2021 WonderBus Festival
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health is the beneficiary of proceed from the WonderBus Festival. Join us on the lawn of CAS to hear live music and help us raise awareness about important mental and behavioral health and wellness issues. Working together, we can create a culture of resiliency and help erase the stigma around mental illness. It’s as easy as singing a song.
To make an appointment, call 614-293-8000. More resources are available lower on the page.
Join us at our booth!
Booth hours are noon – 8pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Activities include:
- Chat with our professional care providers
- Learn more about #LALALA
- Check out our photo booth
- Spin the prize wheel
- Learn how to support our programs
- Write a message of hope for our Tree of Resilience
What is #LALALA?
#LALALA stands for Listen. Ask. Love. Act. Link. Advocate. It’s our campaign to help raise awareness about how you can help create a culture of empathy and encouragement for those struggling with depression and thoughts of suicide. #LALALA reminds us that we all have the power to help.
LALALA Resource Sheet (PDF)Listen. Ask. Love. Act. Link. Advocate.

Listen
The first and easiest step to take when you are worried that someone you know might be suffering from depression is to simply listen. Validate their feelings by telling them you want to hear what’s going on without judgement. Listening encourages people to open up more, so that they tell you about signs of depression, like hopelessness, insomnia, persistent sadness, or suicidal thoughts.
Ask
Encourage conversation by asking questions; this shows that you care enough to know more about their struggles and depression. Specifically ask: “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” This is one of the most important questions because asking it is proven to decrease – not increase – suicidal thoughts. Asking about the possibility of suicide may save the person’s life.
Love
Listening and asking are acts of love. Listening with compassion and empathy and without dismissing or judging further reflects love. That feeling of being loved may help someone find the confidence to reach out for help from you, or experts.
Act
Keep a person in crisis safe. Ask them if they know how they would hurt themselves, and then separate them from anything they could use to accomplish it. Work to put time and distance between the person and their chosen method, especially dangerous items like firearms and medications. Stay with the person until the crisis passes or they are connected to professional resources that can help them.
Link
If you think someone might be in immediate danger, don’t hesitate to call 911. Link them to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) and to professional mental health services. Know that mental health treatment definitely works – research shows it decreases depression and reduces suicide. And link them to other people who can provide support – research has also shown connectedness with others acts as a buffer against hopelessness and psychological pain. And remember to follow up after the immediate crisis passes, and repeat: Listen, Ask, Love, Act.
Advocate
Get informed and get involved. Start conversations to reduce the stigma. Everyone can help raise awareness about the suicide epidemic (each day nearly 130 people in our country die by suicide) and about suicide prevention. Advocate for better access to mental health care. Advocate for more resources and treatments. Advocate for more funding for research to better understand and treat depression and suicide.WonderBus 2019
#LALALA resources
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Mental Health and Wellness Resources
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How to Give
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Listen to stories of Resilience