Smashing Times Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being Hub

– National & European Projects

Smashing Times are setting up the Smashing Times Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being Hub, a new online interactive platform offering a range of services delivered online and through live streaming and presented into homes nationwide. The hub will offer a unique programme of creative activities for health and well-delivered online and made up of:

– Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being Talks and Exercise Demonstrations

– Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being Workshops

– Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being Articles, Artworks, Tips for Art and Creativity and more

*Facilitator Michael McCabe, psychotherapist Eimear Burke, and actor Adam Traynor delivering the Acting for the Future programme to secondary school students*

*Adam Traynor with students after delivering the Acting for the Future programme in 2022*

The aim is to use creative processes online to promote positive mental health and well-being and ways to overcome stress and anxiety and to build resilience. The programme consists of Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being talks, exercises demonstrations, readings, blogs, podcasts and workshops all conducted online.

The programme is available to all citizens and we want to reach out and connect with diverse communities including Travellers, refugees and asylum seekers, women’s groups and youth and community groups from areas designated as disadvantaged.

The work is presented in connection with Art Connects: At Home with Smashing Times, our online series of curated arts content, newsletters, and events. we are presenting an online talk and exercise demonstration on the theme of ‘Self-Care’.

The Smashing Times Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being Hub is kindly funded by the Community Foundation for Ireland.

Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being Talks and Exercise Demonstrations

Art Connects – At Home with Smashing Time
Acting for the Future –22 May 2020, 7.30pm
Film Excerpt from The Big No and ‘self-care’ talk to promote positive mental health and well-being
When: Friday 22 May at 7.30pm.
Where: Smashing Times Online Centre for the Arts and Equality click here

Film extract from The Big No by Féilim James followed by a post-show discussion with Larissa Manley of Smashing Times, Paul Barr from the Samaritans, and Eimear Burke, counselling psychotherapist. The theme is ‘self-care’ and features discussion and exercise demonstrations to promote positive mental health and well-being.

Creative Exercise for Well-Being: The Finger Hold Technique

Creative Exercise for Well-Being: Meditation Exercise

Useful links on Positive Mental Health and Well-Being

It is important to recognise that we may all experience a range of emotions in these changed times and that you are not alone as there is always someone there to help. If you need to talk you can ring the Samaritans anytime day or night on 116 123. You can also talk to a family member, a friend or your GP. Talking about how you are feeling can help. Have a look at the Smashing Times Acting for the Future handout for suggestions and ideas for promoting positive mental health and well-being.

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide or self-harm, during this crisis you should make contact immediately with one of the following:

Your local doctor
Your local Accident & Emergency department of the nearest hospital
Call 999

The following is a list of support services in Ireland. It is not a comprehensive list

Samaritans Helpline: Call 116 123

If you need someone to talk to, the Samaritans are there to listen, they wont judge or tell you what to do. Whatever you are going through, you can call the Samaritans any time day or night from any phone for free. People can contact the Samaritans for a range of reasons and you don’t have to be suicidal to get in touch, if you are having a tough time call the Samaritans on 116 123. Contacting the Samaritans is free, you can ring from landlines or mobiles including pay-as-you-go mobiles. You don’t need to have credit or any call allowance to ring.

You can write an email to jo@samaritans.ie . There is a response time of 24 hours. This service is there is you feel it is too difficult to talk on the phone and you may want to write about what is on your mind.

Aware Defeat Depression. Click here. Provides support to those whose lives are affected by depression and anxiety. Some great information from Aware in relation to handling your mental health and well-being and handling anxiety during Covid-19.

HSE Health and Well-Being Division. Click here.

Barnardos. Click here. Committed to the best interest of children and young people in Ireland, promoting and respecting their rights

SpunOut.ie Click here. SpunOut.ie is Ireland’s youth information website created by young people, for young people. They provide information online on a range of different topics broken down into sections; education, employment, health, life and opinion.