Creative Recovery

Exploring extra solutions for our mental health and anxieties.

March 17, 2021

Caring for our own mental health

Please don't get me wrong I know clinical therapy works. I have done a lot of good work through many different therapy models myself but I am also aware not everyone wants to go down that route or maybe they are not ready yet.

When it comes to Mental Health, professionals tend to refer you onto counselling or clinical therapy. However, there are other options that work really well as a precursor or alongside helping you deal with and recover from Mental Health issues. 

Core Art Journaling has worked within UKs Primary Health Care system within their new Social Prescribing model. This means when a project has been set up between us and a GP surgery link workers can propose other wellbeing activities to help alongside other medications. My creative wellbeing art journaling sessions have been used to help adults and teens to explore and process their thoughts and feelings visually through the power of creative recovery.

Core Art Journaling aims to give participants the creative tools to process and help build their own emotional resilience. With experience working  in secondary schools, and within the health service my aim is to integrate a visual process to support anyone of any art ability into this creative wellbeing programmes.

In the future I am hoping art journaling could be considered under the banner of Creative Health Health are just a couple of reasons why:

1.    Art journaling can be done in an any space and your journals become your own safe space for you. 

2.    Art Journaling is more personal as it allows you to write down all your feelings and then cover it up in amazing artwork and best of all you don’t need any prior art skills!

 It's certainly something I would like to continue exploring. A great introduction to the world of Art Journaling and the best bit about it is there are no rules!  Julia 2019

 I was more impressed with how it enabled me to get in touch with myself and psychologically begin the healing process with my personal issues. Judy 2020

 If you would like to read more about these topics, check out these links below:  https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/resources/social-prescribing

https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/appg-inquiry/

If you want to find out more about Core art journaling you can subscribe via www.coreartjounaling.com.
You can also contact me through email: Deborah@coreartjournaling.co.uk to find out more.

Workshops using mixed media

Dealing With Life After Lockdown

Dealing with the idea of life going back to ‘new’ normal in the upcoming months will be challenging. Many people will be starting to go back to work, with adults going to their workplaces and children now going back their schoolrooms.

With the government releasing restrictions there will be anxiety, mental health issues, apprehension and our stress levels will increase whilst we try to navigate what is going to be our new norm!  Maybe a new creative wellbeing tool like art journaling will help us work through this new space? Art journaling is perfect tool to help process all of these feelings. Visually working that out, flexing that creative health muscle through this creative outlet art journaling is a proven and fun way of relieving the stress you and your children may be facing whilst dealing with our new world.

 “ I didn’t feel very motivated to begin with but I went with the process and I’m so glad I did. I (almost) managed to let go of my need for perfection. After I had finished, it felt very personal and I even felt quite tearful.
So thank you.” J from Kings College workshop, London, March 2021

My journals ©imagescoreartjournaling 2021

 The concept of art journaling is to use creativity to connect emotionally, to help process negative feelings and therefore create a safe space to work through how you are REALLY feeling, not what you think you should say! Your art journal page is not about just about creating pretty pictures it’s your visual story of your inner and outer self connecting.

The bonus of doing art journaling is that you don’t have to be a professional artist; you don’t need prior art skills to produce artwork that is unique and real! You can also use a wide range of cheap accessible materials, create a safe space, and create a daily practice.

If you need support or information relating to after lockdown anxiety, find out more here:
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evidence-summary-for-policy-the-role-of-arts-in-improving-health-and-wellbeing
https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/sites/default/files/9789289054553-eng.pdf

If you want to find out more about art journaling you can subscribe via www.coreartjounaling.com. You can also contact me through email: Deborah@coreartjournaling.co.uk or to find out more.

Student stresses

Getting the most out of your studying years

Thursday March 5 is Student Mental Health Day and at a time when one in five students are now making use of university mental health support services the world of being a student in 2020 is definitely a juggling act.

Headf**k!

The world of a student has its own unique set of circumstances to deal with. Living away from home for the first time, coping with exams and deadlines, the pressure to succeed, uncertainty about graduate employment prospects and financial hardship all of which can accumulate to affect life one way or another. 

Fortunately Student wellbeing is high on the list at Kings College, London, who has a policy of talking openly about mental health and equipping its student to build their self-awareness. I am very pleased to have been invited to contribute to their ‘Make – Do – Play’ Workshops where I will be introducing art journaling. Not everyone wants or responds to talking therapies, not everyone is creative so art journalings non clinical approach and zero requirements for art experience is going to be a fun way to introduce self-awareness and build on an going wellbeing practice.

Freeflow writing and intuitive collage

Core Art Journaling is more about the process than the finished pieces and there are many mental health benefits to free flow writing and unloading daily stresses and anxieties. Your journal can become a safe space to have a visual conversation with yourself, check in and practice self-care can lead to feeling more confident and empowered and help to cope with student life. 

The Kings College Student Wellbeing Plan is about:“Taking an imaginative approach to connecting the arts and health, leveraging its extensive cultural partnerships to provide students with extra and co-curricular activities that contribute to wellbeing.”
STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING REPORT AND STRATEGIC PLAN 2018–20

 Student Mental Health Day highlights the importance to know that there are actions that can be taken. Speaking to someone from your subject department, or going to the student advice centre in your student union.It is always advisable to seek advice from your local GP for a professional diagnosis. 

“Harriet is a second-year university students shares her story:
I am studying a full time degree, it is classed as full time for a reason and hence the guidelines given for working are 10 hours maximum a week. However, this is pretty impossible, especially when you have bills to pay and you need to feed yourself every week. 

I also enjoy working and alongside my studies work between 15-25 hours a week with 3 different jobs which often leaves me pretty pushed for getting my university work done as well as attending all (or at least most) of my lectures. 

Money can also be a big stress, my student loan covers my rent and most of my bills and for that I am lucky because I know many students whose loan doesn’t even cover their rent. But not having much money means having no choice but to work at least some hours through the week just to get by. Although I’d like to cherish the time I have left as a student and make the most of it because I’m pretty sure it won’t get any easier.””

Everyone wants to finish and enjoy their years at university so trying out new self care tools like Art Journaling could be the wellbeing tool to help you build your resilience whilst producing wonderful visual memoirs!

Student Minds is a superb organisation that run support groups for students struggling with their mental health and campaign to improve the state of student mental health as a whole. Big thanks to Harriet Gately for her contributions.

 If you would like to explore art journaling for wellbeing contact me: Deborah@coreartjournaling.co.uk or www.coreartjournaling.com

https://www.studentmindsblog.co.uk