The Green Phoenix
Empowering creativity, connection, and self-expression through art.
Confronting stigma through visual storytelling.
All too often people are judged based on appearance or what others perceive without understanding the person beneath the labels.
​
My Name Is… is a photo essay confronting stigma around mental illness, addiction, and disability. Participants share stories visually, showing the impact of labels, empowering themselves and fostering empathy.
​
We invite individuals with lived experience to participate, using self-created labels, props, and name tags to document their recovery journey.
How We See Ourselves
From the moment we’re born, our name shapes how we understand ourselves. But living with a mental illness can alter that sense of identity. Suddenly, the labels we receive overshadow the person we know ourselves to be. These portraits explore the internal experience of being defined by illness, capturing vulnerability, resilience, and the struggle to remember who we truly are beneath the labels.
How Clinicians See Us
When we enter a clinician’s office, we hope to be seen, understood, and supported. Often, however, the focus shifts to diagnosis, emphasizing the condition rather than the individual. These images reflect the lens of mental health professionals and the impact of being perceived through the scope of labels, charts, and preconceived notions. They show the tension between medical interpretation and personal reality.
How Society Sees Us
Society often defines people by stereotypes and assumptions rather than their humanity. These portraits confront those judgments and the stigma that comes with mental health challenges. By visually representing how others perceive us, the images illuminate the isolation, fear, and misunderstanding that can shape daily life for people living with mental illness.
How the Media Portrays Us
Popular culture and news often misrepresent mental illness, framing people as dangerous or unstable. These images reveal the gap between media portrayals and lived experience, highlighting how fear and misinformation distort reality. They invite reflection on the stories we are told and the truths that are overlooked, emphasizing the importance of seeing the whole person.
Capture Your Voice
Your experience matters. My Name Is… offers a platform to visually express the impact of labels, stigma, and societal perceptions on mental health, addiction, and disability.
Participants work alongside a professional photographer to document their story using self-created labels, props, and name tags. Join the project to help show the world the person behind the diagnosis.