Expressing the experience of mental illness -- and empowering people who suffer

The Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation offers a spectacular program to address the stigma about mental illness with the help of people who have suffered mental illness. The program, known as Photovoice, puts cameras in the hands of individuals and asks them to produce statements of pictures and words that communicate their experience.

This empowering tool enables people at the grassroots level without access to decision-makers to represent and define issues of concern, areas of strength, and targets for change—all of which are routinely defined by health specialists, policy makers, or professionals. Amazing changes result, including education, empowerment, connection and hope.

Take a look at Beyond The Shadows Of Stigma, an eight-minute video that shows the ways that people are benefitting from expressing their experience with these digital projects. And wonder what such a a program might offer to young people, gang members, cancer patients….

A newsletter about the process is available here.