Tag: Mindful art

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Lord Mayor Visits Mindful Art Club

On Friday 4th March 2022 The Lord Mayor and Consort visited our weekly art group, held upstairs in Moments Cafe, in Plymouth City Centre.

It was a pleasure to meet The Lord Mayor Mrs Terri Beer, and Consort, Mr Colin Beer, who joined us for coffee and a chat, and then took part in the mindful art session, with ten other participants.

The session included a check-in, guided mindfulness, mindful art, and then a simple art project, with the opportunity to chat and relax. The Mayor and Consort engaged in the group discussions and enjoyed the activities.

Terri Beer was born and raised in Plymouth and has lived in the city all her life.  She was educated at St. Maurice Primary School and Plympton Secondary Modern School (now Plympton Academy). Our very first Mindful Art Club was founded in Plympton and still takes place at The Brook Inn on Thursdays. Mindful Art Club has now grown to offer sessions in community services all over Plymouth. We also offer one day retreats, staff wellbeing sessions and evening classes.

Join our club by signing up here to find out what we offer in your area.

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Evening Taster Session: Book Now

Do you work during the daytimes?

Are you wishing we’d offer a one-off evening session just so that you can try it?

Want to try Qi Gong and mindful art to see if you like it?

We get that.

We’re offering a one-off evening event in Plymouth city centre on 28th March 2022. We expect these places to sell out quickly, so contact us now if you would like to reserve your place.

This two hour session includes:

  • Qi Gong with Lee Squires
  • Mindful art with Emma Sprawson
  • The opportunity to chat and relax
  • All art materials
  • Coffee or tea

This one-off session will give you a taste of what you can expect on our eight week wellbeing course.

How is this evening different to other mindfulness sessions?

The focus of our work is social connection and support, and the art and mindfulness come second to that. Quiet reflection takes place during the guided mindfulness, but for the majority of the session participants will be encouraged to talk.

Benefits:

  • Improve your mental health
  • Feel more socially connected
  • Enjoy Qi Gong mindful movement
  • Learn mindfulness and art for self care

Your investment: Just £19.50

Click here to reserve your place today.

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Plympton Art Course Improves Mental Health

We recently offered a six week course at Plympton Guildhall, called ‘Doodle Your Recovery’ – thanks to funding from Devon Recovery Learning Community.

Initial feedback indicates that one hundred percent of the participants enjoyed the course. When asked what they had learned on the course people wrote:

  • To relax and just let creativity flow
  • Mindfulness
  • To breathe better
  • Empathy
  • To give time to myself
  • Communication
  • How to think of myself as well as others
  • To not dwell on problems so much
  • To express feelings through art
  • That I am not alone and it’s OK to feel how I feel

Some suggestions to make the course better included:

  • Maybe more meditation
  • Qi Gong
  • Name badges
  • Increase it to two hours, with a break

One hundred percent of survey respondents said they would recommend the course to other people.

If you would like to try using creativity to improve your mental health we will be at The Brook Inn, 33 Longbrook Street, Plympton, PL7 1NJ from Thursday 3rd March 2022.

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[Pictures] Art at Plympton Guildhall

We started the New Year in a new venue: The historic Guildhall in Plympton St Maurice.

Doodle your Recovery is a six week course giving people the opportunity to share their feelings, practice mindfulness, create art, relax and chat.

This course is free to attend thanks to funding from Devon Recovery Learning Community. DRLC is a recovery college provided by Devon Partnership NHS Trust to promote mental health and wellbeing. Their students are people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, their family and friends, and the professionals who support them.

Missed enrolment for this six week course? Join our mailing list and get free colouring pages to use at home, and news of our next free mindful art events in the Plymouth area.



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New Year, New Courses

How to book your place at Mindful Art Club in 2022

We have three new mindful art groups starting in the new year. We have a number of free places available thanks to our funders and partners, but places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment.

Mondays 10.00am at Devon Mind in Greenbank: A six week course funded by Devon Mind. Book here.

Mondays 1.00pm at The Sunflower Women’s Centre continues in the New Year. Book your place by phoning the Sunflower 01752 977614.

Thursdays 11.00am at Plympton St Maurice Guildhall: A six week course funded by Devon Recovery Learning Community. Book here.

