The “Be Mindful, It Matters” exhibit will be open to the public through March 11 at Morgan Community College in Fort Morgan (Robin Northrup/Fort Morgan Times)
Morgan Community College in Fort Morgan is hosting “Be Mindful, It Matters,” a community-inspired collaborative mental health exhibit.
The project, brought to you by Centennial Area Health Education Center (CAHEC), a Greeley nonprofit, combines visuals, informative content, and interactive features to start conversations about mental health.
CAHEC program assistant Samantha Vernon said when the Mind Matters exhibit came to Fort Collins in the early 2020s, she went to see it with a group and was very impressed. We wanted to create our own mobile version that could be introduced to a smaller community, as many in the community don’t have access to it.
“Mind Matters in Fort Collins was very inspirational, but we also did a lot of our own stuff,” Vernon said. “Much of the project was customized as much as possible to the communities of Colorado and Northeast Colorado. We referenced what they had done, but a lot of it was created from scratch.”
This display includes personal accounts, interactive displays, and information about different areas of mental health.
mindful perspective
Discover the science behind diagnoses, personal accounts in short interviews, and common diagnoses.
Community voices, what mental health means to members of local communities.
Stories of people whose faces we don’t recognize, who are suicide survivors, who are dealing with suicidal thoughts, or who have lost a loved one to suicide.
At Dear Anonymous, people share their personal mental health experiences on an anonymous card message board.
mind game
Learn more about mental health through simulations, immersive simulations,
Build brain teasers and cognitive skills through Lumosity’s fun online games.
Coping corner
• Information and support materials and worksheets from resource centers, local and national mental health organizations.
• Explore creative outlets, expressiveness and relax. Draw pictures, doodle, write, and express yourself.
• Worry Shredder, write down your worries and shred them.
• Mindful movement, exercise, and meditation are powerful supports for mental health.
The project was written in 2022, compiled in 2023, and debuted at Ames Community College last September.
According to CAHEC’s website, 1 in 5 people experience poor mental health and 1 in 10 avoid seeking support resources due to stigma. CAHEC’s Be Mindful exhibit was designed as a mobile, interactive, and fun tool to break down mental health stigma in the community by encouraging conversation.
Vernon explained that the exhibit is meant to start a conversation.
“It’s part of being human, it’s something we can all relate to and we should all be able to talk about,” she said. “Our goal is for everyone who comes here to feel understood and included in the larger conversation about mental health.”
The exhibit will be on display at MCC’s Spruce Hall until March 11.
For more information about mobile exhibits, please visit the following website:
• CAHEC: https://www.cahec.org/bmim
• MCC: https://www.morgancc.edu/2024/02/06/mcc-to-host-mental-health-exhibit/
