“Still I Rise”, by Maya Angelou, is a poem about the adversity and racism faced by Angelou and many other African-American individuals throughout history. In…
In their song, ‘High Hopes’, the alternative-rock band Kodaline tries to convey a sense of optimism to the listener through lyrics like, “But I’ve got…
Patrick Howse, an ex-BBC producer, wrote the poem ‘The District Line’ as a way to come to terms with his diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress…
In 1999, artist Mathew Good decided to write a song about his friend who was admitted to a psychiatric institution. The lyrics attempt to describe…
“The Grand Optimist” is written and performed by Dallas Green, of City and Colour. The lyrics convey a sense of losing hope—feelings often described by…
Christian D. Larson (1874 – 1954) was an American New Thought spiritual leader, teacher, and writer. He believed in the power of the individual and…
The music video for “Elastic Heart”, by Australian recording artist Sia, portrays an interpretive dance between a man and child that is meant to depict…
Patrick Howse, a former producer with the BBC, wrote about his experience in Iraq between 2004 and 2009 after a diagnosis of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder….
Tom Greening, a clinical psychologist and professor at Saybrook University, uses poetry to express his concerns with the current mental health system. He writes: “As…
Maya Angelou, an author, poet, and civil rights activist depicts the struggle of women in a male-dominated society. Her poetry is intended to raise awareness of women’s…
Silence is a short film by Freeman House Productions stitched together from lyrics from Nirvana’s album “Nevermind.” Released to commemorate Kurt Cobain’s passing, the film…
“Look at Me” is a spoken word performance, written and orchestrated by Azure Antoinette. Azure poetically expresses the seriousness of eating disorders in popular culture…
Anne Sexton (1928-1974) was an American poet known for her “confessional verse”—a very personal style of poetry. She is known to have suffered from several…
Most us have heard the horrifying statistics surrounding domestic violence, but we rarely get to glimpse the personal stories of victims. The students of Fordham…
Penned by Debbie Leads in 2003, this poem encapsulates the pain, confusion, and loneliness that result from comorbid diagnoses like depression and anxiety. The author’s…
Sue K. Green’s poem Dementia Takes Front Stage paints a graphic picture of the pain, loneliness, and confusion that sufferers of dementia go through as…
Sara Berkhimer’s poem speaks to individuals who hear voices as a result of trauma and mental illness. Her poignant words capture the pain, fear, and…
Waiting to Unfold is a collection of poems written by Rachel Barenblat describing the joys and challenge mothers experience during their first year of parenthood….
Sabrina Benaim suffered from depression, yet her mother had trouble understanding the scope and severity of the many symptoms that she felt. Benaim came up…
Brigid Davidson wrote her poem “Reading Is” at age 11 for a national poetry competition. Davidson’s poem describes her difficulty with reading, caused by her…
