Teens Are
Not Therapists
Senior Capstone
Public high schools have had a history of skimming the surface of mental health in their curriculum. Without proper education on mental health and how it affects people as well as advice on how to navigate it, high school students are left with the feeling of being obligated to be their friends’ therapists because they feel like there is no other option.
This project’s goal is to advocate for the curriculum in public schools to include a new mental health program that covers below the surface in order to help these teens better help themselves and others.
The final deliverables for Teens Are Not Therapists include a motion graphic, a zine-poster hybrid, and an Instagram page. The motion graphic functions as an introduction to my capstone, setting the tone of my project for the audience. The zine-poster hybrid is a 6-page zine made on an 11 x 17 Tabloid paper, and can be unfolded to reveal a poster on the other side. Its main purpose is to be given to the school board in order to shed light on this issue and demand change. The Instagram page is used to host the anonymous mental health stories of WPS students/alumni, as well as shareable posts to educate others and spread awareness.
