I facilitated the production of the film “Mental Health in Pictures – In Conversations with My Tribe”, to engage Time to Change Champions in Greenwich, South London for Time to Talk Day in February 2021; a national campaign fighting the stigma associated with mental health.

Because the theme of the Time to Talk Day was “the power of small”, I wanted to underline the importance of three aspects which helped my recovery and still offer a lot of comfort:

Firstly, letting it out in whatever form – taking emotions out to face and process them is crucial for the recovery and mental wellness; I personally do this through my art;

Secondly, the sense of belonging – finding people who understand, listen and do not judge;

And thirdly, finding your own tribe – connection with like-minded people with whom you feel safe, supported and understood; they make me feel I have a sense of purpose and empowerment.

The film was also shared via the usual social media platforms, via all the contributors, but initially it was launched during a virtual live event titled, ‘Talking Pictures’, where all the contributors and the film director, Maddie Kitchen from Sobriety Films UK, met with the audience and talked about the fascinating journey that was undertaken to make this film despite the challenging circumstances of the pandemic and lockdown conditions.

The feedback received so far has been full of praise and some messages which have reached me, pointed out how helpful and inspiring it was, with some participants voicing their willingness to try to reach out and use their creativity in order to find healing there. For others it acted a reminder to take up artwork once again.

I am delighted to present you with this film and would love to hear from you, should you wish to share your thoughts on it.

You can reach me on Instagram @dorota.chioma.art or you can email me at: zine.mental.health@gmail.com

The film is streamed on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aLCRCp0eqzM