Wondering why there was no #mondaymotivation post from Ivy this week? She’s been very busy developing, hosting, and coordinating the First Annual Mental Health Awareness Event in Waltham, Massachusetts, on May 25. We are so proud of her efforts to stop the stigma in her community and spread awareness and inspiration that we wanted to share some details regarding her event.
There were over 34 mental health organizations/advocates that participated in this event and shared their resources with the community. Some of the highlights included a self-love garden, where guests could write positive affirmations about themselves on flowers that were displayed in the ground as a “garden”, as well as several other mental wellness activities such as making a stress ball, and a community art project that allowed guests to be vulnerable and share with the world, by finishing the sentence, “If You Truly Knew Me, You’d Know That…”.
Four workshops were held throughout the day, that focused on lived experiences and stories of recovery from youth, suicide prevention workshops, a panel on reducing stigma in communities of color, and education on eating disorder and substance use prevention. There was also yoga, zumba, food, music, and giveaways!
It was an inspiring day full of mental health resources, stories, and activities and it was the first community event in this area to entirely focus on mental wellness. With great feedback from the community, Waltham is already excited for the 2nd Annual Mental Health Awareness Event! This event allowed the community to know that you are never alone on this journey. One memorable moment was that a man who has schizophrenia who has been hospitalized for half of his life, was seen smiling for the first time at this event, which spoke volumes to all of us.