Fridays 1.00pm at Moments Cafe, 69a New George Street, Plymouth, funded by The High Streets Heritage Action Zone initiative. Book here.

Not ready to come to a group yet? Download some mindful colouring pages to enjoy at home.

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Participant Inspired to Start Her Own Art Club

I want to share a lovely message we received on Facebook at the weekend. Claire has given us permission to publish this testimonial.

Dear Peggy and Emma,

Hi, I just wanted to pop you a quick message to say a massive thanks.

I did a mindful art course with you guys through Devon Mind and it has inspired me to start my own voluntary at our local library, but I’m hoping I’m going to be expanding this soon.

It’s been really popular so far, there is a lovely group of people that come and I’ve made friends outside of the group too. I’ve also taken a mindfulness course and gained a diploma.

So I just wanted to thank you, happy Christmas and a happy New Year.

Keep doing your amazing work. So many people need this right now.

Lots of love

Claire x

Find out what free groups we are running in the New Year by joining our mailing list now.

Want to start your own art club? We love to inspire others to offer help and support, but you will need to design your own method of working and session format. Read our copyright notice.

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New Course: Plympton

Learn to practice relaxation exercises and art for self-care at the historic Guildhall in Plympton St Maurice. Each session 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 is a six week course giving people the opportunity to share their feelings, practice mindfulness, create art, relax and chat, it also:

  • 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 which anyone can do e.g., drawing Zentangles or paisley, or making a greeting card.

We end the group with a ‘check out’ to share how everyone is feeling after practicing mindfulness and making art.

This 6 week, in-person course will start on Thursday 13th January 2022.

We will be using the Council Chamber upstairs in the Guildhall building for this course. Places are limited on this course so book now to avoid disappointment.

Book now: Doodle Your Recovery

This course is free to attend thanks to funding from Devon Recovery Learning Community. DRLC is a recovery college provided by Devon Partnership NHS Trust to promote mental health and wellbeing. Their students are people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, their family and friends, and the professionals who support them.

Not ready to commit to a six week course? Join our mailing list and get free colouring pages to use at home, and news of our other free mindful art events.

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We Can Do Hard Things

I see your fear, and it’s big, I also see your courage, and it’s bigger, we can do hard things.

Glennon Doyle, Untamed

I read Glennon Doyle’s memoir, ‘Untamed’, last year and I liked it, even though the Amazon reviews show it to be a bit like marmite – some readers loved it, some hated it.

It’s a story about freeing ourselves from the cages we women find ourselves in when we live for other people instead of our own truth. It’s a guide to find your way back to yourself and to keep choosing yourself over and over again until you are free from those cages.

It’s a beautiful, funny, heartbreaking story about love and loss and courage and wisdom and addiction and anxiety and truth and life.

The takeaway message for me was, “We can do hard things.” Glennon even named her podcast that. I thought it would be fun to draw these words for myself as a reminder. Download and print your free colouring page here, and then fill in the letters with zen doodles or colours, as a gift to yourself this festive season!

Want more free printables? Join our mailing list today.

Read more about Glennon Doyle at her website https://momastery.com

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New Course: Devon Mind

Learn to practice relaxation exercises and art for self-care in the New Year at Devon Mind in Greenbank, Plymouth. This free, six week course is starting on 10th January 2022 but places are limited.

Each session 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 is a six week course giving people the opportunity to share their feelings, practice mindfulness, create art, relax and chat, it also:

  • Improves mental health
  • Improves social connection
  • Teaches new skills (relaxation exercises and art for self care).

We are Devon Mind, your local mental health charity. We’ve been fighting for mental health in Devon for over 35 years with our campaigning and support services.

DevonMind.com

Like all local Minds, they are an independent charity affiliated with the national Mind association.

Devon Mind’s recovery courses and workshops are all designed to support you to develop positive lifestyles and choices. Visit their website for details on how to book your place on Doodle Your Recovery:

https://www.devonmind.com/find-help/courses/doodle-your-recovery

Doodle Your Recovery is on Mondays starting on Monday 10th January 2022, 10.00am – 11.30am; a course of six sessions.

To get a reminder about this course and other Mindful Art Club events in the future sign up to our mailing list.

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