Connection is crucial to thriving communities, families and individuals.
October is almost at its end and with it comes the close of the 2017 Mental Health Month campaign, ‘Share The Journey’. The aspiration of the Mental Health Commission of NSW was to encourage individuals to connect with others, to learn something new, and by doing so improve their mental health and wellbeing.
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In Taree on October 19 Anne Curtis of Interrelate seized the opportunity to try to connect women in a creative space by forming The Art Circle at the Victoria Street office. A three-hour workshop saw women gather together, to learn how to draw mandalas and to simply sit, listen to music and share their journeys while they worked with pencils to draw and colour printed pages.
“Research tells us that it’s really important for people to feel loved and supported by other people, so they don’t feel isolated, so they can get through those tough times and also celebrate the good times with people who care for them,” Anne said.
She says it is vital we learn how to look after our emotional wellbeing and says drawing and colouring is a meditative process.
It’s an escape from everyday reality … it’s a really nice time to use to concentrate on yourself and to think about what’s going on for you – absolute ‘you time’ while you are drawing.
- Anne Curtis
Anne advocated the The Art Circle concept to Interrelate for Mental Health Month after experiencing the positive benefits of art following the end of a relationship.
“When I was separated I started an art class and quickly realised how important art was in my healing, to be with other people, to get to know other people that were outside my immediate circle was really important, and just to have that time for me and to start to heal. My confidence started to grow by doing it.”
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Anne is hopeful the women who took part in The Art Circle will see benefits by choosing to incorporate art into their lives and will also realise the value in connecting with new people in new ways. Her passion for the project is inspiring, and she is hopeful that it will be supported to continue past the end of Mental Health Month.
To access mental health information visit www.wayahead.org.au. If you need to talk to someone now call Lifeline on 13 11 14.