The presenters will screen an autoethnographic documentary created by a mother and daughter depicting a young woman’s mental illness through her mother’s eyes. The film captures the mother’s struggle to understand her daughter’s condition during multiple hospitalizations, reflecting on the caregiver’s role in mental health.
The workshop, guided by a viewing manual, will involve clinicians and families, taking them through the protagonists’ journey. Focused prompts will enhance understanding of youth mental health complexities. Participants will reflect on their concerns, conflicts, and barriers, gaining insights into recovery for themselves, their loved ones, or those they care for in professional settings. This interactive engagement will foster discussions on coping skills and support strategies for youth mental health recovery. The film aims to resonate with participants’ experiences, aiding their review of personal recovery and rehabilitation challenges.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the significance of the caregiver’s role in providing a stable and nurturing environment.
- Learn ways to overcome stigma by nurturing love and acceptance.
- Foster inclusivity by cultivating understanding and compassion.
- Explore application of coping mechanisms such as dance, art and yoga in mental well-being.
Presenters:
Shabnam Sukhdev
Shabnam is a multimedia artist and professional educator with a strong background in documentary filmmaking. Inspired by her lived experience as a caregiver to a child with diagnosed mental illness, her interdisciplinary doctoral research examines the relationship between individuals, families and societies at the intersections of sociological, psychological and critical disability models of inquiry. She delves into an animated examination of spontaneous performance to inspire emotional authenticity, opening avenues for communication and harmony within communities.
Ishaa Vinod Chopra
Ishaa’s approach extrapolates her lived experiences in mental health and applies them to research, mental health advocacy, and multidisciplinary arts. In her Memoir ‘Finding Order in Disorder’; in lucid, simple prose, she addresses what it is like to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, how it affects interpersonal relationships, and how societal norms influence our understanding of and responses to mental health issues. As a Research Associate of a York University Master’s Thesis documentary project titled ‘Unfinished,’ she explores her journey in mental health through an autoethnographic documentary film.
