Mental health support exists within ourselves and our community

Kirby’s living room ‘Stay at home’ studio with a live Duke University Science & Society’s ‘Coronavirus & Mental Health’ webinar streaming on her laptop. NAMI-NYC’s Outreach Coordinator Clara S. Kiely, MSW is on screen. Photo by Stacey Kirby.

As all North Carolinians know, Governor Cooper took steps to support our public health and safety through issuing a "stay at home" order on March 27, 2020. At the same time, Mike Williams and I dove head-on into launching our new project VITAL Health.

We did not anticipate having to shift our initial project approach from in-person to online workshops to accommodate for our public health. But after a couple of Mike's pep talks about timing and need — he is very persuasive — I was able to embrace this idea. I quickly realized that not only did I need this project for my mental health, but the community's need is even greater.

(As many might know, my performance work is interactive and face-to-face. "Stay at home" orders clearly derailed my usual approach to creativity.)

As a result, I had to transform my living room into my temporary art studio.

Sweet Pea loves to assist in the art making process. Photo by Stacey Kirby.

As of now, I am focusing on preparing materials for our first round of VITAL Health flower-making workshops that you can sign up for on our website. I'm cutting and preparing all of the necessary materials that will be sent to participants ahead of time for free — silver mylar, colored cellophane, washi tape, wire, etc. My cat Sweet Pea is also assisting me whenever she feels inspired to sniff boxes or sit in the middle of my workspace.

You might be wondering, why are we making flowers and from what materials? For the past two years, I have been using silver thermal mylar blankets in my performances that are used in crisis scenarios around the world. Prior to a performance with SEEK Raleigh in 2019 at Dorothea Dix Park, I toured the deteriorating hospital buildings no longer in use and felt overwhelmed with the intensity of that experience. Empty pill cups, dry erase boards with patients' information, filing cabinets with intake forms and books were strewn around as if the patients and staff just stood up the day prior and left the building. (The last patients were moved out in 2012). I also found children's handprints in the original foundation of the McBryde building built in the mid-1800's. The energetic presence of the people of Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Hospital still remains.

The result of my experiences was a yearning to acknowledge the people and their stories surrounding mental health — the patients, staff, enslaved laborers, Native Americans and surrounding community that are all a part of this history. I found myself sitting under the oak trees at the Dix Cemetery where more than 950 people who were mostly patients are buried — in layers — which reflects the multilayered history of the hospital, property and people. I began creating individual flowers from the silver thermal mylar and wiring them together to form wreaths. (I have an odd affinity for this process given my grandmother of Kenly, N.C. owned a floral business for 20 years.) I realized that not only was I celebrating the people of Dix Hospital with flowers but also all of us that confront challenges with our mental health — ourselves, our loved ones, our neighbors, our community members, our leaders, our essential workers. Everyone deals with mental health challenges whether it is you or someone in your life who is seeking support.

Wreath from SEEK Raleigh 2019 at the former Dorothea Dix Hospital courtyard of the Spruill Building where patients would have time outdoors during treatment. Photo by Stacey L. Kirby

So, let's come together, create flowers and talk about mental health. We can learn coping strategies for difficult times like these and where we can seek help. We invite you to create these flowers of silver mylar (with a splash of colored cellophane) and display them in your home individually, as a bouquet or in garland. We hope that the beauty will bring joy and offer a daily reminder of the support that exists within ourselves and within our communities for our mental health — our VITAL Health.