'It's empowering to know more': New Bedford local publishes graphic novel on mental health
NEW BEDFORD -- Local author and illustrator Cara Bean has taught high school students for over a decade, witnessing the capacity of art to help surface sensitive issues. Now she has a new graphic novel guiding adolescents and teens through mental health issues.
"Here I am, I am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health" is aimed towards adolescents and seeks to demystify the often confusing and intimidating topic of mental health.
In the book, Bean uses the language of comics and metaphors to discuss topics related to mental health, from the brain and mind to anxiety, stress and more. The books also focus on serious issues such as substance use, addiction and suicide.
The final chapter is about reaching out for help.
"As an art teacher, the thing that I found I needed more education on and was concerned about was my students' mental health," said the New Bedford native, who is also the author of "Draw 500 Funny Faces and Features."
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"They would choose me to be their person or share things with me. And I would think, 'I don't know enough about this.' So, anytime there was a training or workshop involving mental health, I would always sign up."
Bean said it was through these workshops that she realized the power of visual storytelling.
Challenged to create illustrations around mental health
"As a cartoonist, I would draw all my notes. And people really seemed to enjoy it. I shared some of the notes online and it went crazy viral," she added. "Eventually, someone challenged me if I could make a comic that spoke directly to kids, and that's how this book was born."
"Here I am, I am Me" took Bean around six years to create, as it required extensive research and collaboration. She even left her teaching job in Lexington to focus on completing the book. A 2023 recipient of New Bedford Economic Development Council’s NB100! Program, a kickstarter grant to support entrepreneurs, Bean worked with New Bedford Creative and the Co-Creative Center.
From January through March 2024, she was an artist-in-residence at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.
"I think we all have brains and nervous systems that react, and we could all know more about that," she said.
"When we understand that our bodies have extra cortisol when we're feeling stress and there are things we can do to relax, it can help us make better choices."
The book helps all ages as well as adults
So far, Bean said the book has been well-received by both young readers and adults. For example, she said an 11-year-old, who had read the entire book in one sitting, really enjoyed the experience and echoed his love for the book to her during a pop-up reading.
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"I believe that anyone can read this book and benefit from learning about their own body and brain," Bean said.
She also hopes that the book will be used in schools as part of a mental health curriculum or at least something to offer students to access if they need help.
"It's empowering to know more, it doesn't hurt you It only makes you stronger," she said.
"To dig a little deeper and understand yourself and the people that we live amongst, I just I think we have more compassion for each other when we understand more."
"Here I am, I am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health" is available for purchase on Amazon.
Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter:@ChitwoodReports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 'Here I am, I am Me: Guide to Mental Health': New Bedford author Cara Bean
