Activism and Mental Health
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare." - Audre Lorde
CanopyLAB
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Course Description
What is activism burnout? How is activism related to mental health? Learn all about this in this micro-course.
This micro-course is for anyone who wants to jump-start their learning about social justice and mental health. Reflect on their own experiences and learn about resources in a capsule form with the opportunity to spark interest and start your own journey through the following units:
CanopyLAB is excited to start this journey with you around mental health. The materials in this course are for the sole purpose of being informative and do not cover all issues related to mental health. We will be discussing different topics that may be overwhelming to some learners. Additionally, this information should not replace consultation with your doctor or mental health provider. This course outlines evidence, discusses mental health, and does not constitute medical advice. Ensure you reach out to a trusted family member, friend, or medical professional.
Units
Unit 1
Managing mental health as an activist
Activism requires a huge investment of emotional energy. Since the topic is close to your heart, it’s easy to get caught up in the fight and burn out. Burnout is a state of complete emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion, which you might recognize from struggling through an exam period or while you grind to meet a big deadline at work. In activism, burnout is especially an issue for advocates of color or those whose lives and bodies are so deeply integrated into the struggle that they can’t simply put down their signs and take a break.
If you’re getting burned out as an activist, your mental health struggles will eventually make it impossible for you to stay a part of the movement and drive change; your involvement is not sustainable. When we say “sustainable”, we don’t necessarily mean “green” or “environmentally friendly”, though it’s definitely important that our movements are conscious of their environmental impact!
We must also be sure that our efforts can be sustained over a long enough period to have an impact. For this reason, taking care of your mental health as an activist is an act of resistance because it empowers you to stay involved for longer!
Through the following videos and materials, you’ll learn how to recognize the causes and symptoms of burnout and how to take care of your mental health while staying invested in activism and advocacy.
Unit 2
Certificate
Dear users, you can now download the certificates for the courses you complete on StudentLAB. All you have to do is follow the easy steps below:
1. Go to the “Dashboard” which you can find in the top right corner between “My Courses” and “Messages”
2. On the option “Insights” you can see all the courses you have completed. Simply click on the “download” icon under “Certificates”.
3. That’s it! Thank you for completing a course on StudentLAB. We look forward to seeing you again.
If you have any doubts, take a look at the image you can find in the materials section so you can see where you can find and download your certificates.