THE CREATIVE THERAPY GROUP
Our Creative Therapy group offers a sanctuary and safe space away from the busy pace of life where you can explore your changing emotions along with the changing seasons of the year. No experience is needed, and you don't have to be good at art to take part. Each session, you'll be invited to explore art while reflecting on a new emotion, each of us sharing how it resonates with our life in the present moment. Following this, we'll create individual artworks to express these emotions, exploring the hidden symbolic clues and metaphors from the subconscious that emerge in each other's creations and wind the session down with a peaceful guided meditation into the creative realm of the imagination. By blending reflection and creative expression, we develop collective insights, while fostering emotional growth and nurturing our wellbeing.
The Creative Therapy Group has been running since 2022! In this time, we've watched people come, grow and leave happier and more integrated as individuals. As we head into the future of 2026, we have an exciting project on the horizon, where we hope to extend to a global reach with our Creative Therapy sessions, so that we can help even more people throughout the year. If grant funding allows, we're hoping to expand with the creation of a physical Art Journal and an online App called 'Mind Canvas'. Global participants will be able to access a step by step Creative Therapy session every week of the year as a video, upload their finished artwork & journal entry to an online gallery, share their reflections & support one another as an online community.
Take a look below to watch our preview (or click this link here to watch it with a progress bar: Video preview)
HEALTH BENEFITS
ART FOR WELLBEING
GROUP THERAPY
GUIDED MEDITATION
Creative Therapy has proven to be highly effective for improving mental health by providing a creative outlet for individuals to express thoughts & feelings which may be otherwise difficult to articulate, making it a powerful bridge between the subconscious & external world. This process allows for the safe exploration of vulnerable emotions & facilitates a journey of deep healing & self-discovery. A meta-analysis published in The Arts in Psychotherapy found that art therapy resulted in a 37% reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety (Haeyen et al., 2018). Additionally, a study from the American Journal of Public Health highlighted that engaging in creative activities like painting or drawing improves mental well-being, reduces stress levels, and fosters resilience, with participants reporting a 41% increase in positive emotions (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010). Moreover, art therapy supports trauma recovery by helping individuals express difficult emotions and process experiences in a safe, non-verbal way (NIH News in Health).
A study published in JAMA Psychiatry revealed that participants in group therapy experienced a 45% reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety over 12 weeks (Kobak et al., 2020). Another study from The Lancet Psychiatry reported that 80% of clients felt less isolated after joining a support group, highlighting its positive impact on social connectedness and emotional support (Bower, 2021). Group therapy also fosters interpersonal learning and empathy, leading to improved self-esteem and coping mechanisms, which enhances overall mental well-being (NIH News in Health)
A study published in Psychological Medicine showed that participants who practiced guided imagery experienced a 33% reduction in stress and anxiety after just four weeks (Stetter & Kupper, 2002). Additionally, research from Frontiers in Psychology found that visual meditation practices enhanced emotional regulation and reduced symptoms of depression by 40%, promoting relaxation and mindfulness (Zeidan et al., 2014). Guided imagery also aids in improving focus and mental clarity, contributing to a greater sense of well-being and stress management.
HOW DO I SIGN UP ?
When & Where:
This group meets every Monday afternoon at 12.30 and we also have another group starting on Tuesday evenings at 7pm in Glastonbury. Art materials are provided but please bring along your own A5 sketchbook to work in.
Cost:
This support group is free if you live in Glastonbury and earn under £25k or £10 per workshop for those who earn over £25k a year, as part of an honesty scheme, which helps us to keep affording the free spaces for those on a low income.
Join now:
Please fill out our referral form to sign up below and the address will be given: