The power of conversation becomes visible in a London-based photography project focused on talking about mental wellness called, Let’s Talk.
The project is a grassroots campaign aimed at “sparking millions of conversations about mental health,” according to the website www.letstalkcampaign.com.
People who participate are first interviewed about the mental health challenges they’re experiencing. Then their words are used to illustrate their most difficult thoughts in white lettering across their faces.
The thoughts are often harsh or despairing but the words are beautiful as they are displayed in white lettering across their faces.
It’s a literally in-your-face reminder of how important it is to talk about the ways we feel and the challenges we experience with our mental health.
While most of us may not be ready to carry our darkest feelings around on our faces, the message is a powerful one — that conversations around mental health can help heal us all.
The project could make the individuals feel alone and exposed, but as one of the women participants points out in a website video, those with mental health difficulties are in the majority in this world.
“We’ve just been a very quiet majority,” she said.
Let’s Talk is looking to change that and encourages all of us to start a conversation - either about our own challenges or inquiring about those of the people we love around us.
Those conversations can help end stigma.
Let’s talk about it.