This document summarizes a virtual workshop on movies and mental health hosted by Art With Impact and the University of Alberta. The workshop featured short films about mental health and sexual violence, group discussions, and a panel discussion with university students and staff. Participants engaged through polls, chat, and sharing ways they practice self-care. The films and discussions focused on topics like stigma, depicting trauma in media, and how to support survivors. Participants provided feedback through an anonymous evaluation at the end.
3. #Movies4MentalHealth
POLL: Who’s here today?
A
Student at
University of
Alberta
C
B
#Movies4MentalHealth
Faculty/Staff at
University of
Alberta
Somebody else
6. #Movies4MentalHealth
HERE’S THE PLAN
● Setting the scene together
○ Mental Health
○ Sexual Violence
○ Stigma
● Watch and discuss films, connect our
minds and bodies
● Panel of students and resources
● Evaluation (and a chance to enter to
win $25 or a wellness prize pack!)
● Virtual Mingle / Q&A
7. #Movies4MentalHealth
Mental health is personal – YOU are the expert
on your own experience
Sexual violence is personal and impacts mental
health in many different ways
We are online - this is a public, shared space
We are recording this session for internal
training and evaluation purposes
Please take care of yourself however you
need, including asking for help
HEADS UP
#Movies4MentalHealth
8. #Movies4MentalHealth
NEED SUPPORT?
Access mental health support throughout this workshop.
Click Shared Notes
to link to online
resources
Private Chat mental health support.
They are at the top and have * next
to their names
#1 #2
#Movies4MentalHealth
9. #Movies4MentalHealth
3 WAYS TO ENGAGE
We welcome your participation!
CHAT BOX: Use the
Public Chat to connect
with the whole group
#1
#Movies4MentalHealth
10. #Movies4MentalHealth
POLL: respond
to a Poll when
prompted
#2
Set Your Status by
clicking on your name
and selecting from
the drop-down menu
#3
3 WAYS TO ENGAGE
We welcome your participation!
#Movies4MentalHealth
11. #Movies4MentalHealth
If you need tech
support, ask…
Look for the person whose name begins with
AWI Support and Private Chat them with any issues.
#Movies4MentalHealth
12. #Movies4MentalHealth
IN JUST A FEW WORDS...
What has self-care been
looking like for you these days?
#Movies4MentalHealth
● Not skipping meals
● Sleep
● Meal prep :)
● Going to the gym!
● Learning.
● Self care to me is taking warm
showers
● Lots and lots of naps
● Building healthy habits
● Reading
● Spending time with pets
● Playing games
● Understanding when i'm burnt out
and not pushing myself further
● Recognizing when I'm stressed
● Taking space when I need it
● scheduling fun activities
● Sending stream of consciousness voice
memos to my friends!!
● Movie theatre visits
● Cuddling my son!
● Asking for help when needed
● Pacing my work life
● Dancing/moving in my body
● Going for walks, listening to music, working
on my art and photography
● Separating tasks and dividing them to go
one at a time and not to try do everything all
at once
● Voiced-over animal videos
● Self talking while walking
16. #Movies4MentalHealth
Sexual Violence Survivor
#Movies4MentalHealth
○ Personal definition
○ Has been through a potentially traumatic experience,
or set of experiences, involving sexual or intimate acts
○ Experience was against their wishes
○ and/or crossed a boundary that they had set
○ and/or left them feeling violated, used, scared, unsafe
or hurt
19. #Movies4MentalHealth
POLL: DO YOU RECALL SEEING
DEPICTIONS OF THE SURVIVOR’S
HEALING PROCESS AFTER THE
VIOLENCE?
A Yes
C
B
#Movies4MentalHealth
No
Can’t
Remember
20. #Movies4MentalHealth
REFLECTING ON OUR ANSWERS TO
THESE QUESTIONS:
#Movies4MentalHealth
WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST THOUGHTS?
● What valuable information!
