23 July 2013

At the Culture Health and Wellbeing International Conference in June, Creativity Works’ journaling workshop with artist Helen Moore was full to capacity.

Twenty six delegates, eager to discover how journaling may be used for creative reflection and wellbeing, started with a short breath-connection exercise following which Helen then explained how she draws on journaling or ‘secret writing’ as a nurturing tool and how everyone can access this. Helen then offered delegates a series of prompts to connect with wellbeing and creativity; including listing:

• Some of the things I love about being alive on this earth are….
• A person who helped me believe in myself was…
• Some things I appreciate about myself are…
• 3 things that stress you out…
  • Next to each one write one thing you can do to lighten that stress.

Finishing this section of the workshop with an invitation to delegates to give themselves the permission to write a short letter entitled

“Dear Creative Self….”

A participant from The Tiny Monuments Arts Collective (an Artist Collective which originally came together through the work of the Mental Health Creative Support Service) then shared with the group her journaling journey: from journals she had kept during hospital admissions to the present day journals full of richness and complexities.

The workshop concluded with Creativity Works and Helen inviting delegates to use their journals throughout the conference to capture some of their learning and reflections. The two images below show some of these reflections:
   

Some of the feedback to this workshop included:

“I found this journalling workshop very well prepared and inspiring: it felt very rich and generous in sharing ideas.”

Dr Rosie Jackson, artist.

 

If you would like any further information on our work or you would  like to commission a journalling workshop from Creativity Works please feel free to get in touch: info@creativityworks.org.uk / 01761 438852.