Hold a pen or pencil in your hand and draw a line on a sheet of paper. A simple act. How do you feel? Excited, wondering what image you might go on to create? Bored? Daunted? Is it full of possibility? Many more of us all the time are experimenting with art and with theContinue reading “Confidence And Community”
Tag Archives: health
Glimpse Something Deeper
Over the last few weeks, one word has cropped up time and again as I’ve spoken with participants in my art for wellbeing activities. It’s something they say they’ve found very beneficial, or that they would like to start – but they say demand is high, and they can’t always find local or online groups.Continue reading “Glimpse Something Deeper”
Either/Or
Can wellbeing initiatives such as befriending, arts and crafts or gardening be just as beneficial as a talking therapy like CBT? On the one hand, demand is constant and CBT has boomed, within the NHS and beyond. But on the other hand, doubts have started to be raised, and it’s now believed cognitive behavioural therapy,Continue reading “Either/Or”
Communities That Care
Creativity plays an important part in many care homes – and so too does community. With care homes running varied activities most days, alongside the quizzes, outings and bingo there are lots of music, arts and crafts. This week is Care Home Open Week, and I’ve heard people sharing how they feel about the prospectContinue reading “Communities That Care”
Serendipity
Even the most reluctant gardener (or rambler) is more likely to venture out at this time of year. Many plants and flowers emerging, fresh leaves on the trees, roadside verges high with cow parsley. Yes, gardening can be fun, but also back-breaking, frustrating, a losing battle to stop weeds and bugs taking over – orContinue reading “Serendipity”
Going Round In Circles
Rumination isn’t a word you hear everyday. It isn’t a very obvious word to understand either. But it’s a common experience, and one that can be very damaging to mental health and wellbeing. While there are diverse ways to help halt or ease rumination, coaching and creativity may have an important part to play. Overthinking,Continue reading “Going Round In Circles”
Christmas Greetings
What do you think is the most overshadowed way art and creativity can help mental health & wellbeing? The more I’ve led and learned, the more I feel that making art or craft to share and give away needs to be promoted. Yes, a lot of this happens, but more publicity and cooperation would encourageContinue reading “Christmas Greetings”
A New Stigma
Sometimes I wonder which is truly more beneficial for wellbeing: creativity that expresses and explores thoughts & feelings directly, or that highlights something totally different? Is creativity most helpful as a tool or as a haven? This could apply to visual arts, music, dance or drama. Should they help shut out the darkness or delveContinue reading “A New Stigma”
Nature On My Mind
When you think about nature helping mental health, what picture comes to your mind? Would it be time spent in a garden, or time photographing or drawing something in nature? A walk on a sunny day, looking out for wild flowers and trees? Or perhaps enjoying sport outdoors, like cricket or windsurfing? Back in 2016Continue reading “Nature On My Mind”
Fuller Lives
Art, music and all arts enrich life, and they’ve become tools we can all use for wellbeing – to lift mood and ease mental health issues. They open up fuller lives. March is Women’s History Month, and opening up fuller lives is just what women have fought to do for themselves. The arts can beContinue reading “Fuller Lives”
Medley 