1. Movies for Mental Health
Please complete your BEFORE survey.
Bakersfield College
March 21, 2018
Facilitator: Leslie Poston
@artwithimpact
#Movies4MentalHealth
2. Here’s the Plan
I. Quick Introduction (Facilitator)
II. Quick Introduction (Art With Impact)
III. Set the Stage Together
IV. Watch Short Films & Discuss Them
V. Make it Personal with Our Panel
3. Brought to you by
• Monthly Short Film
Competition
• Campus Workshops
• Global Community
(blog, IG, Twitter, FB)
• Mental Health Services Act (2004)
• 1% tax on people earning >$1m/year
• 25% to prevention and early intervention
4. Heads Up
★ Mental health is personal - YOU are the
expert of your own experience.
★ This is a public space - not therapy.
★ We’re here for connection, questions and
creating change!
★ Films might trigger big emotions - that’s OK!
★ Please ask for help if you need support.
5. Stigma
A judgment or stereotype that is:
1. always negative.
2. always untrue.
3. can be internalized.
7. What did you notice about stigma?
Barrier
Based on what culture you grow up in
Homies/friends/associates feeling one is “weak”
Lack of communication within the community
Seeing issues as belonging to other/mainstream
community
Fear of taking the first step to see a counselor
“A silent killer in the black community.” – every community
8. How does stigma feel?
Lonely
Depressed
Fear
Restrained
Numb/lack of feeling
Isolated
Weak
Painful
Unfounded
Imprisonment
11. Some movies that show mental illness:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Next
Girl Interrupted
Patch Adams
Silver Linings Playlist
Blindside
A Beautiful Mind
Rainman
Forrest Gump
Castaway
12. Characters with mental illness are portrayed as:
Outsider
“Crazy”
Unpredictable
Psycho
Unstable
Threat
Unsuitable
Unemployable
Animal
Humorous (laughing “at” not “with”) /Laughing Stock
Inhumane
Manipulative
Narcasistic
Dramatic
15. What did you think? What did you feel?
Thoughts
Food is a drug that can be
abused.
Stigma is the bully (one in the
same) – can be any factor.
Reveal of that author’s current
body showed where he is.
Body does not make him who he
is (one’s disorder does not make
someone “what” they are or who
they “who” they are).
Lack of motivation
Comparison: “Figure out how to
get off the island.”
Feelings
Depressing, but motivational
Still hear pain in his voice
Lack of motivation
18. What did you think? What did you feel?
Thoughts
Redefined herself and found
support from community
Found herself with finding
support (film company)
Cultures not allowing people
to discuss their feelings
Experience: in Vietnam, not
accepted and punishable
(1960s)
Not linear – but a
rollercoaster (mental health)
Feelings
Respect for being part of
LGBT community
Not talked about feelings in
her Asian/Vietnamese
community
19. Why don’t people get help?
Think they don’t need it and have power to address it (self-determination)
before they realize they can’t.
People believe they can manage it – phase they are going through.
Shame
Don’t know who to trust. People may not understand you.
No one takes what someone says seriously.
Perceived risk.
Don’t want to be diagnosed with a mental disorder. (Stigma)
Don’t want to be labeled (want help but not the label).
Obstacles to accessing services. / Lack of actual resources.
Being uninsured.
Tend to believe everyone else is better off (isolation: only one).
Not culturally acceptable.
Finding out what and who would help her as she went through.
22. What can we do?
Journaling
Meditate and ask questions (about myself)
Share your story.
Admitting it to yourself.
Exercise.
Positive affirmations.
Recognize acceptable standard for people to have their space and knowing
when someone is reaching out (not just acting out).
Breathe and really feel it.
Find hobby that best suits you and practice it (everyday).
Listen to yourself and pay attention to your body and action.
To go out and help others, after helping yourself.
Have conversations.
23. Meet the Panel
• Caitlin Livingston - Bakersfield College
Student
• Rosealinda Carrillo - LMFT at Bakersfield
College Counseling Center
• Tim Burke - BC Psychology Faculty, NAMI
Campus Advisor
24. UP NEXT...The Panel
We hope you can stay!
If not, please quickly complete both sides of our
AFTER survey and include your 4-digit code!
Our panel is coming up right now!
25. AWI Ambassadors
• You’re invited! Continue the conversation, be
a leader!
• Join the AWI Ambassadors FB group and
connect with students across North America:
www.facebook.com/groups/awiambassadors/
• Blog, be a juror for the film competition, run
campaigns, and much more!
26. Thank you for coming!
• Contact us: info@artwithimpact.org
• Follow us!
• Submit a film!
https://www.artwithimpact.org/films/submit-a-film/
Editor's Notes
Campus organizer (may) introduce facilitator
Brief introduction – welcome, name
Encourage people to come closer
Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and document this event - we’d love to see your photos!
Brief agenda review:
- will give you a brief summary of AWI
- set the stage together, which really means that as a group we’ll have a discussion and provide a context for the topics
- we have four short films from our library to show you, together we’ll discuss the themes
- Make it personal with a panel of campus and community resources to connect you with
- You’ll be doing most of the talking today!
Mention photos - if you would prefer not to have your face in photos please inform us after the event
Who is AWI?
- we are a charity dedicated to reducing the stigma of mental illness with transition-aged youth, work in regions throughout North America
- we have been working in the US and Canada since 2011
- We host an ongoing monthly short film competition where filmmakers anywhere in the world can submit a film on the topic of mental health, these are juried and monthly winners receive $1,000 cash prize (will tell you more about that at the end of our time together)
- We then take these winning films and facilitate discussions in our postsecondary Movies for Mental Health program (you’ll see what this is all about today) and run a high school program that teaches media literacy to youth and allows them to make their own short films on mental health
- Also a part of a larger global community, release blogs twice a week on feature length films, or film festivals related to themes of mental illness
Brought to you by:
- mention any nonprofit partners or corporate sponsors
Want to explain what I mean about this statement…
Mental health is personal and our experiences are different, we all come from different backgrounds and cultures – you are the experts on YOU and know yourself better than anyone else.
