Want to bring The Icarus Project to your campus, organization, or community to talk about mental health and collective well-being? That’s great, because we’d love to spend time with you!
Our offerings break down into three distinct groupings: talks, trainings, and workshops.
Talks give your group an opportunity to hear in-depth stories and insights from our staff and advisory board members about their personal experiences and community organizing efforts.
Workshops provide a more interactive experience, in which we share insights to guide dialogue, exchange ideas, and provide practical tools for individual well-being and systems change.
Trainings are intended to equip participants (peers, faculty, staff, mental health professionals, and more) with impactful skills drawn from the many tried-and-true strategies in The Icarus Project’s toolbox.
The duration and specific content of talks, workshops, and trainings are very flexible - TIP-led events have ranged from one hour to one week in length, and can be tailored to audience needs! All of the below topics may be offered in any of the above formats. All workshops are available in English and Spanish. Email info@theicarusproject.net for more information.
Workshops:
Mad Maps:
Mad Maps are wellness documents that help us to navigate our emotional terrains, particularly as they relate to issues like oppression and trauma. In Mad Map workshops participants explore non-judgmental approaches to mental health as well as build up strategies for coping with and transforming individual struggles, especially in the larger context of social injustice. The insights and tools provided are all developed for and by Icarus Project members. (Minimum 1.5 hours)
Mad Maps for LGBTQI people of color:
This workshop was developed by and for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) people of color (POC). As people at the intersections of multiple oppressions, LGBTQI people and/or POC often get pathologized and criminalized for who we are, which can make developing practices of resilience, self care and community care challenging. By moving from spaces of abundance, solidarity, reflection, and healing, this workshop will help participants build strategies that move our folks from surviving to thriving! (Minimum 1.5 hours)
Mad Maps for Youth:
This dedicated workshop supports students, youth organizers, and other young people with mental health issues in developing safety and wellness plans and crafting networks of support. Ageism and other forms of oppression mean that youth often face barriers to having self-determination over how they receive care during hard times. Building on young people’s lived experiences, participants will gain deepened connection and understanding around emotional well-being as well as youth-centered resilience strategies. Youth will also leave with concrete next steps to share with their friends, chosen families, and/or families of origin for safety and wellness planning. (Minimum 1.5 hours)
Mad Maps for Social Justice Organizations:
This workshop has been designed to support community organizers, advocates, and people who are working in social change organizations to building up their sustainability, building wellness and safety plans, and sharing resilience practices. Through interactive exercises and discussion, this workshop will explore the ways that burnout and emotional responses to oppression impact our overall sustainability and well-being as organizers. Participants will leave with community based tools and creative solutions for supporting each other through the hard times while creating every-day spaces for self and community care. (Minimum 1.5 hours)
Trainings and Talks:
Supporting Loved Ones Through Crisis:
How can we support our friends, family members, and comrades in times of crisis? This participatory setting will guide participants in approaches that allow us to show up for our loved ones as they navigate altered states, depression, trauma, and other hard times. We’ll draw on the wisdom of the room to share resilience strategies and safety team plans, with careful attention to the emotional impacts of oppression. We will also provide harm reduction strategies for navigating the mental health mainstream. Depending on the length of the event, we may also discuss strategies for healing from, moving beyond and preventing times of crisis. (Minimum 1.5 hours; Talk Minimum 1 hour)
Supporting Self-Determination: The Icarus Project’s 101 for Mental Health Providers, Health Care Workers, Educators, and Other Professionals
The current mental health paradigm centers around the sometimes alienating language of “illness” and “disorder,” and often discounts the emotional impacts of oppression and injustice. Many people find that these approaches from the mental health mainstream can be a source of stigma and hopelessness. What can mental health professionals and others in the helping professions do to creating caring, just, and non-judgmental support for people with mental health issues? Based on the insights of Icarus peers and professionals alike, this offering creates a space to share practical insights and approaches to diminish mental health stigma, challenge oppression and foster emotional well-being for all. (Minimum 1.5 hours; Talk minimum 1 hour)
Peer Support Group Facilitation
Research now shows what we at TIP have known all along: peer support is a profound tool for building healthy lives and communities. But what actually goes into facilitating an impactful, connected peer support group? This interactive training will draw on the lived experience of people with mental health issues to support their growth as group facilitators. Depending on the format, participants will move through role plays, artistic exercises, and real talk to bring active listening, engagement, respectful confrontation, and more into their facilitator toolboxes. (Minimum 3 hours; Talk minimum 1 hour)
Fees:
The Icarus Project works with schools, organizations, and other groups on a sliding-scale basis. We set our rates in relation to your group’s budget and access to resources. Email info@theicarusproject.net for more information.
