Quietly stunning, the unleashing of stories told by locals who speak of mental health challenges heightens the drama of the StoryTeller Project.

In the video, people share stories of domestic abuse, suicide attempts, postpartum depression, feelings of abandonment or loss of childhood for the project filmed on scene.

A partnership of the Teller County Mental Health Alliance, Ashlee Shields and Joseph Marney, the story project is intended to reach those who sense a societal stigma in asking for help.

“There is all this research about people going through depression or loss but it’s a whole lot different than hearing the same stories from people in our community, seeing faces you recognize,” said Marney, who films and edits the stories.

But along the way, Shields and Marney discovered that the stigma could be tied to the lack of opportunities to speak.

In one segment of the video, a woman speaks of postpartum depression and an attempt at suicide. Realizing her vulnerability, the woman gave up her children for a year to the care of her parents.

After hospitalization in Cedar Springs psychiatric hospital in Colorado Springs, along with a divorce, the woman speaks of gratitude for the steps that led to her recovery. In another piece a veteran speaks of being taught as a child to keep his emotions buried.  

In the process of filming, Shields and Marney allow the person to choose the place.

“It’s important to us that we give them space where they feel comfortable; it could be out in the forest, or in their living room, wherever,” said Shields, transformation manager for the mental health alliance. “For a lot of them, it’s the first time they have shared their story.”

Of the original eight storytellers, each urged others to seek help, believing their stories would offer hope to those feeling isolated and alone.

“We’ve lost the art of storytelling,” Shields said. “Generationally, we’re not sitting down with our grandparents anymore and listening to their stories.”

The stories are heartbreaking yet inspiring. One storyteller sent the video to her mother.  

“She told me it was the first time her mom said she was proud of her,” Shields said. “That’s what we want, for them to feel they are getting the healing they need out of this, by sharing.”

A suicide survivor who is in the film, in addition to others with familial mental health challenges, will be among the speakers at the Suicide Awareness and Resiliency Symposium Sept. 19.

“For them, it will be the first time talking in front of people,” Shields said.

The two plan to continue the project. “As this develops, we’ll have more in-person storyteller events,” Marney said.

The video is available at https://youtube.com/@ourstorytellerco.

“We are passionate about this and volunteering our time because we care,” Shields said. “We want this to work, to reach people in our community.”