We don’t often talk about mental health; as a society we don’t tend to talk about issues/experiences related to this theme, so sometimes we don’t know HOW to talk about these topics. First and foremost keep yourself safe today, don’t feel compelled to share anything you’re not comfortable with. This is a new space and you might feel ready to share but might not know what responses you’ll have, and it is a public space with no guaranteed confidentiality so be mindful of the space that we are in before you disclose.
Some of the films might be triggering, meaning they might elicit an emotional reaction. It’s ok to feel! But if you ever feel that you are not OK, or unsafe, please do what you need to do to take care of yourself. We have counsellors in the room today that are here to help you if you need to step out (say names of counsellors, have them raise their hands in the audience).
FIRST - ask for one or two people to define “stereotype.” Really just one or two - NOT a big discussion.
THEN, name that stigma and stereotype are often used interchangeably, but stigma has a few distinct qualities. Quick definition. Provide a little explanation of the third point - we can take in these judgments and believe them about ourselves, even though they’re untrue. For example, if everyone tells me that having depression is just being lazy, it’s possible that I could start to believe that myself, that I’m just lazy and don’t need to seek support.
Do a quick check to see if everyone gets it and is on board - again, not a big discussion, but a “thumbs up” check or see if they’re generally nodding
15 minutes into the workshop
Can close this slide by naming that yes, stigma can be a huge negative aspect of our experience, but it’s not permanent. Through conversations like these, and by sharing our truths, we can change stigma, and reduce it, and ultimately, get rid of it entirely.
25 minutes into the workshop
Introduce ways that AWI holds some concepts around MH - these may change over time, terms are evolving.
Quick slide: We see mental health as an umbrella in that it is something that we are all existing under, and experiencing. Mental health can include many aspects of life. It’s our internal way of seeing the world, and something we all have and experience. Like physical health, we all have mental health, and things within and outside of ourselves can affect our mental health. Things outside of the MH umbrella, like culture, spirituality, physical health, support systems, etc. can affect our MH.
There’s lots of intersectionality and influences when it comes to MH.
There can be embedded and systemic influences (such as histories of oppression, privilege, access to services) and other components that influence the way we as individuals experience MH.
MI and MW are concepts that fall under the umbrella of MH.
MI can be defined as when uncontrollable things happening within you and/or influenced by other things get in the way of you living the life you want to live. This can arise from trauma or be circumstantial, and can also be influenced by genetics and biology. Mental illness diagnoses are helpful for some, and for others provide more of a shared language. MI may differ between how society defines it and how we define it for ourselves.
MW means feeling “well” - however you define it - in your mind and spirit. It can include practices and behaviors that support you and help you feel and be your best self. Like physical health, it requires maintenance. We don’t hold these as opposites - you can have symptoms of a mental illness, and engage in mental wellness practices. You can also not have symptoms of a MI, but still not be mentally well, if you don’t have ways of supporting your internal (and external) self.
Can close up this slide by saying yes, media portrayals are overall negative, but there are artists and filmmakers out there making films that can change this. Many of our films are made by people with lived experience, and share their genuine truths.
35 minutes into the workshop
50 minutes into the workshop
***CAN SKIP SLIDE IF RUNNING LOW ON TIME*** Ideally, you will be able to use this slide, as it can lead to a great discussion about stigma, and how different stigmas (and other factors) can keep people from seeking support. If you think you’re running out of time, try to prompt this question in the previous “thoughts / feelings” slide so it’s at least touched on, even if you don’t use this slide.
1 hour and 5 minutes into the workshop
This slide is to give space to discussing the last film, but isn’t an in-depth thoughts/feelings slide. It should be a group conversation (not small groups), and just take a few people’s reactions to the film. Depending on time, you might need to move on quickly, but if you have time, feel free to let this be an open discussion about the film.
From what we’ve learned - actions we may be drawn to take. Be sure to encourage responses that relate to what we can do as friends, family members, and community members of people with MI, AND ALSO make sure they address what we can do for ourselves, i.e. mental wellness practices.
1 hour and 20 minutes into the workshop
“Now will invite our panelists to come up. We will hear from the students, sharing their personal stories. We’re so grateful for their courage in sharing their stories! We will also hear from resources on-campus and in the community. After the panelists all speak, you will have a chance to ask the panel any questions you have. If you need to leave early, please do so respectfully, and please make sure to fill out an evaluation before you leave. This information is super helpful for us in making sure we and your school are serving your needs as well as we can. We will also pass these out at the end of the workshop.” **Applause for panelists!**
They will then speak in order of how they are in the slide. At the end, you will invite questions from the audience.
1 hour and 20 minutes into the workshop
“Now will invite our panelists to come up. We will hear from the students, sharing their personal stories. We’re so grateful for their courage in sharing their stories! We will also hear from resources on-campus and in the community. After the panelists all speak, you will have a chance to ask the panel any questions you have. If you need to leave early, please do so respectfully, and please make sure to fill out an evaluation before you leave. This information is super helpful for us in making sure we and your school are serving your needs as well as we can. We will also pass these out at the end of the workshop.” **Applause for panelists!**
They will then speak in order of how they are in the slide. At the end, you will invite questions from the audience.
1 hour and 55 minutes into the workshop
AWI exists to create a community of students, artists, advocates, who want to have these conversations...if you’re interested in staying in touch with us and becoming a part of a larger community of students across N. America who believe in the power of art to subvert stigma