at OUT OF THE BLUE DRILL HALL
Free Event!
Find out more about art therapy and how it can help you or a loved one.
Mon 9th Oct and Tues 10th Oct.
Please contact me to book a slot: lighthousearttherapy@outlook.com
www.lighthousearttherapy.co.uk
The Out of the Blue Drill Hall
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#arttherapy
#lighthousearttherapy
The war in Ukraine started over a year ago in February 2022, causing 17.4 million individuals to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. Twinkl Educational Publishing continues to help Ukrainian children and has now teamed up with the Ukraine-based charity fund Voices of Children to provide FREE mental health and art therapy resources for families affected by the war and for anyone in need.
As highlighted in an article published in the European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry journal in March 2022: The effects of war on refugee children are vast, encompassing everything from immediate stress responses to a higher likelihood of developing mental health issues like PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Additionally, being separated from parents and losing a sense of safety during war can have long-term negative impacts on a child’s development. These experiences stand in stark contrast to children’s fundamental needs and rights to grow up in a safe, secure, and predictable environment.
Psychologists from the Voices of Children Foundation explained how the preservation of mental health can be influenced by the people who surround us, showing that resilience is important, and it is resilience which enables an individual to maintain faith in their own strength to overcome difficulties.
Psychologists from the Voices of Children Foundation said: “One of the difficulties in the work of a psychologist or psychotherapist, which we now encounter quite often, is the misuse of the term “trauma”. The psyche of a person, in particular a small child, has a number of protective mechanisms that are activated in conditions of increased stress. The preservation of mental health is also influenced by the people who surround us, who support and care for us and help us cope with the most severe stress.”
To conclude they mentioned that studies linked to mass disasters showed that post-traumatic stress disorder is one of the most severe forms of stress reaction, and it develops in 25-30% of people who have been in emergency situations.
Twinkl’s partnership with Voices of Children wants to contribute to the delivery of trauma-informed care by providing a selection of mental health and art therapy resources that have been reviewed and recommended by the Foundation’s psychologists.
These mental health materials are now easily accessible for FREE and grouped in bundles to help parents, carers and mental health professionals support Toddlers and young learners, children aged 7-11, and Teenagers express and manage their emotions, develop coping strategies, and reduce anxiety.
Besides storytelling, art therapy activities such as the ones included in this pack are part of the methodology used by the Foundation’s psychologists in their Art Therapy Programme which focuses on understanding children’s emotions and supporting their wellbeing while also helping parents deal with child anxiety.
All resources are available from 24th February 2023 onwards in both Ukrainian and English, to aid speakers of both languages in accessing them. Some materials curated in partnership with Voices of Children are also published in German, French and Polish, and all resource packs created from this collaboration can be found in the Voices of Children page at Twinkl’s platform.
Apart from the Dual Language materials, these resources are also available in Ukrainian only and can be accessed for FREE by Ukrainian families and educators anywhere in the world!
Find out more about the resources created in collaboration with Voices of Children by visiting Twinkl’s Blog.
A Scottish based charity is celebrating after securing a garden at the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Teapot Trust is a charity at the forefront of transformative mental health support that provides art therapy to children, young people and their families living with chronic conditions. The show garden marks a rare Chelsea appearance for Scottish charities and designers and is made possible by a grant from Project Giving Back who provide funding for good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Following the event next May, Teapot Trust’s Elsewhere Garden will be permanently relocated to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.
One in four children and young people in the UK live with the pain and stigma of chronic health conditions that cause anxiety and depression. Almost a third of those aged under 21 who take their own lives have a long-term chronic illness.
The charity’s art therapy gives children and young people a release from the burdens of chronic illness allowing them to take some control, to express and process their feelings about their diagnosis, their treatment regime, and the impact of their condition on daily life.
Sarah Randell, Chief Executive of Teapot Trust said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have a show garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show next year.
“The opportunities this will give Teapot Trust are hugely significant. It’s a platform from which we’ll share the impact of our work and draw more children and families in need to us so they can access our art therapy without barriers or cost.
