Last spring, members of IC Active Minds came together to create a new way of speaking about mental health through forming SYM panels. SYM- an acronym for “Speak Your Mind”- allows for students of all walks of life to tell their stories of hardships and triumphs pertaining to personal mental health or issues with people close to them.
This year, we are excited to have a larger pool of SYM
panelists who give insight to larger scope of mental health issues. Topics from
last semester include (but were not limited to): the importance of counseling
centers, overcoming an eating disorder, coping with schizophrenia, learning the
cycle of trichotillomania, and details about the complexity and difficulties of
depression.
In the spring, we held panels for psychology classes and mental health groups in
downtown Ithaca. We are excited to expand our locations due to the increase in
panel participants. All SYM panelists are trained and proficient in telling their
stories, answering questions about personal experience, and making
connections between contemporary mental health issues and their background.
The SYM panels usually last from 30-40 minutes, but can change depending on
the number of panelists as well as the amount and length of questions. The cost
is $25 and all proceeds go to support Active Mind’s mission to increase
awareness about mental health through conversation and decrease the stigma
surrounding mental illness.
Please feel free to contact me or Active Mind’s president, Shaina Kaye at
shainajkaye@gmail.com, for more information about Active Minds or booking a
SYM panel.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20101024154601456