THE Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), together with the Freelance Writers Guild of the Philippines, will hold an event on writing and mental health Wednesday, February 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. via CCP and CCP Intertextual Division Facebook pages.

The event, titled "Write Side Up!" will be a good means to release anxiety that is caused by the pandemic. Many people, each year get depressed - based on statistics, depression is most common among young individuals. All human beings have a natural instinct to survive. In depressed people, however, physical or mental illness, trauma, or long term suffering, and exhaustion can erode and override this survival instinct.

It is important to make people who are traumatized, stressed, in despair, mentally ill or suicidal, to feel that there are creative activities where they can safely reveal and share their pain and other toxic feelings.

Let us give time to focus on ourselves and experience free informative talks and seminars from notable Filipino writers and mental health advocates with topics on Preliminary Research on Writer's Mental Health with guest speaker, Maria Fatima Villena; Practice of Mental Wellness especially for Writers and Artists with Dr. Ellay Nadera; How to Survive through Writing and Reading with Ms. Anna Felicia Sanchez; Arterapiya with Dr. Vim Nadera; To Break Away Writing Exercises to Help Calm the Mind and Writing as Meditation with Mr. Ramil Gulle. Moderators for this whole-day activity are Hark Herald Sarmiento and Ina Avellana Cosio.

Conducting this event in an online platform also prevents putting the health of the participants at risk and follows the mandate of the Philippine government to avoid social gatherings. This can also be a learning tool while practicing social distancing and experiencing quarantine.

Through this project, the CCP will be able to continue in bringing arts and culture to the general public despite the crisis happening in the country today.

For inquiries and additional information regarding "Write Side Up," contact the CCP Intertextual Division via e-mail (ccpintertextualdivision@gmail.com) or mobile (0919-3175708). (PR)