This document summarizes a workshop on movies and mental health hosted at Shasta College. The workshop included short films about mental health issues, discussions about the depictions of mental illness in movies and television shows, and a panel discussion with mental health professionals and students. The goal was to raise awareness about mental health topics, reduce stigma, and provide information about local mental health resources through films and conversations.

1. Movies for
Mental Health
Shasta College
February 3, 2020
@artwithimpact
#Movies4MentalHealth

2. Brought to you by…
• Campus workshops
• Monthly short film competition
• Short film production grants
• Global community
• Mental Health Services Act (2004)
• 1% tax on people earning >$1m/year
• 20% to prevention and early intervention
#Movies4MentalHealth

3. Here’s the Plan
• Quick Introduction
• Setting the scene together
• Mental Health
• Stigma
• Watch and discuss films
• Panel of students and resources
#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
• If you don’t want your photo taken, please let us know
#Movies4MentalHealth

6. Mental Health
#Movies4MentalHealth

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

8. MH Across Languages and
Cultures
If English is not your first language, does your
language have words for mental health, mental
illness and mental wellness?
Do these concepts exist in your home culture?

9. Some movies and tv shows that
show mental illness…
Radio
The Good Doctor
Joker
Waterboy
A Beautiful Mind
Robin Williams
Top Gun - loss
Ghost
Seinfeld (Kramer)
Winnie the Pooh (Eeyore!)
Big Bang Theory
Girl Interrupted
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest#Movies4MentalHealth

10. Characters with mental illness
are portrayed as…
Family loss and being bullied
“Stuck on himself”
Real
demonizing or evil
Criminal
Community support
Criticism of actors who play roles
Being too worrisome
“Tough, no fear”
#Movies4MentalHealth

11. Stigma vs.
Stereotype
#Movies4MentalHealth

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

13. How does stigma feel?
BAD
Huh! Want to kick!
Hurts your heart
Frustrating
Agitated
Isolated
Sad
Unheard
Unaccepted
Misunderstood
Disconnected
Unfair
#Movies4MentalHealth

14. A to Z
by Fenny Wang
AWI WINNER, JULY 2017
#Movies4MentalHealth
Content heads up: eating disorders

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

16. What did you think? What did you feel?
Thoughts
Broke heart because of the
words chosen - perpetuates
negativity
Why does he feel that way?
Recognizing that I’m not having
the same experience - social
media, society have an impact
- men can start having that
pressure - people who think
about every bite
Sometimes people say mean
things to themselves
Sometimes the signs aren’t
there - the person can be
stuck in their own stigma
Feelings
Shocked it was a man’s voice
because media portrays it as a
woman’s issue
Hurts feelings when people say
mean things
Liked the question of why does
he feel this way
Relatable!
Concern - what could someone
have done to help? Where
was support

17. How did the filmmaking
techniques help tell the story?
#Movies4MentalHealth

18. Mind Matters
Content heads up: depression, cultural stigma
#Movies4MentalHealth
By Josef Adamu
AWI Winner, November 2019

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

20. What did you think? What did you feel?
Thoughts
Didn’t like that he was
prescribed pills
He tried to hide his emotion on
the bus - his friend realized he
wasn’t fine - he checked in -
someone cared
The pressure of transitioning to
adulthood
Wasn’t helpful for mom to say
take control of his life - not
helpful for a depressed person
He felt overwhelmed and
overpressured - the ocean
MH starting to be looked at as
a whole instead of pieces
Everyone expects you to act ok
Feelings
Felt unhappy and depressed -
hurts my heart
I connected - related to alcohol
as a coping skill - started to
cry - felt good to see friend
come to help
Felt anger - told a lot of things
growing up about depression
Felt bad because mother was
hard on him
Glad friend reached out to him

21. Why don’t people get help?
People are expected act okay
Help that isn’t helpful
They don’t know where to go - how do I get
what I need?
Is it something that I need more testing?
Scared of being judged
At a certain point, you might give up
Don’t want to let people know what’s going on
Scared in general
Feel weak
People may not see that they need help
People try to figure it out on their own
Stop caring #Movies4MentalHealth

22. Chained
By Dustin Lowman
AWI Winner, September 2016
Content heads up: post traumatic stress, veteran
#Movies4MentalHealth

23. Responses and Reactions?
#Movies4MentalHealth
Wore his heart on his sleeve - its his identity - in the back of his mind,
there’s always the tree - when he falls to his knees, he sees his solution
Felt empowered
Felt like he was trapped - panic sets in - he dug himself out - I can finally
reach for that key - he was set free
Can relate - PTSD from foster care - that feeling being stuck, chained to
something - the stigma contributes to being chained
Felt sad, the hill gave me courage
Hope!!!
Felt the bondage - it was a struggle - the solution came from the work he
did, but the solution was also there
He felt like a giant weight was on his shoulders, it seemed like he was
giving up, but then he tried something different and the weight was
released
Look outside of the box
People in the military - what they’re experiencing is real!

24. What can we do?
Think of happy and encouraging thoughts - avoid negative thoughts
Natural
Give advice and ideas on how to move forward
Build support groups and connections
Reach out
Go out for coffee
Growing - keep growing
Just be real and genuine - don’t hide
Life isn’t about being happy - it’s about finding joy, kindness, all the good
stuff - finding the good in others too - everyone is a potential friend
Being included feels good!
Find a healthy coping skill (whatever floats your boat!)
Open about our needs
#Movies4MentalHealth

25. Panel
#Movies4MentalHealth

26. Meet the Panel
bit.ly/M4MH-Shasta
Melissa North
Shasta College Student
Nicole Smith
Psychological Counselor, Student Health & Wellness Office
Shasta College, shastacollege.edu/wellness
Andrea Jones, LMFT
Clinician, North American
Mental Health Services, namhs.com
JT Kennedy
Care Manager, Hill Country Health
and Wellness Center, hillcountryclinic.org

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