Dates:  April 15 | April 22 | May 6
Time:  1 – 2:30pm CT | 90-minute sessions  

Application closed

Applicants notified of acceptance:  April 10

Session 1: Interview-Based, Real-World, and Documentary Storytelling

This session introduces interview-based and documentary storytelling in mental health settings. Participants will explore examples ranging from simple interviews to more structured documentary formats and discuss trauma-informed and recovery-oriented approaches when working with lived experience. The session will also highlight practical tools such as consent language, interview prompts, and basic production options.

Session 2: Creative Alternatives — Animation, Illustration, and Visual Storytelling

This session explores visual storytelling formats such as animation and illustration as alternatives to traditional interviews or filmed stories. Participants will examine examples that demonstrate how visual elements—such as character design, color, and composition—can communicate complex experiences and protect anonymity. The session will also introduce basic workflows and planning tools for developing visual story concepts.

Session 3: From Idea to Application — “Show and Tell”

The final session is interactive and focused on application. Participants are invited to share early ideas, storyboards, or challenges related to storytelling projects. Through discussion and feedback, participants will refine their concepts and identify practical next steps for bringing storytelling into their work.

Featured Speaker

Amanda “Kay” Lipp is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and national speaker specializing in digital storytelling for mental health. She has created more than 100 short films used in clinical training, stigma reduction research, and policy initiatives nationwide. Her work translates complex topics — including psychosis, mobile crisis response, and collective trauma — into stories that are accessible, ethical, and deeply human.

Amanda brings a strong focus on storytelling ethics, trauma-informed practice, and thoughtful co-creation with people with lived experience and care teams. At the heart of her approach is the belief that how stories are created matters just as much as the final product.

As a peer with lived experience, Amanda combines empathy with more than a decade of experience collaborating with clients ranging from Fortune 200 companies to community-based nonprofits. She holds a B.S. in Human Development from UC Davis and completed documentary filmmaking training at Trinity University in Dublin, Ireland.

When she’s not working, you’ll find her rock climbing or mountain biking.