New Bedford cartoonist, author, and art educator Cara Bean will appear at the Brookline Booksmith on April 22 to discuss her new book, Here I Am, I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health. The comic book takes readers on a journey through different aspects of mental health and neuroscience, guided by a welcoming cast of illustrated characters.
While Here I Am, I Am Me is a helpful tool for readers of all ages, Bean’s experience as a high school teacher inspired her to create the book to destigmatize and demystify mental and emotional health for teenagers. She taught in the Lexington High School art department for 13 years.
“Teaching teenagers can be frustrating, but learning more about brain development gave me more patience with and empathy for them,” she said, emphasizing that mental health is a big issue for young people in school. “How can we expect them to do well without paying attention to their feelings and internal struggles?”
The book came about through Bean’s own experience learning about mental health during teacher professional development programs and trainings on topics like anxiety and suicide. Her preferred way to learn is through drawing, and as she shared her drawn notes online, people began asking to use them, planting the seeds for an entire book about the topic.
Bean also believes in the healing power of creating art in shared spaces to process trauma and build connections and thinks art is a missing piece in how schools discuss mental health.
“In art, creative writing, music, and dance, the soul opens up,” she said. “You can sit down with people, quietly draw, and not say much, and there’s an acceptance that takes place.”
While there is an abundance of mental health information available online, it can be overwhelming to navigate, especially for young people who are already having a tough time, Bean said. She sees her book as a more gentle resource people can turn to when they’re worried about a friend or want to reference different mental health symptoms, giving them agency over when and how quickly they take in information.
“What I like about comic books is that you can read them slowly,” she said. “You can scan and reread, or put a bookmark, take a break, and come back to it.”
She also hopes schools will incorporate the book into their curriculums, prompting conversations about mental health.
“Having someone you’re willing to share with when you’re having a hard time is really powerful,” she said. “It’s important that the book prompts conversation between people who trust each other, whether that’s between teenagers and their parents, their friends, or their teachers.”
Similarly, Bean wants her event at the Brookline Booksmith to reduce the stigma around mental health, and she invites people of all backgrounds and ages to join. She said we all have brains and nervous systems, and what we feel is valid.
“By saying you’re going to a book event about mental health, you’re reducing stigma. You’re saying this is worthy of conversation, and it’s worthy of inviting kids to the table and asking what they think.”
Cara Bean will discuss Here I Am, I Am Me with her friend Katerie Morin at a free event at the Brookline Booksmith on April 22 at 7 PM. Registration and signed book reservations can be completed online. Cara Bean also hosts drawing workshops for libraries, schools, and organizations. She can be found online at carabeancomics.com.
