In the following sections, we’ll show you how to practically apply storytelling tips and best practices to your content, using a five-step process that can follow your project starting at conception, through to release and beyond — from bringing on expert advisors, to identifying impactful storytelling opportunities in your specific story, to supporting your audience as they engage with challenging storylines.

Ideally, you would begin this process during development or pre-production so that opportunities to create impact and reduce harm can be identified and addressed before production begins. But no matter what phase of the production cycle you’re in, there are many opportunities in this guide to maximize your project’s positive mental health impact.

Before you get started, remember that in the same way that mental health storylines can bring up difficult feelings for viewers, the process of creating these stories may bring up difficult memories or create other challenges for your cast and crew. We recommend providing information and resources to your team if they find themselves or someone they know struggling during or after production. Here are some publicly available resources to get you started.