“Semple Begg has done a fabulous job creating the Elsewhere Garden which perfectly illustrates the release that art therapy gives children, taking their minds to a place of escape.”
Ruth Girvan, Chair of Trustees of Teapot Trust said: “My daughter suffers daily physical and mental pain from an invisible chronic condition. The support we had from Teapot Trust to access art therapy helped Neve find ways to understand her condition, her treatment and has enabled her to navigate a world where she faces barriers and stigma often on a daily basis.
“Winning a show garden at RHS Chelsea gives Teapot Trust the opportunity to spread awareness, giving more children and young people like Neve access to transformative art therapy. I can’t wait to experience Teapot Trust’s Elsewhere Garden and see how Neve’s experiences have been creatively imagined.”
Susan Begg of Semple Begg said: “Teapot Trust Elsewhere Garden represents a child’s imagination as it blossoms in response to the freedom gifted by art therapy.
“Through this escape into art, children find coping strategies to deal with life.”
Nicola Semple of Semple Begg added: “For inspiration we looked to Willy Wonka’s factory, to Oz and Wonderland. Where colour is vivid and exuberant, shape and form are exaggerated. And, where the inner world of a child’s anxiety is expressed as an outer wonderland.”
An illustration of the garden created by children’s illustrator, Sandra Dieckmann can be downloaded here.
Following Chelsea, the garden will be relocated to a permanent home at Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow which serves areas of social need, where chronic illness in children is 2.5 times more prevalent. An inclusive safe space to help overcome barriers to accessing healthcare, it will be used for outdoor art therapy and all patients and visitors will be welcome.
Commenting on the relocation Prof Tom Steele, Director of Estates and Facilities for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “We are delighted to be receiving this unique garden space which I am sure will have an instant benefit for our patients, families and staff.
“NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde manages a diverse portfolio of land across central Scotland that has the potential to improve the wellbeing of surrounding communities by enhancing the environment and creating green spaces which improve mental and physical health. Increasing evidence links access and use of green space to a multitude of healthcare benefits.
“Recognising the health and social benefits of high-quality green space leads to better outcomes, not only for patients, but for staff and the wider community and is a priority for NHSGGC. Our experience throughout the pandemic has shown us that access to high quality external space is essential for wellbeing.”
Foundation Scotland, Scotland’s community foundation, has announced a dozen community projects in Scotland have received a funding boost thanks to the new PHP Community Impact Fund.
The fund, established by Primary Health Properties, launched last Autumn to offer support for health and wellbeing initiatives in the communities served by its medical practices.
Managed by Foundation Scotland, one of only two community foundations in the UK to pilot the new initiative, the fund is designed to provide additional and innovative services for those most in need from the patients served by practice buildings owned by PHP across the country.
Social prescribing enables a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing and is increasingly being used to complement the work of GPs and their teams.
The approach continues to play a vital role in helping communities recover and rebuild after the coronavirus pandemic, with a particular emphasis on services to support mental health and combat loneliness.
As one of the UK’s leading investors in modern primary healthcare facilities, PHP created the Community Impact Fund to support GP practices and their communities with this model of care.
Two Edinburgh-based projects – Thistle Health and Wellbeing (£10,000) and Carr-Gomm (£5000) – have received PHP Community Impact funding.
Jennifer McPhail, Fund Adviser from Foundation Scotland, explained: ““We were delighted PHP chose Scotland to pilot this innovative new fund. With 38 properties spread across the country we were able to reach community projects from the Lothians up to Aberdeenshire.
“The Community Impact Fund launched at a critical time following the height of the pandemic. As our NHS continues to be under immense pressure, this is a fantastic initiative from PHP to help improve patient wellbeing outcomes, quality of life and emotional wellbeing”
Teapot Trust, a mental health charity in Musselburgh that provides support for children and families coping with chronic conditions received £5,000 from the fund for a new social prescribing project providing one-to-one art therapy sessions for children and young people.
