Brain Craft: Protect Your Mental Health with Creative First Aid

There are so many reasons to feel depleted, worn out, anxious, flat, overwhelmed, exhausted and in despair right now. 

Tending to your nervous system and intentionally finding tiny ways to bring glimmers of joy, awe and delight to you days is not as hard as it sounds. Welcome to BrainCraft.

Just like knowing how nutrition and exercise helps us feel physically well, knowing and understanding our nervous system is essential for good mental health. This is the HQ of our emotional, sensory and psychological experiences and needs. Let’s get to know it!

BrainCraft is a dynamic, powerful hour online workshop that includes:

• The basics of getting to know our brains - how it works, what it needs to thrive, and signs it’s in need of some tender loving care.

• A short and sharp guide on how to repair, recharge and restore our nervous systems when we feel overwhelmed, stressed, anxious and burnt out
• The true, real meaning of actual self care (not bubble baths and expensive supplements!)

• A Dose of Creative First Aid in action - all you need is a pen and paper

• A downloadable template for building micro-habits of creative first aid at work - one minute practices that can set you up for productive, rewarding days.

BrainCraft uses evidence based methodologies of creative prescribing and trauma informed mental health education. It distills the concept of 'Creative First Aid' -- devised by MakeShift, into accessible, bite-sized snack bits of information, along with practical strategies that you can start right away.

A little about your attendance: 

You are welcome to attend at any level of participation that suits you. There is one activity where there is an invitation to turn cameras on. This is up to you. You will not be selected and asked to speak, share or present in any way. 

All you need to have with you is some paper and pen.

*open to participants 16 years +

WHAT IS CREATIVE FIRST AID?

Creative First Aid is a pioneering approach by MakeShift. This approach draws upon the ways that intentional creative practice acts as a powerful antidote in regulating the nervous system, fostering mindful awareness, and enabling calm connection between people and communities.

We weave mental health and psycho-education together with fun-first, inspiring creative practice led by artist educators, for a highly impactful experience. We transform creative acts into creative first aid through a reviewed and evaluated methodology, incorporating the five elements of curiosity, self compassion, playfulness, safekeeping and inch-by-inch thinking.

Please note that information shared in this session is general and broad and anyone attending with specific mental health challenges and experiences should ensure they follow the advice of their practitioner/therapist.

MakeShift is an agency of care, connecting creativity and mental health education for social change.

Creative First Aid is the methodology that MakeShift uses, and has used working with residents impacted by bushfires and floods in regional communities of Australia, young people in juvenile detention, First Responders with PTSD, and people in the community looking for ways to bring more creativity into their lives.

Got a question? Give MakeShift a shout on hello@makeshift.org.au