Children's Mental Health Week
It's Children's Mental Health Week, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk about why I started hosting creative wellbeing workshops at Truro Cathedral.
The Mental Health Foundation states that:
- 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14
- 20% of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year
- 10% of children and young people (aged 5-16 years) have a clinically diagnosable mental problem, yet 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age
As a pen and paper nerd, and someone who lives with anxiety and depression, I'm interested in helping others to explore creative ways to help improve their wellbeing. And, as the mother of a seven-year-old, I'm passionate about helping young people to develop their emotional intelligence and resilience, particularly regarding creating a wellbeing toolkit for later life.
I started creative journaling a few years ago and have found it to be a really good practice for supporting my mental health. It gives me a creative outlet, it allows me to reflect, and I track my mood, sleep, steps, and activities to identify patterns and triggers. I also use it for planning, goal-setting, and recording memories/scrapbooking.
When a child comes to one of my workshops for the first time, they're given their own notebook, pencil, and stickers. This is their notebook to use however they like, although, at each monthly session, we work on various activities together which they're encouraged to continue at home, such as reflecting on their day and creating a 'happy list' of reminders and activities for when they're feeling sad or frustrated.
The workshops also feature seasonal arts and crafts, such as making Christmas cards, hand-painting decorations, and creating glitter jars to help manage emotions and encourage mindfulness.
Just taking the time to be creative, regardless of the activity, can have a powerful effect, increasing confidence and self-esteem, reinforcing the importance of perseverance, and boosting mood. The act of self-expression can also be liberating and help to reduce stress and anxiety, as well as help to clear your mind when you're feeling overwhelmed.
You can be creative on your own but doing something creative with others is more beneficial to our mental health than working alone. The theme for this year's campaign is 'let's connect', and my workshops are the perfect opportunity to do just that. Everyone sits around a big table, sharing supplies, ideas, and inspiration, also encouraging attendees to develop their social skills. So many friends have already been made at these sessions in just a few short months and I've really enjoyed watching this community grow.
Emma is a former member of the cathedral digital team and a self-defined pen and paper nerd.