Before travel restrictions set in to help reduce the worldwide spread of COVID-19, Shel Scott accompanied Photographers Without Borders (PWB) founder Danielle Da Silva while she taught a workshop in Sumatra, Indonesia. "The trip was a huge catalyst for me in how I approach mindset and mental health because I didn't really think of myself as a being of the world. I realized that I'm living in an open system with the world and there's this bidirectional reciprocal relationship," says Shel.

Shel is an occupational therapist and storyteller. As a practitioner, she uses both traditional therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) and exposure therapy, alongside other approaches like meditation and mindfulness. She has an interest in the intersection between mental health therapy and topics such as activism, socio-political involvement, existentialism, higher states of consciousness, meditative practices, and Indigenous and ecological worldviews. Shel aims to come to a deeper understanding of these topics and viewpoints in order to promote greater well-being among individuals, communities and the world at large.

As a guest on PWB's Storytelling for Change series, Shel Scott again joined Danielle to share her thoughts and tips on the importance of engaging in social advocacy and social justice work, from both a social and mental health perspective.

Engaging with your environment offers a different view of the world.

COVID-19 disrupted our day-to-day lives in unimaginable ways, and learning how to adapt to the "new normal" poses its own challenges. Shel points out that certain techniques used in cognitive behavioural therapy, such as examining a personal assumption to determine if it's as disastrous in real life as it is in your mind, aren't necessarily the most effective coping strategies during this unprecedented time. "It doesn't work that well because the pandemic is a bit of a catastrophe."

She acknowledges that you can still engage in activities that are meaningful to you, no matter the challenges you might be facing. If you notice your days blend and thoughts run away from you, Shel suggests writing in a journal or taking a photo walk. Both activities teach you to engage with your environment, which helps you break away from the default rumination mode that's rooted in mental health issues.

"Having a camera in your hand and looking out at the world takes you out of that ruminative place. It forces you to be an embodied physical presence in the world with a perspective and a voice. Photography is a wonderful artistic tool, but it's also a powerful tool for centering yourself," says Shel. She explains how it provides you with a sense of autonomy by offering different perspectives, empowering your voice and allowing you to reclaim a sense of freedom that might have been stripped away during the lockdown.

If you notice friction in your life, use it as a catalyst for change.

Time in quarantine has forced many people to sit with their thoughts and emotions, leading to feelings of loneliness, vulnerability and discomfort. "A lot of mental health challenges have to do with confronting the absurd. So when your internal narrative about how you feel situations should be going is radically in opposition to the way things are going, you get friction. This tension creates a number of mental health issues like depression, anxiety, anger or psychosis. It can make you feel anxious and uncomfortable," says Shel.

But friction ignites. Shel says once you leave space for suffering, there's also a place for transformation. So being uncomfortable is a great catalyst for making changes within your own life. Shel suggests using mindfulness, radical acceptance, dialectical behavioural therapy, and cognitive behavioural therapy techniques to help you move out of an unhealthy mental state and into a healthier mindset.

To make the most of friction, consider a combination of conventional and natural therapies. Conventional therapeutic approaches like CBT and DBT are beneficial, but partaking in nature-based therapies that get you outside to engage in the cycle of reciprocity can be a better choice post-pandemic. Research in ecopsychology shows that activities such as communing with a plant, offering gratitude for nature, learning traditional ecological knowledge and forest bathing, have numerous benefits for mental health. They help strengthen your immune system, regulate your nervous system, create a sense of peace, calm the mind, and reduce mental fatigue, depression and anxiety. Even exposure to natural light regulates your internal clock, normalizes sleep patterns and releases tension.

When you have space for yourself and others, aim to find a community that offers support.

"As a therapist and a person who's also going through the challenges of this time, it's been very humbling. I've tried to rise to the occasion and be there for the people I'm supporting. It has shown me that people have a lot of resilience," says Shel.

Shel encourages everyone to find a like-minded community where you can hone ideas, draw support, help one another and have conversations where you agree not to talk about the pandemic. Oftentimes, you'll find this group by supporting an existing initiative. Start by thinking about one current issue you'd like to support and find out how people are taking action. Then, join an initiative that's already been started. As a storyteller or creative, you can aim to shine a light on different stories.

Burnout is high within the social justice sphere, so Shel recommends taking breaks from the action and allow yourself time outside of advocacy work to collect your thoughts. Above all, be gentle with yourself.

Resources:

Coursera: The Science of Well-Being - An online course offered by Yale designed to teach you how to increase your happiness and build more productive habits.

Affordable Therapy Network of Ontario - A database of therapists in the GTA that offer therapy services at a low-cost, reduced rate on a sliding scale.

To learn more about the importance of Mental Health and Activism from Shel Scott and access all of the Storytelling for Change webinars, join our community by becoming a PWB member.

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