Theater, mental health and solidarity economy

an experience report with the association ENLOUCRESCER

Abstract

This article aims to share the experience of a university extension project that performs interactive actions between theater and mental health. The objective is to discuss the theater’s potentialities for strengthening the psychosocial rehabilitation process of people in situations of psychic suffering who are users of a Mental Health service. Methodologically, the reported actions were proposed based in the contributions by the Theater of the Oppressed, the Anti-sanitarim Struggle and Solidarity Economy. As results, there were three plays and seven theatrical presentations related to themes about oppression, social isolation, psychic suffering and Christmas festivities, intertwined with the idea of solidarity and emancipation. It is important to recognize the plurality of spaces and subjects contemplated in the theatrical group’s presentations, involving users and mental health professionals, members of the Solidarity Economy, students and teachers, local artists and members of the local community. In this way, we can recognize that the experience had a positive effect for its members, the university context and the local community of Blumenau, enabling an expansion of cultural experiences, greater visibility for the association, free access to cultural goods, strengthening of the university extension and transformation of the social imaginary regarding madness.