Welcome!

 

 

Please note, Beautiful Minds is not currently offering presentations or accepting new volunteers. Please check this space for updates. 

Our goal: to promote the normalizing of mental health issues, to eliminate its stigma, to end discrimination, and to provide opportunities for the empowerment, acceptance, and overall wellness of people living with mental health challenges, through the art of storytelling.

Beautiful Minds storytelling services include educational experiences (with or without a formal presentation) by people with lived experience, that focus on positive mental health and the reduction of stigma.

We provide services to:

  • Secondary Schools, Universities, and other educational institutions for youth ages 13+
  • Correctional and Rehabilitation Centres
  • Hospitals and other heath care settings for staff, patients, and/or residents
  • Corporate agencies and small businesses for employers and/or staff
  • Residential facilities
  • Neighbourhood and Family groups
  • Community Services, Agencies, and Organizations
  • Community Events
  • and more…

Through the art of storytelling, Beautiful Minds strives to:

  • increase general knowledge and awareness of mental health issues and mental illness, as well as a reduction in stigma toward people with mental health issues and mental illness
  • contribute to building a culture wherein leaders are more aware of the signs and symptoms of mental illness and how to better support their employees/students living with mental illness, through understanding, compassion, and sharing of resources
  • empower employees/students to feel more comfortable reaching out to seek support from leaders and peers for support, rather than hiding or masking
  • promote positive attitude change towards mental illness within the community
  • decrease stigma associated with mental health, promoting acceptance and inclusion across the community.
  • increase confidence, compassion, and understanding in the community both private and public

Overall, the program works to change the way mental illness is viewed by society by changing the negative perceptions that many people have about mental health and mental illness. We want to educate people about the importance of mental health in everyone’s life and let people know that they are not alone.

Our Beautiful Minds presentations are customized based on the requirements of the entity that invites us to present. The presentation, depending on the length, may or may not include our educational slideshow, and focuses mainly on volunteer speakers sharing their lived experiences, with the opportunity for Q&A. The logistics of each presentation will be determined by each individual request.

To request a presentation, please click on our “Request Presentation” tab. If you have additional questions, please contact Program Coordinator, Marcey Gray, at mgray@cmhaww.ca