Students at SewAfrica Fashion College paused creating fashion and bags for a discussion on mental health during a wellness morning on October 16.

The morning brought together meaningful conversations and discussions on various mental health issues and the role art therapy plays as a coping mechanism among the youth.

Read more: Maintaining your mental health during loss

Abuse and mental health activist and body positivity ambassador Tabisa Yeni interacted with students and raised awareness about mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and ADHD.
The session encouraged students to break existing stigmas that mental health sees race, to face their traumas and problems head-on, and to understand the importance of emotional regulation.

“It’s important for them to understand that emotional regulation is understanding how your body functions and what emotions are in the first place. We all need to know how to map our emotions, and that is a huge challenge. People don’t know how to describe what they are feeling, and that’s where it all starts because they must say they are fine. They work hand in hand; for self-awareness to take place, you must know how to explain what you are feeling,” Yeni said.

She reminded students that they are responsible for their own lives and should make an effort to pour into themselves emotionally, physically, and mentally. Yeni highlighted that students should do things that bring them peace and express their pain through creative work such as sketching, journaling, or writing poems.

Also read: Do not ignore mental health issues

Student Mazwi Khubheka appreciated the session’s educational value and encouraged fellow men to reject societal pressures regarding mental health.

“It was so educational, I even learnt that I might have ADHD today. Prior to the session I have only visited a counsellor once for a traumatic experience but never truly talked about how I feel internally so I am looking forward to learning more. I know as men we are taught not to cry, but acting okay when you are suffering creates something bad inside, so I need my fellow brothers to take their mental health seriously, stop focusing on the past but on the future,” Khubheka said.

The session ended on a lighter note with a dance class, showing students how art and dance can be used as coping mechanisms.

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