Art Therapy Project to help students ease stressors of life — Helena Amoah

The Get Out of Depression (GOOD) Foundation Executive Director, Miss Helena Amoah has admonished students to learn how to express their inner feelings in art work when no one is prepared to give them a listening ear.

She said this in a day's Art Therapy Project her foundation organised for the pupils of Ekumfi Asaman-Buadukwaa D/A School today, Tuesday 28th June, 2022.

The Art Therapy Project seeks to teach people how to draw and paint out what they feel within them on a drawing sheet.

She added that, the exercise is one sure way that the youth can develop to ventilate their feelings when no one else is willing to listen them. "Such an exercise can help the youth avoid serious mental issues and is one good coping mechanism that the youth must be thought."

During the training session, the lead facilitator Miss Helena Amoah briefed them on the merit of the exercise and what they were supposed to do.

The co-facilitator of the project, Sir Benjamin Amofa Antwi, a mental health practitioner at Bryant Mission Hospital, Obuasi also taught the students how to draw what they felt within.

He added that it is a better way to express their feelings through drawing to relieve them from stress and other surrounding pressures.

Miss Daniella Annam who was the MC for the occasion and also an old student of the school shared her school's life experiences with the students.

After the art work by the students, Sir Benjamin Amofa Antwi spoke to them based on what they drew and also taught them how to use their coping mechanism to deal with some of their emotional and physical stressors.

The NGO also donated exercise books, one hundred pieces of pens, erasers and a soccer ball to the school and students who performed well during the art work were given gifts.

After the Art Project, the Assistant Headmaster, Mr. Dennis Odum thanked the members of the organization for their education, knowledge shared with the students and the words of encouragement. He added, that he prays the students who have benefited from the training will grow to become better people in the community.

When the Art Therapy Project was done with, GOOD embarked on a 'No Suicide' campaign and mental health education at the community center. Community members were taken through mental health education, suicide symptoms and how to seek help when mental health issues arise, and good parenting techniques.

Miss Helena Amoah led her team to donate some clothing to participants at the community centre.

The Odikro of Ekumfi Asaman-Buadukwaa, Nana Ansah V and his elders expressed their profound appreciation to the organization and urged them to do more of such programmes.