Art as a Path to Youth Wellbeing: A Blogpost from ARTS Intern Raquel
At ARTS, we’re committed to building a Community of Care and making sure young people in National City and South County have access to mental health education and community resources. This summer, we worked with our partners at the Institute for Public Strategies to host Youth Creative Wellbeing workshops led by Program Coordinator Amanda Castro and teaching artists Monét Panza and Zadé Helena.
Over the course of six workshops and additional office hours, youth ages 13-20 came together to learn about mental health topics and create expressive art related to the wellness theme. The aim was to destigmatize and increase knowledge about mental health conditions, offer resources and tools for grounding, and promote creativity as a mode of expression.
We also had the chance to work with summer intern Raquel P. Nicolas, a student in the Youth Mental Health Academy at Child Mind Institute. Here, Raquel shares what it was like to intern at ARTS and how the experience sparked a passion for continued support of mental health visibility.
My Journey into Art and Mental Health
As a Mexican-American, mental health is a topic that is rarely talked about at the dinner table. Mental health is seen as taboo, and this mindset isn’t unique to Latino culture. At first, it confused me and frustrated me, but people are scared and hesitant of things that they do not understand. Mental health is often misunderstood and is seen as wrongdoings of an individual.
Depression is a myth.
Anxiety is just being a scaredy-cat.
People in marginalized communities don’t have access to mental health education that is relevant to their experiences. Resources for mental health often do not consider cultural differences that directly influence how mental health is expressed and handled by a variety of people.
Noticing this gap, I have made it my goal to change access to mental health education and the mindset towards mental health because I want mental health to be taken seriously.
To explore this passion further, I applied to the Youth Mental Health Academy at the Child Mind Institute, which provides students from marginalized communities with hands-on experience in the mental health field. During my time at the Youth Mental Health Academy, I learned about mental health topics, mental health care, research methods, and career options in the mental health field.
Through the YMHA partnership, I was given the opportunity to intern this past summer at A Reason to Survive (ARTS). I was initially interested in ARTS due to their mission of empowering youth through creativity and art, and I wanted to be a supporting pillar for the future generation of community builders. As a student intern at ARTS, I assisted in Summer Camps hosted by ARTS on Campus for elementary to middle school students in local school districts and in Youth Creative Wellbeing Workshops coordinated by ARTS 4 Justice for youth ages 13 - 20.
“Interning at ARTS awakened a passion to continue helping those who fight for mental health visibility.”
Throughout Summer Camps, I supported Teaching Artists and Program Assistants. I worked with the ARTS on Campus Team, most notably with those I’d like to thank for their guidance: Katie, David, and Daniela, as well as program assistants Andy, Mitzi, and Amber. The team helped me transition smoothly into my role as a summer intern and connect with staff on site. It was a very welcoming environment.
I assisted with various art rotations across a range of age groups, but I mostly supported Andy’s art rotation, which focused on the power of storytelling. Students were given the opportunity to design their own characters and create stories. They explored their creativity and art abilities. Something that Andy emphasized throughout the art process was that: Making Mistakes Provides an Opportunity to Create New Art.
I noticed that this approach lets the students create art without worry. I was amazed at the students’ immersion in the activity. It made me realize the importance of allowing students the space to express themselves, whether that is creatively or in their identity. Art, in itself, allows students to express emotions in a low-stakes way. It can boost their self-esteem and offer a safe outlet. Through the storytelling aspect of the lesson, it gave students the ability to create characters and stories that they can relate to. Students can use this art-making technique to visualize their emotions creatively through imagination. Additionally, Andy would play a soundscape audio as a form of meditation. The students would often come very energized, and this helped them focus on the hands-on activity. Although the meditation activity was short, it gave students a tool to use when they feel overwhelmed or unable to focus.
Through the lesson, I saw the importance of art, especially storytelling, as a healthy coping mechanism for students and adults alike. As I sat in on the lessons, I felt calm and focused while listening to the soundscape and even found myself listening to soundscapes at home. I also found myself enjoying the art-making and the stories the students shared with me.
Artistic Creations Unlock the Imagination
Similarly, the Youth Creative Wellbeing Workshops, in partnership with the Institute for Public Strategies, explored imagination in relation to mental health and wellbeing. These workshops connected youth in National City and the South Bay to mental health education and resources.
The workshops were facilitated by Program Coordinator Amanda Castro and Teaching Artists Monét Panza and Zadé Helena. The workshops I supported focused on the importance of healthy relationships with others and ourselves. Throughout the six workshops, countless self-regulation and care techniques were shared with students to review and practice in their daily lives. The activities the attendees participated in were bracelet making and scrapbooking, which provide youth with hobbies that are fun and can be used as tools for mindfulness. The workshops bridged together education and art to benefit students’ understanding of their mental health and wellbeing.
While my time as an ARTS intern was only for the summer, what I learned will stay with me for many summers to come. I developed the skills to facilitate the empowerment of youth through art and mental health education through the wonderful Program Coordinators, Teaching Artists, and Program Assistants I worked with at ARTS. The Youth Creative Wellbeing Workshops and Summer Camps at ARTS allowed me to envision the kind of education and resources I want to work to make available in my city and across San Diego County for marginalized communities. Interning at ARTS awakened a passion to continue helping those who fight for mental health visibility.
We’re grateful for our continued partnership with the Institute for Public Strategies and for their collaboration with ARTS on these Youth Creative Wellbeing Workshops. We’re also thankful to the Child Mind Institute for connecting us with students like Raquel. Her time as an intern at ARTS reminds us how important creativity, connection, and community really are.
