Having enjoyed rising to the challenge and, particularly, meeting and working with the participants I've been wondering whether to give it another go in 2025.
I've reviewed our Autumn Course to date (see below) and convinced myself.
The next, 2025 course, will start in Glasthule starting January 28th.
To enquire and/or book you can mail me at creativewellbeingsl@gmail.com
The 2024 Autumn course
A warm welcome promised, we began with talking about how taking a different perspective on something - whether in art, writing or in thinking about a challenge faced - can bring about a new beginning.
Resistance, along with the fear of daring, to be creative has probably been the most recurring theme with the group allowing us to air and counteract underlying socialised out-of-date mores.
The synergy of being in a group with this focus has confirmed that people find it difficult to admit to/ start out with and/or to maintain commitment to keeping the creative muscles flexed.
Themes
We've explored the value of doodling, painting on stones (with some gorgeous results) and mark-making - in relation to early art, having fun and as a core artistic tool.
Sharing memories of funtimes, knowing that such memories get the happy hormones flowing.
Firstly acknowledging the need to grieve in life, the inevitability of general anxiety and times of unhappiness, as well as more intense related experiences that can benefit from additional help, being creative in how we approach life, difficulties and our own creativity is invaluable. Sometimes particularly in how we connect and re-connect with others.
Out, About & In Touch. On the current Creative Wellbeing twelve week course we've also looked at Design Thinking. We've read and written some poetry. Interesting pieces have been shared based on memoir. Incidentally most of the writing has been inspiring to read. The art of knowing, based on a book of the same name and the power of following the process in art-making - similarly inspired by a book - both from renowned art therapists are up next and then we'll pull it all together as we review and that's it for this year.
History
As a retired psychotherapist, with a few poetry books under my belt, and helped by an art therapist when undergoing treatment for early cancer over a decade ago, I wanted to combine experience from all three in facilitating this course.
After initial free Taster sessions held in Walters Bar-Venue in Dunlaoghaire in the Spring we are on week nine of the first twelve week course now having found a Glasthule venue.
Personal Path, post pandemic, to coming to facilitate a course on Creative Wellbeing & Mental Health
My own first step was to join a weekly Writers group in Wicklow town, advertised for chat as well as encouraging writing. Encouraged, my second was to re-join Toastmasters (word related events clearly tend to draw me) - having left the Corrib Club in Oranmore over a decade ago.
Finding a voice again there, I thought I'd give a go at facilitating this course, the idea for which had been bubbling on the back burner of my mind for a long itme - since in fact, the time when I began facilitating Having the Conversation - About ... through sharing relevant poems. Conversations I facilitated at festivals in Galway. One of those poetry related Conversation groups in my former neighbourhood allows me to continue to visit there twleve years later with enormous pleasure and to my astonishment.
Enjoy creative advent, solstice and festive seasons!
Susan
email: creativewellbeingsl@gmail.com
