Wellness Wednesday: Teen Mental Health and Creative Expression

The Visual and Creative Arts are essential spaces for our students to practise self-expression, develop critical thinking skills, and perhaps most importantly, find a space of belonging. They can also be important in supporting students' mental health and wellness by participating in tasks and activities that promote qualities such as emotional regulation, empathy, and awareness.

This term, Grade 9 Visual Arts students took part in a study of Frida Kahlo and her work. The famous Mexican artist is well-documented for experiencing bouts of depression and other mental health issues, and struggling with physical disabilities, which she portrayed and expressed through her world-renowned paintings. Students were then asked to reenact a painting of their choice, specifically one that they could apply to their own lives and experiences, and capture the moment in a photograph. These will also form the foundation of a painting project in the future.

We are reminded that adolescence is marked by several changes that are taking place neurologically. Think of it as the teen brain going through a major upgrade. The brain is adapting to this new environment it finds itself in. We often see this showing up psychologically, emotionally, socially, and behaviourally. Due to these changes, research has indicated that teens are more vulnerable to experiencing wellbeing challenges.

In the same way that they are vulnerable to challenges, we also need to look at the opportunities that adolescence brings with it. It is equally a time filled with excitement, curiosity and unlocking potential for growth. Part of this growth involves teens learning to understand what their own wellbeing needs are. This involves being able to identify what their triggers are and, in turn, developing the skills to start taking responsibility for their wellbeing. As mentioned, the visual arts space is one of the various ways in which students can start and have been learning this.

As we acknowledge World Teen Mental Health (& Wellbeing Day), let us also recognise that while adolescence often has a ‘bad wrap’ of being riddled with challenges & difficulty, it is also a wonderful opportunity for our teens to begin establishing healthy wellbeing habits.

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