Working closely with Community Link Workers, Teapot Trust will encourage self-referrals from children, young people and families in need of support in order to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Sarah Randell, Chief Executive, Teapot Trust, said: “We are most grateful for the support of Foundation Scotland. The funding we have received from the PHP Community Impact Fund is extending the reach of our one-to-one art psychotherapy service for children and young people struggling to cope with a chronic physical condition.
“The Teapot Trust self-referrals scheme enables families to get the support they need when they need it most. This funding is supporting referrals from either a PHP owned GP Practice or directly from one of their patient families for the first time.
“Teapot Trust is delighted to help children and families build resilience, develop healthy coping mechanisms and improve mental health and wellbeing through this work across Scotland.”
Across Scotland, a total of £86,927 was distributed among 12 organisations delivering a range of health and wellbeing programmes for their local communities.
These include services to support young people’s mental health and social inclusion, art therapy for children with long-term chronic conditions, gardening activities to promote wellbeing. This is an excellent example of true partnership working with GP’s, social prescribers and community groups coming together to deliver targeted solutions to their patients.
Harry Hyman, CEO of Primary Health Care Properties, commented: “We were delighted with the range and scope of the applications to our new Community Impact Fund.
“It’s clear that social prescribing is an important area of growth in promoting health and wellbeing and we look forward to hearing how the organisations we have funded are able to develop their services over the coming months.”
CARE home residents are exploring their inner Picasso through art therapy thanks to a new lifestyle coordinator.
Art-enthusiast Athena Liakeas has joined the team at Cramond Residence as a Lifestyle Coordinator and will be responsible for planning and implementing a range of activities.
Athena has a passion for art and has been encouraging residents to express themselves via a range of art therapies, including colour therapy and painting.
Starting out as a Food Services Assistant with Cramond Residence in 2020, Athena has had an ambition of joining the lifestyle team since and knew the benefits art therapy could have on residents, particularly those living with Alzheimers.
Edinburgh born and bred, Athena said: “The lifestyle team has always impressed me as they continually strive to go above and beyond to ensure residents are living life to the fullest.
“In the last two months, I’ve been building relationships with residents whilst getting to know their likes and dislikes – and I can honestly say no two days have been the same since starting at the beginning of the year.
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed painting and appreciate the joy and self-expression that can come from art.
“Art can allow people to communicate things that cannot be expressed via words and functions as a strong and important medium between the verbal and the visual.
“Some residents living with dementia have limited verbal communication, so art therapy is a great way for them to express themselves in a delicate way.”
A new activity on offer is colour therapy, where residents are shown a sheet of coloured paper and asked to identify how it makes them feel, tapping into repressed emotion.
Athena added: “The introduction of art therapies has been well received and while art therapy is a passion of mine, this does not take away from the importance of the other activities. The key thing is to keep activities as diverse as possible.”
Lifestyle Coordinators at the home aim to offer new experiences to support residents’ wellbeing, independence and to make life fun and fulfilling and have a month long planner of activities.
For the duration of lockdown, residents were confined to Cramond Residence’s nine individual houses within the wider home, with Lifestyle Coordinators using technology to keep residents connected.
With restrictions lifted and the home now fully connected again, residents are enjoying a variety of activities together.
Cramond Residence provides a combination of luxury accommodation and the highest quality of care for up to 74 residents, all enjoying an exceptional range of amenities and activities, delicious food and bespoke care from our highly-trained team.
As well as the beautiful gardens, it also offers a library, a hair salon, a private, fine-dining space, a physiotherapy room and a cinema, which doubles as a large, multi-purpose space for a host of social events.
Places in the care home start from £1850 a week.
To find out more, call 0131 341 4037 or visit https://cramondresidence.co.uk/
On Friday 5 April a group of ten students from primary and high schools across Edinburgh got together to celebrate the end of another successful Art Therapy programme with People Know How. Continue reading Positive Transitions: art’s the way to do it
