New play to be staged during Truro and Wellness event

TRURO, N.S. — Heather Laura Clarke and Sam Madore have turned painful experiences into hope for others. They’ve written a play about mental health that will be performed at this year’s Women and Wellness gathering.
“It’s funny, touching and has a lot of good take-away messages,” said Clarke, Truro-based freelance journalist. “The main character is Jane, and this shows a day in her life. It shows her interacting with five people. We do each scene twice, once as an example of how not to interact with someone dealing with mental health issues, and then go back and do it again in a more positive way.
“It’s called ‘Five in Five,’ based on the concept that one person in five is affected by mental health issues, when it’s really five in five. Parents, children, friends, co-workers are all affected when someone has mental health issues.”
Clarke was a teenager when she began struggling with generalized anxiety disorder and depression. For a long time, she felt she didn't have anyone she could talk about it with.
“People in my life might have had an idea that I was struggling, but no one knew what to say, so they said nothing, and saying nothing can make a person feel more isolated,” she said. “Saying something is always better than saying nothing. I know a lot of people get scared they’ll say the wrong thing and the person will hurt themselves and it will be their fault because they said the wrong thing, but that’s just not the case.”
She’s always been high functioning and never had a day when she couldn’t get out of bed. But there was an internal struggle and she knows it’s something she’ll be dealing with her entire life. She finds reading inspirational quotes and good books, and taking part in creative pursuits, helpful. She’s also taken anti-depressants.
“You have to ride through the dark moments in ways that make you happy, and understand your emotions will go up and down,” she said. “I’m more vocal about things now, and I get messages from people who are glad I said something.”
Clarke emphasizes that it’s important to reach out to people who are struggling, and that even small things can make a big difference. A person may not be able to attend an event but being invited can make them feel good.
“With social media it can be hard to see things that are going on without you, but it also makes it easier for friends to reach out very casually,” said Clarke. “A message asking how someone’s doing can mean a lot.”
She found writing "Five in Five" very cathartic and she hopes people who see it will enjoy themselves while picking up helpful tips.
"Tickets are free, so we want to see a packed house,” she said. “It's going to be a really special evening.”
The Colchester East Hants Canadian Mental Health Association’s 11th annual Women and Wellness event will be held Thursday, Jan. 30 at the Cobequid Educational Centre. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and the presentation begins at 7 p.m. The evening, open to all women, will include appetizers, chocolates and door prizes.
Tickets are available through Eventbrite at https://womenandwellness2020.eventbrite.ca or call 902-895-4211. Although tickets are free, people who are able are asked to make a donation to the CMHA Branching Out building campaign.