The unprecedented experience of the social condition imposed on all of us by the sudden appearance of Covid-19, the condition of sterilization, seclusion, and lockdown, with the addition of being continuously and completely at the mercy of warnings in medical and safety terminologies, a language which only increased our feelings of fear and being ignorant, led the Οrganizing Committee of the annual Forum of the Society of Social Psychiatry P. Sakellaropoulos, to realize the absolute necessity of shaping a meaning out of this almost unnatural situation, for ourselves, our colleagues, our users, our families, and our friends.
Art is “the most intense form of individualism” as Oscar Wild wrote, and one of the most direct ways of approaching our personal difficult feelings such as fear or confusion. Through it, we can actually become able to express our feelings uncensored, exactly as they are. Any form of Art would do, as long as it is closer to heart and familiar to each one of us.
Thus, in order to create something meaningful for everyone, and to create a small personal safe space of meaningful thinking, we decided to choose Art and the unbuttered and unhinged space it provides for free and voluntary personal expression.
The recent wearing and trying conditions which virtually threatened our survival, affected more or less the total population creating mental strain and, in some cases, despair. Our attempt of responding to that, dictated our choice to choose Art and attempt again to transubstantiate our recent experience into poetry and dance. In other words, we chose collectivity, sharing, the exchange of thoughts and ideas, communication, and the pleasure offered by Art, in order to include rather than to exclude all who wish to express themselves and acquire some meaning through this expression.
The Society of Mental Health P. Sakellaropoulos collaborated with Dare Dance Digitalized – The 3D Project and organized a wide social and artistic dialogue among carers, users of mental health services, and people of the community in general. This dialogue was conducted through questionnaires and personal interviews, in order to create a short video of poetry and dancing, a testimony of sharing thoughts and ideas as well as personal dance moves, a conversation among bodies, a sharing of phrases of movement and points of view. It became an artistic expression of our common experience acquired during the challenges of the present and the psychological pain of being in a lockdown which will be presented at the 3rd annual Forum Panayiotis Sakellaropoulos, whose main theme for this year is “Art and Mental Health for All”.
In addition to the mainstream psycho-therapeutic tools, since the beginning of its operation, the Society of Social Psychiatry P. Sakellaropoulos, has used art and cultural activities in order to enhance the psychosocial rehabilitation of its members. We also use art to involve, empower and connect the beneficiaries of the 35 mental health units that we operate, as well as mental health professionals, with the wider community (other professionals, schools, community stakeholders, and networks). In other words, through experiential activities that utilize art and artistic creation, we form a unit of empowerment of mental health and resilience in the wider community.
The European project StaGe of Mind has also been developed based on the recognition of the mental health benefits of art for people with psychosocial problems. Adults with psychosocial difficulties have limited access to the cultural scene and especially to the performing arts. The SteGe of Mind project was created with the main goal of providing access to people with mental disorders in the field of musical theater, through their training and support by specialized professionals, in order to create and stage a musical performance. The ultimate goal is to empower participants, enrich their creativity and enhance their potential through the creation of a musical theatre production, which, at the same time, will help address the stigma around mental disorders and promote social inclusion.
