Upcoming Courses
In response to COVID-19, we are offering online courses for workplaces and the general community, open to individuals Australia wide.
Why Creativity on Prescription?
Managing and recovering from challenges to mental health require a range of interventions and supports. Daily practices that promote self care and regulation are vital to this recovery. We know that alongside therapy and treatment, things like exercise and meditation have hugely positive impacts on maintaining health.
But, so do many creative practices like singing in a choir, drawing daily, tending a garden, cooking for joy and creative writing. Many people close off these practices to themselves with the idea they aren't good at them. Our programs and approach aims to open up these inherently human practices in ways that support our state of mental health, with curiousity instead of critical judgement.
We train professional artists and creatives to share their practice in ways that ignite curiousity and inspiration, and contagious delight!
Become aware of your mental health and notice the way it changes
Maintain a window of tolerance for yourself and others
Gather practical tools and skills you can draw from in times of need
Build a practice that is naturally tailored to your needs and talents
A creative practice is a proven foundation of mental resilience
We have a course stream exclusively for Injured Workers while they are receiving Workers’ Compensation benefits, thanks to support from the icare Foundation. Injured Workers can participate at no cost
Self or Plan Managed NDIS customers with Social and Community Participation funding can utilise their package for this course.
Anyone seeking strategies to manage experiences, symptoms and challenges related to mental health. Whether you have a formal diagnosis, or are experiencing difficulty for a period. We accept self-referrals, or referrals from GPs, Psychologists, Allied Health, NDIS and Mental Health services
Participants need to have access to a mobile phone, internet and computer, as well as a home address to receive materials. Capacity to independently participant in activities such as gardening, painting, cooking is required.
How it works
Over 8 weeks we will help you discover the highly effective and accessible tools of creativity for self-care.
Gently explore different creative practices, such as drawing, writing, cooking, gardening, or dance
Reflect on how it shifts and alters our mood, symptoms and experience, and learn just how these activities alter our stress responses
Design your creative practice, goals and routines for self-care tailored to your life context, and knowing what you enjoy, respond to and like to do
Cultivate habits for daily life that support your mental health, with a renewed connection to the vital role of joy, delight and self care
Outcomes
Our evidence based, trauma-informed 8 week program provides opportunity to explore a range of practices with expert teachers, and create targeted self care strategies for managing a range of physical and mental health experiences.
100% of course participants report an increase in awareness of symptoms, and growth in ability to change their mood. 100% report a change in self-care habits.
Increased skill and capacity to know your symptoms and how they arise
Experiential learning to understand how to cultivate good self-care habits
An individualised self care plan with creative practices, habits and activities that respond to what you enjoy, connect with and what you need to regulate and be grounded
Increased sense of empowerment to manage an ongoing mental health issue, with strategies for daily life
Our evaluation and research of this program is contributing to the growing body of evidence on creativity as a prescription. MakeShift has Ethics Research approval from the University of Wollongong
This program changed my life. I felt so respected and have finished with a much clearer understanding of my anxiety and what I need each day to keep it in check. It was so playful, fun, supportive and my confidence is so much better”
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