This term has seen us introduce a 6 week course, Creative Care for Recovery, which is an Art Based Recovery Program. There is a science behind art as a creative outlet, where research studies have shown engaging in creativity stimulates the parts of the brain that increase dopamine and serotonin; the 'feel good' chemicals which enhance our sense of well-being...
Fun facts about creativity:
it creates and maintains new pathways in the brain - this has shown to make us happy
being creative lowers stress response, blood pressure and heart rate - it reduces the stress hormones and adrenaline
In Week 1, our students were introduced to 'COLOUR' through the use of Ink Marbling Techniques on paper. These creations were then used to cover their personal creative journal for them to use weekly for reflection and creative mapping.
Colours are known to have an effect on a person. For example, the colour blue can have a calming effect which can then result in lower blood pressure, whereas the colour red might have the opposite effect. Green is another colour that may be used to relax people who are emotionally unbalanced. Yellow, on the other hand, may be used to help invigorate people who might be suffering from depression.
Utilising colours in nature from their surroundings (blue from the skies, green from the grass, etc) students explored a simple 'imaginary' tool to remind us:
Look up - blue - sky
Look down - brown - ground
Look out - green - nature
Breathe in - smelling flowers
Breathe out - blowing leaf
Follow along over the next few days as we share some of the other amazing creations that have come from the last 6 weeks.