Generating mutual recovery in creative spaces
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-08-2018-0029 |
| Pages | 16-22 |
| Date | 12 February 2019 |
| Published date | 12 February 2019 |
| Author | Victoria Stewart,Helena Roennfeldt,Maddy Slattery,Amanda J. Wheeler |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Generating mutual recovery in
creative spaces
Victoria Stewart, Helena Roennfeldt, Maddy Slattery and Amanda J. Wheeler
Abstract
Purpose –Participation in creative activities have been linked with increased personal agency. T hep urpose of this
paper is to address critical considerations in the development of community-based creative work shops for people
experiencing severe and persistent mental illness and explores participant expe riences of these workshops.
Design/methodology/approach –Theworkshops aimed to buildthe skills and capacitiesof participants and
provide alternative ways to communicateidentity and recoverystories. They were designed toprovide a range
of creativeopportunities for participants(visual arts, writing,dance and music) andwere facilitated by practising
artists. In total, 11participants attended ten creative workshops over three months. On completion, a focus
group was conductedto gather participant views, experiences and outcomes ofthe workshops.
Findings –The creative workshops supported the recovery of participants. The inclusion of peer mentors in
the workshops was an important in facilitating connectedness.
Originality/value –This study advances the evidence that creative arts can support the psychological and
social aspects of participants’recovery journeys. Creative activities can promote positive self-identity and
reduce self-stigma for people experiencing mental illness. It highlights the importance of using evidence in the
design of creative workshops and supports the use of peer mentoring in group creative processes.
Keywords Peer support, Recovery, Mental health, Creative arts, Self-stigma
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
This research explores the development of a series of creative workshops (Your Story Matters
(YSM)) which were aimed at assisting people experiencing severe and persistent mental illness to
explore their story of recovery journeys. The design of the workshops will be discussed, including
the purpose and staffing, followed by the key findings from a qualitative study which aimed to
understand how the participants experienced the workshops.
Creative arts in mental health
The creative impulse is fundamental to human experience (Elliott, 2005). Engaging in creative
activities has been found to stimulate imagination and reflection, contribute to the construction of
identity and enable self-expression, inspire change and growth, engender a sense of belonging
and promote healing(APPGAHW, 2017). Creative activitiessuch as photography, painting, dance
and storytelling have been found to enhance a sense of personal identity by enabling people to
become aware of their latent abilities and develop coping strategies to manage symptoms
(Spandler et al., 2007). Arts participation has also been associated with rediscovering and
rebuilding personal identity beyond that of someone with a mental illness (Clift, 2012).
Creativity may instil a greater sense of wellbeing and control over our actions, and for people
experiencing mental illness, this may translate to increased personal agency and hope
(Sayers and Stickley, 2018). Arts-based methods have been utilised to access knowledge which
is not easily expressed in words or to describe difficult experiences (Stuckey and Nobel, 2010).
Creative arts enable aspects of health experiences to be heard, which might otherwise be
silenced (Tarr et al., 2017).
The research team wish to thank
the Brisbane South PHN (formerly
Greater Brisbane Metro South
Medicare Local) for funding this
research. The views and opinions
expressed in this paper are those
of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect those of the
PHN. The authors also
acknowledge the artists, peer
mentors and research staff who
participated in parts of the
research journey, particularly Rani
Scott and Rachael Krinks. Finally,
but not least, the authors would
like to thank our research
participants without whom this
project would not have been
possible. The authors declare no
known/perceived conflicts of
interest.
Victoria Stewart is based at the
School of Human Services and
Social Work, Griffith University,
Meadowbrook, Australia and
Menzies Health Institute
Queensland, Griffith University,
Brisbane, Australia.
Helena Roennfeldt is based at
the School of Human Services
and Social Work, Griffith
University, Meadowbrook,
Australia.
Maddy Slattery and
Amanda J. Wheeler are both
based at the School of Human
Services and Social Work,
Griffith University,
Meadowbrook, Australia and
Menzies Health Institute
Queensland, Griffith University,
Brisbane, Australia.
PAG E 16
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
VOL. 23 NO. 1 2019, pp. 16-22, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 DOI 10.1108/MHSI-08-2018-0029
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