STRONGER TOGETHER: Harnessing Creativity for Mental Wellbeing

"STRONGER TOGETHER" is a weekly column where Tanya explores key issues. This week Tanya discusses how proactive mental health practices, such as those outlined in “Creative First Aid” by Caitlin Marshall and Lizzie Rose, can build emotional resilience and help manage crises effectively.

By IMPACT Community Services Managing Director Tanya O'Shea

Imagine a beautiful sunny day at the beach. Filled with families and lined with volunteer lifesavers. Suddenly a mother is screaming from the foreshore that her son is being dragged out to sea. Caught in a rip, the lifesavers know that the best thing to do is to swim with the tide with a calm sidestroke, instead of fighting against it. Yet this young boy is being pulled under and they can see that he is quickly becoming exhausted. Fortunately, they retrieve him from the water, check for responsiveness, and begin CPR while those on the beach call emergency services. In this situation, their swift actions and training are the difference between life and death.

Now, consider a different kind of emergency: a mental health crisis. A person is visibly distressed, perhaps experiencing a panic attack or severe anxiety. A trained mental health first aider steps in, offering reassurance and guiding them through breathing exercises until professional help arrives.

Two very different scenarios yet both depend on the training and assistance from others to determine the outcome. Always good to know that others are trained to respond and can assist to these types of crises when needed. But what about our personal responsibility when it comes to a crisis. Could we be better prepared to manage a crisis before it hits?

Let’s start again. Imagine a beautifully sunny day at the beach. You are reflecting on the argument that you just had with your partner. Fighting with heightened emotions in those extreme moments has left you feeling fatigued, exhausted and depleted as you begin to be pulled under by the emotional riptides that have become a daily part of your life. Becoming more regular, more consistent, these arguments are leaving you disorientated, and you are starting to lose sight of the horizon. While this is a very different scenario to the first, preparation and training can still play a key role. And you can be more in control of the outcome.

Since starting my psychology degree over 20 years ago, an aphorism attributed to psychologist Carl Jung stuck with me, ‘What we resist persists.’   It suggests that we actively avoid or fight against problems or fears – the reality is that it is just not in our DNA to embrace pain or painful thoughts. But what if we could build our emotional resilience in a proactive way, in a few minutes a day, while having some fun along the way?

Enter Creative First Aid, a concept explored in the book “Creative First Aid: The Science and Joy of Creativity for Mental Health” by Caitlin Marshall and Lizzie Rose. Creative First Aid is about nurturing oneself. It’s a proactive approach to mental health, encouraging individuals to engage in activities that foster joy, calm, and a sense of accomplishment.

Marshall and Rose explore how mindfulness, play, and creative expression can serve as powerful tools for grounding and emotional resilience. They delve into the science behind creativity and its profound impact on mental wellbeing. Creativity is more than just artistic expression; it’s a way of thinking and experiencing the world that can foster mental flexibility, reduce stress, and enhance overall life satisfaction.

“Creative First Aid” offers an array of quick and simple yet effective activities. For instance, the “Five Senses Reboot” is a fast and impactful grounding technique for moments when you feel overwhelmed. By tuning into each sense—sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste—we signal to our nervous system that it’s okay to calm down and slow our breathing. Verbally identifying five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can touch, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste serves as a mindful regulation action that keeps you present and grounded.

Another recommended activity is “Blind Contour Drawing.” Choose something to draw, set a timer for about one minute, and sketch the object without looking at the page or lifting your pen. This practice brings us back to the present, quiets our inner critic, and with regular practice, strengthens our ability to embrace imperfections and become less attached to our work, making us more receptive to constructive criticism.

By incorporating creativity into our daily routines, we are intentionally and purposefully building emotional resilience. Instead of allowing the emotional riptide to pull us under, we can stop fighting against it. Whether you’re doodling, practicing mindfulness, or engaging in creative exercises, you can start to train yourself and be more prepared to release into that calm sidestroke before the crisis hits.