This document outlines the agenda and content for a "Movies for Mental Health" event at Cecil College. The event included an introduction by the facilitator, discussions about mental health and stigma, screenings of short films about mental illness, and a panel discussion. Participants were encouraged to share their thoughts and feelings in response to the films. The goals were to have open conversations about mental health, break down stigma, and provide resources to students.

1. Movies for
Mental Health
Cecil College
February 25, 2019
Facilitator: L’Oré​al McCollum
@artwithimpact
#Movies4MentalHealth

2. Here’s the Plan
• Quick Introduction
• Setting the scene together
• Mental Health
• Stigma
• Watch and discuss films
• Panel of students and resources
#Movies4MentalHealth

3. Brought to you by…
Monthly short film competition.
Campus workshops.
Global community.
#Movies4MentalHealth

4. Where were you right before
coming to the workshop?
#Movies4MentalHealth

5. Heads Up
• Mental health is personal – YOU are the expert on
your own experience
• Public space – no confidentiality
• It’s okay to feel!
• Films and conversations might be triggering
• Please take care of yourself however you need,
including asking for help
#Movies4MentalHealth

6. Mental Health
#Movies4MentalHealth

7. Mental Health
• Mental illness
• Mental wellness
#Movies4MentalHealth

8. Some movies and tv shows that
show mental illness…
Cyberbully
Silver Linings Playbook
Ordinary People
Soloist
Maniac
A beautiful Mind
Girl Interrupted
Split
Shameless
Good Will Hunting
13 Reasons Why
#Movies4MentalHealth

9. Characters with mental illness
are portrayed as…
Crazy
Tortured
Sad
Hopeless
Outcast
Tormented
Depressed
Violent
A Problem
Unstable
Unwanted
#Movies4MentalHealth

10. Stigma vs.
Stereotype
#Movies4MentalHealth

11. Stigma
•A judgment or stereotype that is:
• Always negative
• Always untrue
• Can be internalized
#Movies4MentalHealth

12. How does stigma feel?
Horrible
Trapped
Embarrassing
Lonely
Isolating
No one believes you
Empty
Scared
Hopeless
Vulnerable
Attacked
#Movies4MentalHealth

13. A Short Film About Anxiety
By Lily Rose Thomas + Stephen Isaac-Wilson
AWI Winner, July 2018
#Movies4MentalHealth

14. Discuss in groups of three…
• What did you think?
• What did you feel?
#Movies4MentalHealth

15. What did you think? What did you feel?
Thoughts
Important to have
conversations to break stigma
Differences in experience
When you put it out there, it
doesn’t have power over you
anymore
You can’t know exactly what
another person is going
through
Feelings
Relatable
People should be more
involved/willing to help

16. How did the filmmaking
techniques help tell the story?
Sound - feelings of unease
Transitions between videos heightened anxiety
Imagery spoke to premise of the film
Closeness of shots
#Movies4MentalHealth

17. Faded
By Rebecca Chiafullo
AWI Winner, February 2019
#Movies4MentalHealth

18. Discuss in groups of three…
• What did you think?
• What did you feel?
#Movies4MentalHealth

19. What did you think? What did you feel?
Thoughts
Great
Descriptive
So powerful, felt like I was on
the screen
Felt as though it was more
hopeful
Symbolism of polaroid camera
Multiple pathways to that
experience
Does not always have to be a
traumatic experience
Just because you may have
everything, that doesn’t mean
you will be happy
Feelings
Inspirational
Took breath away
Connectedness
Powerful
“It is what it is”

20. Why don’t people get help?
Hard to admit
Someone may feel at risk of losing something,
like a job
Stigma
Expensive
Comparative suffering - you feel bad talking
about what you are going through
Time
There is comfort in suffering
#Movies4MentalHealth

21. Blue
By Samuel León
AWI Winner, September 2018
#Movies4MentalHealth

22. Responses and Reactions?
#Movies4MentalHealth
Turn challenge into something beautiful
She used her “medication” to dive deeper into creativity
Scary that she is so young
Progress vs. stagnation
She is haunted by her challenge/illness
She overcame her fear
Feelings of confliction about completion of story
She found perceived happiness
She showed a lot of strength

23. What can we do?
Listen more - Ask questions (Active Listening)
Find ways to help people to help you
More opportunities to dismantle stigma around mental health
Pay attention to body language/nonverbal cues
Checking in
Be able to recognize signs
Change the system
Expand one's own education
Have more education around addiction what it is and what it isn’t
#Movies4MentalHealth

24. Panel
#Movies4MentalHealth

25. Meet the Panel
Brittany Groth
Cecil College Student
Sully Jecelin
Cecil College Student
Robyn Hunt, LCSW
Coordinator of Disability & Support Services at Cecil College
Roberta Johnson MS, LSW, CFSW, CAADC, LCDP
Overdose Prevention Coordinator at Maryland Department of Health
Nicole Nimmons, MS, LCMFT
Licensed Marriage And Family Therapist at Bodhi Counseling
#Movies4MentalHealth

26. Stay in touch!
Don’t forget to leave your name
and email on the sign-up sheet!
@artwithimpact
info@artwithimpact.org
#Movies4MentalHealth