● Not surprised but disappointed
● It seems more common that the healing process is not shown
● A lot of the examples I was thinking of didn't even name it at sexual violence
● I'm not surprised at all, but I figured there would be a tad bit more individuals
who saw a healing process
● We are being told that there isn't a healing process, or you can't heal
● Often not healing is a plot point. the character is "damaged"
● Some of the examples I thought of had touched on a healing process but
nothing much after that
● I've seen a few better representations of healing in recent media (from the past
4-5 years), but most media either doesn't discuss the healing process, or
presents vengeance as a solution
● Media has become a place where rape culture and violence is glorified… with
minimal portrayal of the healing process beyond the washing of the victim in
the shower or the initial police/hospital scene
● Sexual violence is often the joke, and so its not the point to see healing,
Thinking of cat calling and groping as a comedic act in films
22. #Movies4MentalHealth
What did you think/
How did you feel?
#Movies4MentalHealth
Alberta One Line for Sexual Violence
1-866-403-8000 (9a-9p)
● It seems like the perpetrators are often people we know, or even our own
partners which makes it even harder to talk to others about
● I was a bit frustrated and overwhelmed
● I was frustrated too
● It was a great video, it was sad to watch but I noticed the way the boy
talked to her, saying how he was worried, then done with her, and then
wanting her back
● Relatable
● Can feel her exhaustion, cant even be honest to friends or open up and
can barely keep up w/school work
23. #Movies4MentalHealth
How might stigma impact survivors of
sexual violence?
#Movies4MentalHealth
● Making the individual believe it was their fault
● Feeling isolated and alone
● Internalization of 'weakness' ("i could have/should have done something")
● Feeling “dirty” :(
● Stigma question: She's making a big deal about nothing. The guy doesn't
even know anything happened.
● Character assassination… internally and externally
● This isn't directly related to the video, but I began thinking about spousal
abuse because of it. Many married victims might feel ashamed of being
victims of SA, and just entirely denying it, especially immigrants
● It can make you think that you aren't "strong" enough and belittle yourself
● Goes also to show how people may appear happy and healthy in public
yet can be completely different behind closed doors
25. #Movies4MentalHealth
HOW WAS THIS BREATHING
EXERCISE FOR YOU?
#Movies4MentalHealth
A Relaxing
C
B
D
E
Invigorating
or refreshing
Meh
Stressful or
uncomfortable
New
26. Me Too
By Maya Bastian
Voices With Impact 2019
CONTENT HEADS UP
intense emotional depiction of impacts of sexual violence
27. #Movies4MentalHealth
What is one word to describe how you’re
feeling right now?
#Movies4MentalHealth
● Exhausted
● Intense
● Tense
● Triggered
● Sorrow
● Tense
● Shaking
28. #Movies4MentalHealth
What makes it difficult to reach out
for help?
#Movies4MentalHealth
● Feeling like there is no support out there
● Feeling shameful about it
● Fear of people not believing you
● Fear of being judged
● Imposter syndrome
● People you know backing up the offender
● Fear of comparison. Your situation being ranked compared to
others
● Long-term supports.
● High-pressure parent
● The fact that her offender is still in her school
● Fear of speaking up
● Absolutely the fear of comparison. what I went through was
seemingly light, but it impacted me in outsized ways
● People are quick to judge and tend to use drugs or alcohol to
validate why the rapist gets away with the act
● Seeing how others are treated/not believed when they come
forward
29. #Movies4MentalHealth
What is one way that the friends,
father, and partner could have shown
their support for the main character?
#Movies4MentalHealth
● Listening and not jumping to conclusions or coming up with guesses
● Telling them their thoughts and feelings are valid
● They could have been more kinder and patient; not assuming one is slacking
off out of laziness
● Her father noticed something was off, but he approached her in a way that was
more confrontational/accusatory
● Declaring the willingness and ability to hold space for the other.
● They could've invited a conversation and say "i've noticed that your feeling
different... do you want to talk about it?"
● Could have asked if she needed a hug
● Sometimes being there to simply listen and give them a space to feel
comfortable in, instead of telling them how you think they should handle their
situations
● Not assuming that she had hooked up since that would be so triggering for
someone after they experienced sexual assault
● I really appreciate how the film ended. Taking a step to share their own
experience is huge, and there is so much healing that can come from
community <3
31. #Movies4MentalHealth
HOW WAS THIS MOMENT FOR YOU?
