Recently, our co-founder Emma had the honour of speaking at the Goodness of Plymouth event at the University of Plymouth. It was a powerful opportunity to reflect on her own journey and to share the heart of what Mindful Art Club is really about: connection, creativity, and community as antidotes to loneliness and despair.
Emma’s talk centred on a simple but urgent truth, that loneliness is a public health emergency. In a world increasingly shaped by division, technology, and disconnection, many of us are quietly struggling. But, as Emma reminded us, the solution does not have to be complicated.
“The solution to this is simple: connection.”
Voice, Identity, and Community
Emma spoke openly about arriving at a treatment centre in Plymouth in 1999, a turning point that marked the beginning of profound change. After years of struggling with feelings of not being “good enough,” Emma thought she had found belonging for the first time in spaces where people came together through music, movement, and drug use. But, what initially felt like freedom, however, eventually led into a ten-year nightmare of addiction, isolation, and despair.
Yet this story is not one of defeat, it is one of rediscovering voice and identity through community.
Through recovery, Emma found herself drawn to working alongside others, supporting addicts to get clean and rebuild their lives. That journey eventually led to the creation of Mindful Art Club, co-founded with Peggy, rooted in the belief that healing happens best when we do it together.
Why Openness Is Strength
A central theme of Emma’s talk was the importance of honesty and vulnerability. Too often, we are taught to hide the parts of ourselves that feel messy, painful, or shameful. But Emma challenged this idea directly.
“Being open about what is going on for us shows strength and creates solidarity.”
The more open we are, the less we hide — and the more space we create for trust, compassion, and real connection. When people talk, listen, and are truly heard, something shifts. Shame loosens its grip. Isolation softens. Belonging becomes possible.
A Message of Hope
Emma closed her talk with a message that felt both grounded and hopeful. Not only is it possible to overcome challenges such as addiction, loneliness, and poor mental health, the process can be fun and fulfilling.
The power of what we do lies in its simplicity. When people are invited to share how they feel, to create together, and to be met without judgement, something remarkable happens. People relax. Smiles appear. Burdens lift.
“We were less locked, less burdened. And it was utterly remarkable.”
At Mindful Art Club, we believe deeply in this work. Art can bring communities together. Conversation can change lives. And connection – real, human connection, can help us move from isolation to belonging.
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