Comics for the Brain, the Mind, and Everything Else

Comics for the Brain, the Mind, and Everything Else

This webinar is part of the NYSPHA Mental Health Webinar Series sponsored by The JED Foundation, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - Capital Region Chapter, the University of Albany College of Integrated Health Sciences, and the New York State Office of Mental Health.

Join author-illustrator and educator Cara Bean for a presentation on how doodling notes about mental health sparked a five-year creative journey leading to the creation of Here I Am; I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health, her debut graphic novel for young readers. This session invites attendees to explore how drawing can be a powerful tool to relax and focus the brain, offering a calming and creative way to manage stress. They will also discover how comics can serve as an effective medium for processing complex mental health topics, making difficult conversations more accessible and relatable.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Understand how drawing can be used to relax and focus the brain.

2. Learn how comics are a great way to process complex mental health topics.

3. Explores visual metaphors to express how we feel inside.

About the Speaker:

Cara Bean is a cartoonist, art educator, and the author of Here I Am, I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health and has been a teacher for many years. Her work has been featured in Pen America Illustrated, The Women’s Review of Books, and Teaching Arts Magazine. She provides public drawing and creativity workshops that explore how the beginning of complex ideas emerge from the simple act of doodling on paper. Cara is currently focused on creating comics that address mental health. When she is not teaching, she makes comics that delve into poetic introspection, playful storytelling, and topics relevant to teens and teaching. Find her online at carabeancomics.com.

Thank you to our Mental Health Webinar Series sponsors: