Creating art can improve problem solving as it tends to use both sides of the brain both left, logical side, and right, emotional side. This builds connections across the brain which research suggests strengthens our mental agility.

This one day course will look at using creative techniques to help reduce mental health distress. It is not an art therapy course, rather a way for people to use creativity in a positive way to support recovery.

By the end of this course, you will:

• Know that creativity can take different forms
• Identify some of the issues creativity can help with
• Know some of the evidence to show how creativity can help reduce mental health distress
• Identify personal strengths and creative techniques that you already use
• Take part in lots of different arts workshops to create pieces of art that help you to express yourself and how you feel
• Consider different creative ways to help distract/stimulate/soothe/calm/challenge yourself
• Think about how you can use the tools and techniques from this course to support you in the future.