Mental Health & Creative Healing

Photograph by Mahaneela Choudhury-Ried.

“What does well-being look like for young ethnic minorities in the creative world?

How do we go about approaching mental health issues, self-care and well-being in ways that are intersectional?

The burdens we carry, the emotional trauma that we have been through and our daily pressures vary in intensity from person to person – we all have different forms of healing and therapy that need to take place in our lives. Once we become aware, where do we go from this point?

Normalising the language associated with mental health is one thing; it equips those who have felt alienated or confused by their mental health, with the tools to articulate how they feel and take the first step towards seeking help.

Talking about the importance of self-care is also one thing; it teaches us the significance of putting ourselves first. It teaches us that balance is key. As artists and practitioners we gives so much of ourselves on a daily basis, we must become familiar with restoring that energy.

What does it actually mean to actually put in place, this language we have become so well versed in?

What are the practical methods of healing accessible to us?

What we want is to not keep walking in circles, and to continuously progress towards the healthiest versions of ourselves.” – Charisse Chikwiri.