Literature Healing

Abstract

Using young adult literature (YAL) as a tool to bring awareness to mental health can provide a solution for the concerning rise of mental health issues being experienced by adolescents. It is evident that students need guidance and conversations about dealing with struggles they face such as depression, suicide, sexuality, and bullying. In order to use YAL as an effective tool, educators need access to texts that include characters experiencing mental health and psychological issues. Along with training, educators need to know how to convey and connect the information within the texts due to the density of the topics being covered. Educators may also benefit from having a resource guide filled with texts, films, and poems to use as a means to address mental health and create awareness within the classroom and the school.