#Movies4MentalHealth
A Relaxing
C
B
D
E
Invigorating
or refreshing
Meh
Stressful or
uncomfortable
New
32. Little Elizabeth
By Elizabeth Ayiku
AWI Winner, February 2018
CONTENT HEADS UP
discussion of trauma and childhood sexual assault
33. #Movies4MentalHealth
What is one word to describe how you’re
feeling right now?
#Movies4MentalHealth
● Warm
● Inspired
● Moved
● Free
● Self-compassion
● Enlightening
● Comforted
● Safe
● Empowered
● Confirmed worthiness
34. #Movies4MentalHealth
What are some ways we can
support ourselves and others?
#Movies4MentalHealth
● Honesty in experience
● Let others know you're there for them if they want you to be. You could even
practice their love language if you feel something is off with others (that is if
you know their love language)
● By not being afraid to talk about those hard things
● Acknowledge our pain with compassion rather than anger
● Support their connection to themselves and their spaces
● Learning how to be a better listener to others, and maybe to our own emotions
as well
● Listening, to others, or to your own inner voices, listening is the key!
● Creating safe spaces that you want to be a part of and want to share with
others
● Call out rape culture and not accepting it as normal
● Openness to family and friends
● Universality.
● Holding space for others in need and asking others if they can hold space for
us in the moment
● Acknowledging each others stories, really listening to what is being said and
hearing what isn't being said. Reminding ourselves and others that the shame
isn’t ours to carry. It belongs to the person who committed the act.
36. #Movies4MentalHealth
Art With Impact:
Continued Connections
Click the link in the chat to learn more!
Exclusive community events and spaces
Arts-based discussion trainings
Interview and discussion opportunities
Weekly art + wellness prompts
37. #Movies4MentalHealth
MEET THE PANEL
bit.ly/m4mho-sv-uofa
Shelby Henry (she/her)
Medical Student, Former UASAC Volunteer, University of Alberta
Daniela Chávez Vega (she/ella) RSW, CD (DONA)
Psychological Support Clinician, University of Alberta Sexual Assault
Centre
Victoria Delorme (she/they)
Indigenous Student Experience Coordinator, Indigenous Student
Services - Augustana Campus, UofA
Mika Burns (they/them)
Youth Public Educator, Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton
39. 39
SACE exists to support
people who have
experienced sexual
violence and engage
communities to
promote, respect, and
uphold a culture of
consent.
Our Services
Support & Information Line
Counselling (all ages, all
genders)
Services are provided at no
fee.
Public Education
Diversity & Inclusion
Police & Court Support
sace.ca
40. 40
Support &
Information Line
• Available 9:00am-9:00pm
• Provides callers/chatters
• Information
• Support
• Referrals
• Call or text-
1-866-403-8000
• Chat – www.sace.ca
Free and
confidential phone,
text or chat line
available for
anyone impacted
by sexual violence,
supporters, and
community
members
Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE)
sace.ca
41. 41
Client
Centered
Counselling
Client centered
approach
• Specialized, non-victim blaming,
post-trauma support
• Clients are viewed as the experts
in their life
• Clients can self-refer
Child & Youth program
Adult program
Group counselling
• No fee for
service
• 15 Sessions
• All genders, all
ages (3+)
Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE)
sace.ca
42. #Movies4MentalHealth
Please fill out the evaluation!
@artwithimpact
info@artwithimpact.org
#Movies4MentalHealth
You can enter for a chance to win a wellness prize pack!
If you are receiving credit for attending this workshop,
at the end of the evaluation, you’ll be prompted to add your
information to a sign-in sheet.
Evaluation responses will remain separate and anonymous.
43. #Movies4MentalHealth
Virtual Mingle / Panel Q&A
Ask a question or share a thought!
You can raise your hand (see image below) to be given
instructions to audio in, use the public chat box, or
send a private message to AWI Support / a panelist.
#Movies4MentalHealth
44. #Movies4MentalHealth
Stay in touch:
Sign up for
Continued Connections!
...and don’t forget to copy/paste the
resources in the Shared Notes!
@artwithimpact
info@artwithimpact.org
#Movies4MentalHealth
