Connection, Community, and Resilience Through the Arts
The arts are a catalyst for connection, community, and resilience across the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts and Howard University, where student-artists, faculty, and staff engage in vibrant programs at the intersection of arts, health, and well-being.
About the Program
The Arts, Health & Well-being (AHW) program began in 2022 as a partnership between the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF) and Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts (CABCoFA). It launched with the Take Care of Yourself initiative, featuring messages from Taraji P. Henson and BLHF Director Tracey Jade.
Today, AHW supports the mental health and overall wellness of student-artists, staff, and faculty through:
- Performance coaching (individual & group)
- Workshops and panel discussions
- Ensemble cohesion or chemistry building
- Guidance on resources across Howard University’s ecosystem of care
Mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Social determinants of health (SDOH) or factors like housing, financial stability, food access, education, access to quality healthcare, and community support, play a major role in well-being. These external factors help shape how student-artists experience stress, opportunity, and resilience. AHW helps student-artists navigate both the personal and systemic challenges that affect creativity, health, and academic success.
Along with these external factors, positive determinants of mental health, like resilience, supportive relationships, emotional intelligence, and a sense of purpose, are essential for thriving. AHW helps student-artists consider key indicators of well-being, including gratitude, healthy boundaries, happiness, and life satisfaction.
Looking at these elements together helps student-artists better understand what mental health is and how to take care of it – and themselves.
Why It Matters?
- 60% of HBCU student-artists report at least one mental health concern1.
- Student-artist anxiety in higher education nearly doubled in six years2.
- 76% of student-artists worldwide say they struggle to maintain their well-being2.
How are you doing for real? Take this quick, anonymous survey.
Onsite Practitioner
Dr. James Ballard III
College of Fine Arts
Room B-1
Walk-in and By Appointment
james.ballard@howard.edu
Office Hours
- Monday - 6 to 7 p.m.
- Tuesday - 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
- Wednesday - 2 to 8 p.m.
- Thursday - 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
- Friday - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Fall 2025 Workshops & Events
Fuel Your Mind, Body, and Creativity!
Presenter: Wendi Cherry, Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and Visiting Faculty, The Institute for Integrative Nutrition
When: Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 12 - 1 p.m.
Where: The SMART room (LVC 2103) in the College of Fine Arts (COFA)
Discover how nutrition choices impact your academic performance, artistry, and energy.
Learn how to:
🔵 Eat well while studying and rehearsing
🔵 Choose “power foods” to fuel your body
🔵 Keep steady energy from morning to night
Money Matters: Budgeting, Credit & Smart Goals
Presenter: LaKesha Landers, Director, Financial Literacy, Clark Atlanta University
When: Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 12 - 1 p.m.
Where: The SMART room (LVC 2103) in the College of Fine Arts (COFA)
Get student-friendly tools for personal finance: budgeting, credit, and community resources.
Topics include:
🔵 The psychology of money
🔵 Setting SMART goals
🔵 The 50/30/20 rule for budgeting
🔵 Saving strategies
🔵 Building a mini financial plan
Supporting Student Well-Being in Changing Times
In 2024, the Steve Fund, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and the Healthy Minds Network at the University of Michigan launched a study on mental health at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) to better understand the unique challenges Black college student-artists face. The research shows that student-artist well-being is shaped not just by campus life, but also by larger societal forces – including social justice movements and the backlash against them, the lasting effects of COVID-19, and global political tensions. The goal of this effort is to create resources and interventions tailored to the HBCU and PBI experience, ensuring that mental health support reflects the realities of Black student-artists’ lives. [3]
Read the HBCU Mental Health Summary (2024)
What’s On Your Mind?
A Weekly Mental Health & Wellness Group for CABCoFA Student-Artists
Dr. Ballard invites you to join What’s On Your Mind?, a weekly gathering designed to center the voices, concerns, and experiences of our student-artists. This group will provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive space to talk openly about the challenges and opportunities that impact mental health, emotional resilience, and creative well-being.
Positive determinants and reflections of flourishing mental health will be woven into each conversation. From navigating the transition to college life, managing the pressures of performance and academics, and working through artistic burnout, to maintaining healthy relationships or simply needing a space to be heard – this group is here for you. Through shared stories, guided discussions, and peer support, student-artists will find connection, affirmation, and practical strategies for sustaining wellness in both life and art.
The group will begin on Wednesday, September 3 (location and time forthcoming), and continue weekly through the end of the semester. Dr. Ballard is currently working with CABCoFA student-artists to select the time that best fits the community’s needs—stay tuned for updates.
Book a Session
Looking to connect with the AHW or the University Counseling Service? Use the following QR code to set up an appointment:
About the Practitioner
James M. Ballard III, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and certified Life Coach. Dr. Ballard designs social-emotional modules to educate, guide, and support artists and athletes opting to enter, work within, or transition from the entertainment industry. Dr. Ballard provides coaching, training, and counseling services to students, amateur, and professional artists, and has done so through NIKE, The New England Music Organization, IndieGate.com, SOAC Entertainment, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and other organizations. Dr. Ballard has extensive experience providing individual and group counseling, and has also provided family counseling. Dr. Ballard has completed numerous educational and comprehensive psychological evaluations and presents as an expert on multicultural programming with African-American populations in the juvenile justice system. Dr. Ballard created and taught an Entertainment Psychology course at Sojourner Douglass College. He is a former NCAA scholarship/basketball player, songwriter, vocalist, producer, and performer. Learn more about Dr. Ballard here.
Crisis & 24/7 Support
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text Line
- Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained counselor (24/7, United States and beyond).
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
DC Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP): (202) 673-9319
Maryland Youth Crisis Hotline: 1-800-422-0009
CrisisLink (Northern Virginia/DC area):
- A non-profit suicide-prevention and crisis hotline operating 24/7 out of Arlington, VA. (703) 527 - 4077 (TTY accessible)
211 (Local Information and Referrals):
- Dial 211 anytime to speak with a local specialist who can connect to services like mental health providers, basic needs support (food, housing), and more. This operates throughout the District of Columbia/Maryland/Virginia (DMV).
Trans Lifeline. Peer-led support for trans individuals. United States number: (877) 565 - 8860.
- Hours are now limited to Monday - Friday, 1 p.m. - 9 p.m. ET (10 a.m. - 6 p.m. PT).
National Domestic Violence Hotline:
- Call 1-800-799-7233; Text START to 88788. TTY users: (800) 787 - 3224
National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN):
- Call 1-800-422-4453; You can also text the same number.
General National Hotline: (866) 903 - 3787