On October 9th, to celebrate the “World Mental Health Day”, Healthy Minds Program of School of Resources and Environmental Engineering organized a visit to Shanghai Mental Health Center (Minhang campus) to participate in a voluntary service activities themed “Secrets of Art and Body”. It was the first activity in cooperation between Shanghai Mental Health Center and Liu Haisu Art Museum.

First, leaders and experts including Cai Jun, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Shanghai Mental Health Center, Ruan Jun, curator of Liu Haisu Art Museum, introduced the event and shared the theme. Then, under the guidance of the young painter Wang Zhongsheng, with the assistance of hospital staff and ECUST volunteers, accompanied by leisurely music and commentary, mental restorers painted their inner emotions with paintbrushes, and shared the hidden story in each painting.

During the activity, more experiencers participated in discussion and sharing sessions. Teacher Wang Zhongsheng believed that holding such an emotional cognitive activity would help people alleviate negative emotions and pay attention to mental health issues in a better way.

The well-known singer Wu Kequn also participated in this activity as a volunteer. He communicated with the college teachers, students and medical staff. In his view, everyone should consider the importance to mental health, pay attention to and accept their emotions. He also mentioned that painting is a very good way of expression.

This is not only a beautiful dialogue between art and emotion, but also a meaningful mental health volunteer activity. Through this event, the psychological committee members have a more comprehensive understanding of mental health and psychosocial well-being, and have a deeper understanding of self-help and helping others in the future. After the event, teachers and students discussed the gains and insights of the event. Cheng Rui, the psychologist of the 2019 academic master class of Environmental Safety, said with emotions: “Everyone can be an artist. Art is not only a piece of music, a picture, a performance, but also a bridge to express the rich inner world, a channel to face oneself, a channel to face negative emotions, and a cure for people’s hearts.”