weeks to finally get there and rock the show.
Podcaster
16.- What inspired you to start your podcast, and what themes do you explore in your episodes?
When I wrote about my stint with depression back in 2022, I felt the power of healing through opening up and I found my voice. The more I started talking to people, the happier I would feel to have open conversations. I also appeared in a couple of podcasts, and it made me feel like I’m loving what I speak. So, I thought about this idea of starting my own and I finally did which not just helped me immensely but also helped so many others. I decide the topics for the podcast solely based on my lived experiences because I know I can speak a lot if it’s something that I have lived through and would be able to justify my point better.
17.- How do you ensure your podcast provides value to listeners while remaining authentic?
Listeners come with a blank mind sometimes not knowing what to expect but when they listen to a topic that helps them relate, they feel more connected. A lot of the topics are universal and there is always some connection that the listeners form when they listen. Even if they have not experienced it firsthand, they might know someone who has. So, by being authentic and owning my story and sharing it not only promotes being real but also shows having open conversations actually help you build so many connections and support system.
18.- Who has been your favourite guest on your podcast so far, and why?
I have only done solo episodes till now as I needed season one to be only about promoting open conversations on multiple topics. Season two will be launched second half of this year where I will have multiple guests over.
Personal and Future Goals
19.- As someone who wears many hats, how do you stay motivated and focused across your various roles?
I think it’s my passion that helps me stay motivated. I’m a passionate creative and I have multiple interests, I feel so happy when I’m working on something I like. I don’t mind putting all the extra work because I really want to give it my more than 100%. I love being a changemaker that I am, and I will keep doing things because it gives me immense happiness and helps me build a life towards my purpose.
20.- What are your long-term goals, and how do you envision making an even greater impact in the future?
My ultimate passion in life is to be able to build a rescue home for animals in need and promote animal welfare & mental health because animals play a huge role in uplifting mental wellbeing. I have launched my yearly storytelling event that I want to grow even further each year and help more women gain clarity about owning their unique identity and promote open conversations. My impact as a lifelong changemaker would be in mental health and promoting health animal-human co-existence.
Interview conducted by Jaime William Mostacero Baca with Hamsika Prakash – India
English language
Interview authorized : Hamsika Prakash – Perumira – Jaime William
All Rights Reserved in the name of Hamsika Prakash – Perumira – Jaime William
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