S094: Creativity & Recovery
Tracks
Track 2
| Friday, August 28, 2015 |
| 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM |
| Bradman Theatrette |
Speaker
Jane Grace
Featured Sympsium: Creativity & Recovery
Abstract
This session will explore the notion of recovery through creativity and mental distress. Creativity can be a part of the recovery process. The symposium features three people – Jeanette Purkis (author and artist); Andrew Hore (cartoonist who has worked in a range of mental health settings and in the Alexander Maconochie Centre); Jane Grace (poetry and comedy). Each speaker will talk on creativity and recovery from their own perspective, in particular how creativity connects the person with lived experience and other people; how it allows expression and the working out of painful issues; how it can help the person develop some clarity around their experience of mental distress. This will be followed by discussion involving audience and speakers which will focus on: What lessons can be drawn from lived experience of creativity for the mental health workforce?
CREATIVITY AND RECOVERY
There is a substantial literature that deals with the link between mental illness and creativity. However, comparatively, the link between creativity and recovery has been less explored. The aim of this symposium is to consider the links between the expression of creativity amongst a number of disciplines – writing, art, comedy and cartooning as a means of catalysing recovery.
Recovery principles draw on the uniqueness of the individual. So too does creativity. It is a means of processing experiences and creating a pathway out of difficult experiences through communication. It also is an example of the dignity of risk in action. Creativity is also linked to personal responsibility and resourcefulness.
Research has considered the link between social factors and recovery. Creativity is an expression of empowerment and perspective on one's life; it can increase feelings of connectedness (including both inter-personal relationships and social inclusion); and creativity can be part of the rebuilding of a positive identity (within the context of stigma and discrimination). This symposium builds on that foundation.
CREATIVITY AND RECOVERY
There is a substantial literature that deals with the link between mental illness and creativity. However, comparatively, the link between creativity and recovery has been less explored. The aim of this symposium is to consider the links between the expression of creativity amongst a number of disciplines – writing, art, comedy and cartooning as a means of catalysing recovery.
Recovery principles draw on the uniqueness of the individual. So too does creativity. It is a means of processing experiences and creating a pathway out of difficult experiences through communication. It also is an example of the dignity of risk in action. Creativity is also linked to personal responsibility and resourcefulness.
Research has considered the link between social factors and recovery. Creativity is an expression of empowerment and perspective on one's life; it can increase feelings of connectedness (including both inter-personal relationships and social inclusion); and creativity can be part of the rebuilding of a positive identity (within the context of stigma and discrimination). This symposium builds on that foundation.
Biography
Pete Huet has lived with depression and anxiety since the age of 10 but was unaware of this until his late 20s.
Pete writes about his life in his zine (self-published magazine) To Here From Naivety. Writing helps him to piece together his story.
Andrew Hore is a cartoonist and program provider with a community worker background. His service 'Funnyworks Oz' provides community programs throughout the ACT and NSW. These are art therapy based through to conventional cartooning workshops focusing on mental health, disability, adult and juvenile justice, schools and aged services as part of the "Quick Draw" program. The 'Quick Draw' program is unique as groups/individuals are drawn spontaneously as they talk ("speed drawing"), capturing them in a positive light with goals/recovery focused themes, through to confidence creating themes. This program can have a great impact upon a group, using interaction, high visuals and humour to relay important messages that can be more easily remembered through positive information sharing.
Jeanette Purkis is an author, public speaker, advocate and public servant who has a diagnosis of atypical schizophrenia and Asperger syndrome. Jeanette has a Masters degree in Fine Art and is the author of ‘Finding a Different Kind of Normal’ and ‘The Wonderful World of Work’. Jeanette has had exhibitions of her art in a number of galleries around Australia, has had her poetry published in books and online, writes a regular blog about living well with mental illness and an Autism spectrum condition and writes for a number of magazines and websites. Jeanette’s recovery journey has taken her to some strange and dark places but creativity has always been a vital part of coming to terms with her illness and succeeding in life.
Jane Grace is a long time mental health consumer advocate. She is a member of the National Mental Health Consumer Carer Forum and a consumer representative for the ACT Mental Health Consumer Network. Poetry and comedy are her poison of choice in the creative sphere. Her goals are reducing stigma and using story-telling to promote understanding of mental illness.
