A 12-week-long creative psychotherapy group tackling depression through arts-based activity is set to begin in Salford this month – with interested residents encouraged to sign up.
Arts for the Blues, a therapy programme aimed at helping participants reduce anxiety and depression to improve their wellbeing, is free for Greater Manchester residents to take part in.
The sessions are designed to address the needs of primary mental health service patients and offer an alternative to the current provision of NHS Talking Therapies services. They will be delivered as part of a research project, taking place at the University of Salford’s counselling clinic.
The Arts for the Blues programme combines creative methods such as movement, drawing, writing with talking to help participants express thoughts, ideas and emotions.
In a testimonial, project co-founder Dr Joanna Omylinska-Thurston said: “Normal therapy kind of works on the let’s sit and talk basis and uses a lot of thinking and having to explain yourself.
“But we wanted to create something where you can express yourself in different ways. Within the NHS, people will use arts for well-being and to help engage the group, and people love it.”
Lesley, an Arts for the Blues participant, enjoyed her experience on the programme: “It’s been so relaxed and calm. It’s almost like, because you’re physically doing things and you’re having to think about what you’re doing, it hooks you in.
Another participant, Simon, said: “The thing I’ve found about all of it is it’s non-judgemental. We interpreted colour. I think that one was good and you know put our markers on and what the colour signified to us.”
Livia, who took part in the programme, explained how one activity helped her communicate difficult emotions: “We did one called the sand tray. You create whatever you want on the sand tray and then when you’re explaining it you’re more or less talking about yourself.
“I could express myself. The different graphics get people talking about things that they wouldn’t have been able to talk about before. In a typical Arts for the Blues session we may be talking for a period of time, we may be writing, we might be using movement, we might be drawing or painting.”
People who would like to take part in the next Art for the Blues creative psychotherapy group are asked to complete the referral form and they will be offered an assessment.
More participant testimony and additional information is available here.
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