Every Art Opening Minds Class is designed to work as a stand-alone experience. That means you can offer just one Class and know it will be impactful on its own.
But when you plan a series of Classes—over the course of a semester or a full year—you create an opportunity for deeper learning and layered personal growth. Even if your Participants attend just one, they’ll benefit. If they attend multiple, each one builds on the last.
Here are three common ways to structure a Class series that fits your goals and your community.
Option 1: Mix the Three Class Types to Build Skills Over Time
If you want to create a well-rounded learning arc, try combining one Class from each of the three AOM Class Types:
- Start with Mental Health Training. Focus on building awareness of a core topic (e.g., “Building Awareness About Depression”).
- Follow with Supporting Our Own Mental Health. Guide Participants into reflection and personal application (e.g., “Feeling Sad in Winter”).
- End with Building Empathy for Others. Invite deeper understanding of others’ lived experiences (e.g., “Music and Wellness”).
This structure works especially well when you’re trying to create community, foster self-awareness, and build shared language around mental health.
Option 2: Stay Within One Class Type Go Deeper
If you have a focused goal—like educating about mental health conditions or helping students build coping tools—you can stay within a single Class Type and explore different topics.
Examples:
- Mental Health Training Series - Create a three-part series introducing the most common mental health challenges on campus. Choose Classes focused on Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, addiction, eating disorders, or another topic based on what your Participants are navigating
- Supporting Our Own Mental Health Series - Focus on wellness-building strategies. You might explore:
- Somatic experiences like breathwork or body scans
- The connection between creativity and mental wellbeing
- Managing burnout or seasonal shifts in mood
- Building Empathy Series - Use powerful films to spark reflection on stories your Participants may not have considered. Choose Classes that highlight:
- Military experiences
- Cultural stigma around mental illness
- Neurodivergence, identity, or trauma
Tip: Use filters on the Classes page to search by Class Type and topic.
Option 3: Align Your Series with Awareness Months
Tying your Classes to campus events or national observances can help increase attendance and relevance. Try this model:
- September: Suicide Prevention
- October: Disability Awareness Month
- November: Veterans Day
Tips & Notes
- You don’t need to promote the series as a formal commitment—just offer each Class as an invitation to keep growing.
- You can repeat the structure each semester with new topics, or build theme-based tracks (e.g., a creativity series in spring, trauma-awareness in fall).
- Want help deciding which Classes to group together? Reach out to the AOM team or use your Favorites to save options as you explore.
