A true life story of two women who decided to break the stigma of mental illness by educating the public through the power of the arts and expression.
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About Us“ELIMINATING MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA” EVENT SHOWCASES PERSONAL TRIUMPH OVER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
Event Inspires Understanding Through Creative Expression Most of us can’t imagine sharing personal parts of our lives with perfect strangers. Yet, on October 30, during Sound Mental Health’s Eliminating Mental Health Stigma Through the Arts program, that’s exactly what Sarah Harris, Linea Johnson and Cinda Johnson will do. Long ago, Linea and Sarah, who both live with mental illness, decided that sharing their struggles was far more important than hiding behind them. Linea, a gifted musician and author, and Sarah, a talented actor and writer, have discovered that using creative expression can be a fulfilling means of reaching people. Eliminating Mental Health Stigma Through the Arts offers these people an outlet and opportunity to cast a powerful light on the often misunderstood topic of mental illness. By sharing their stories, they hope to educate the community about a health condition that, collectively, is more common than cancer, diabetes and other diseases. Sarah, a Seattle-based artist, has tapped into her own personal experience with bipolar disorder as inspiration for her well-received performance of Call Me Crazy, a funny, candid one-woman monologue about mental illness. Sarah always knew she wanted to be a performer, discovering the thrill of theater at a young age. Though from the east coast, she spent most of her life in Los Angeles. She studied English Literature at UCLA and attended Playhouse West in North Hollywood to study acting. She has been an actor for 12 years, performing with the Cedar Production Theater Company, Stone Soup Theatre, and UPAC Theatre Group. |
Who We Are |
While Sarah always appreciated that she was somehow “different,” her life felt fairly normal. Though she occasionally experienced bouts of depression, a series of events in the early 2000s brought her issues to light. The declining health and eventual passing of a very close relative, coupled with some other highly stressful events in her life prompted Sarah to seek medical help. After a few years of trial and error, she was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2003.
Sarah’s firsthand experiences –coping with all the uncertainties about her future, journeying the circuitous route toward optimal treatments, strengthening family relationships and eventually regrouping toward recovery – richly inform her affecting and semi- autobiographical performance of Call Me Crazy. She hopes her creation will leave a lasting and impactful impression. “I'm hoping that by showing that I'm a regular person in many ways, and not unlike you,” she said, “you'll see that my story has some universal truths and elements to it. Things need to change and the people who can do it are every single one of us.” One look at the Johnsons, a close knit, stable and incredibly “normal” family, and the idea of mental illness is the last thing that would come to mind. Yet, years later, Linea, and mother Cinda, present a revealing, personal and unflinching look at Linea’s struggles with bipolar disorder and the family’s support through her recovery. The reading of excerpts from their book will bring to light the pain, set-backs and ultimate triumph the family went through. Though she had struggles in high school, it wasn’t enough to keep Linea, a bright, driven young woman, from being accepted to Columbia College in Chicago on scholarship to study classical piano. Bright, fastidious and competitive, she excelled there, acing recitals and staying on top of the rigorous demands required by any academic institution. First hand exposure to the glaring disparities in access to care for the mentally ill, and a growing awareness about the crippling effects of stigma, Linea and Cinda discovered a new calling: mental health advocacy. This mission, brought to life by the keen insights gathered from Linea’s years of journaling, inspired the women to chronicle their experiences into what would become Perfect Chaos, a brave, raw account of their experiences battling mental illness. “In sharing my story in clear and unfiltered detail, people will be able to see deeply into the lives of people living with mental illness,” said Linea. “They will be able to see the ups and downs, the terror, the excitement and the struggle.” Eliminating Mental Health Stigma Through the Arts, promotes better understanding about mental illness through artistic expression. “The instrumental role that the arts can play in inspiring thought and motivating change is often overlooked,” said SMH Chief Development Officer, Gayle Johnson. “We hope to change that and are very pleased that Sarah, Linea and Cinda are part of this effort.” |
The Link to STOMP OUT STIGMA News video: http://www.wearecentralpa.com/news/art-creation-working-to-stomp-out-stigma
A partnership between a group of artists and a non-profit is working to eliminate the stigma attached to mental health diseases.
The Jana Marie Foundation's organizers and four local State College artists came up with the idea to create a life-like statue made from shoes to help 'stomp out the stigma'. The statue, 'Sole', stands over 6 feet tall, made from wood, metal, shoe parts and laces tying together the piece with a powerful message. The non-profit is taking their message on the road with them. They're visiting local schools, talking about anxiety, depression, stress and other common mental health issues young adults face. While they are working with the students, artists will be helping them construct their own stompers. |