I’ve been mulling over why it is so hard (it certainly was me) to admit to mental health difficulty. We live in a society where sadly it’s deemed a failure to have a problem with your mental health. It’s embarrassing to seek treatment or support for this area of life. It’s OK to see an osteopath for a bad back or visit the dentist for your teeth to be straightened or take insulin for diabetes. When it comes to emotional well-being…
This is my 3rd illustration of Rafi’s wise words. It’s not very apt for the season but I think the message is right on cue. I shared my illustration with this post in the Parenting Mental Health Facebook group. As I reflect I think it is common for people to have seasons of life where the laughter dries up and the fun is sparse. We may even think that we face such challenges and saddness that laughter should not be…
The tag line I’ve given my business is ‘inspiring hope’ Hope is such an important thing to me. I realised this at the beginning of my journey with my Rafiki art illustrations. It was Janurary 2021. I was feeling awful. My son Isaac was struggling with his mental health and so was I. I actually felt pretty hopeless. One morning I was out for a walk with Rafi. It was cold, damp and dreary. It felt bleak, much like my…
This post is about my discovery of art as a means to wellbeing. I’m hoping my pictures will speak as loudly as my words. At school I was studious and scientific and I suspect my art teacher sighed with relief when I finished his class to start my ‘o’ level options. I left arty, quirky and fun to my brother. In 2015 my dad was suddenly taken severly ill whilst on a break with my mum. I travelled across the…
Welcome to this post my first in a series where I will share my journey from severely struggling with my mental health to the much better place, I’m now in. Three things: · friendship · therapy · art have had a major role in improving my well-being. No doubt they will be the running theme through all my posts Friendship is a precious and powerful experience. I have come to value it even more highly in my difficult times. I find…