Written by: Liza Lindgren outreach@theatreforliving.com

Theatre for Living (formerly known as Headlines Theatre) is excited to present the remounting and touring of the interactive play maladjusted, created and performed by mental health caregivers and clients, on how we can contribute to more human-centered care within the mental health system.

For some people, being open about their struggles with mental health issues can be complicated by their experience of stigmatization. Stigma and the fear of stigmatization stop people from seeking help. The stigmatization issue is itself often invisible, living underneath our conversations and professional and personal relationships. A step towards dealing with the issue, therefore, is to make stigma visible.

There is good work being done on stigmatization issues in the public realm – in families, the streets, schools. A hidden and generally ignored aspect of this issue is how the health care system itself is entrenched in beliefs, values and policies that stigmatize people. This applies not only to people who are struggling with mental health, but also to the staff that care for these individuals. This invisible layer makes effective care much more difficult.

The interactive Forum Theatre process addresses people’s behaviour and human interactions at core levels, deepening the ability of the audience members and communities in finding solutions within themselves.

Theatre for Living was inspired to create the initial production of maladjusted because of our long and ongoing relationships inside the health sector in Vancouver. We were encountering patients and caregivers (counselors, doctors, nurses, administrators) who were struggling inside the system.

In the original production a “Community Scribe” studied and collated the ideas from the interactive events and created a powerful “community action report” that contains policy suggestions for local agencies and Government. We hope to replicate this process in each community during the tour, so that policy recommendations that are the voice of people living the issues can be heard, notated and hopefully acted upon by local agencies.

What now?

We’re looking for local community partners across BC and Alberta, to help us bring this show and important community dialogue to your community!

Get in touch!

We’d love to hear from you! Please contact Theatre for Living’s (Headlines Theatre) Outreach Coordinator Liza Lindgren at outreach@theatreforliving.com or call our office at 604.871.0508 to learn more about the project and how you can get involved!