Month: December 2022
Book Now: Free Online Course
Bookings close on 12th Jan 2023 at 9am
Want to learn to practice relaxation exercises, and art for self-care?
We are looking forward to working with Devon Recovery Learning Community in 2023 to deliver a six week course, on Zoom.
This recovery college is provided by Devon Partnership NHS Trust to support mental health and wellbeing. Their students are people with experience of mental health difficulties, their family and friends, and the professionals who support them.
Each session of our new course includes five minutes of guided mindfulness, five minutes of mindful drawing, a simple art project, and the opportunity to chat and relax.
‘Doodle Your Recovery’ gives people the opportunity to share their feelings, practice mindfulness, create art, relax and chat. This course:
- Improves mental health
- Improves social connection
- Teaches new skills (relaxation exercises and art for self- care)
We start with a ‘check in’ to see how everyone is feeling. There is no obligation to speak if you don’t want to. This is followed by some guided mindfulness, then a simple art project e.g. drawing Zentangles or paisley, or making a greetings card.
We end the group with a ‘check out’ to share how everyone is feeling after practicing mindfulness and making art.
This 6 week, online course starts on Monday 16th January 2023
Bookings close on 12th Jan 2023 at 9am
Places are limited. Book early to avoid disappointment: Doodle Your Recovery Online.
Art Makes a Big Difference in Plymouth
We regularly collect feedback from our art club participants to check that we are making a difference in our community. We are also working with a research team at Plymouth University to measure the difference we make.
“Mindful art group is a safe place to come. You can offload and are not judged, you can enter feeling down and alone, and leave knowing you have the groups support and empathy” – Karen.
“On my first visit to the group, I felt it was very welcoming. I found the groups activities interesting and will be coming regularly to your meetings. I have a big problem with large groups of people. I would normally say nothing as I would feel stupid. But not in this case. Thanks.” – Carole.
“It’s great that we meet regularly and check in with how we are all feeling. I feel like we are all responsible for each other – a space where we can talk, release, cry, laugh and our emotions are held by each other. I feel like ‘It’s OK, these people are here for me’. Whether you are a sociable person with lots of friends or alone in the world, there’s a group of people every week ready to listen and support me. It’s a great balance of mindfulness and creativity, for everyone, no matter what your experience is – we’re not artists by any means – just people coming together to be creative and peaceful.” – Erica.
If you’d like to boost mental health in your treatment service, support service, workplace or residential home we offer groups on line, one-off sample sessions, and a six week wellbeing programme. We also offer an outdoor mindful art retreat as a staff away day.
Read more: Why is Staff Wellbeing So Important?
While watching the FIFA World Cup recently you may have realised how stressful it is to be a football referee. That’s why we were happy to provide an online session for a group of premiership referees.
Peggy and Emma at Mindful Art were really pleasant and made everyone on the mindfulness session feel comfortable. They delivered a session that was really easy to take part and was enjoyable for all. I believe Mindfulness Art has a positive impact in promoting good Mental Health.
Dr Liam Slack, Chartered Sport Psychologist, PGMOL
Find out more about booking a session.
How to Get News From the Devon Mental Health Alliance
We were pleased to meet with Tom Cox from the Devon Mental Health Alliance recently, to find out about the work that they do, and share with him our own work at Mindful Art Club.
The Devon Mental Health Alliance (DMHA) is a partnership between six organisations dedicated to providing support for people experiencing challenges with their mental health. The goal of the Alliance is to improve access to services and identify new opportunities to support people across all of Devon’s communities, using a collaborative approach that reaches across and brings together partners from the statutory, voluntary and community sectors.
The Devon Mental Health Alliance blog features regular articles about organisations working in Devon who are supporting mental health. Did you see the one about Nicky from Marbles Lost and Found CIC? Sign up to their newsletter today and you will soon see an article appearing about Mindful Art Club! Sign up now.