Talking Mental Health Day 13th May

Good networking today at the 'Talking Mental Health' Day run by Solent NHS Trust (hosted by Oasis Centre, Arundel St). Very well attended by lots of different groups in Portsmouth, very encouraged to see delegates acknowledging the need is for getting information out there. It's still a difficult thing to talk about but raising awareness is the first step.

I was there as part of the GMHC with Carolyn Barber, and I spoke about Beating the Blues, community sing at Eastney CC on Wednesday mornings. Well, I spoke more about the benefits of singing and mental health, getting all the delegates to be aware of their breathing, listen to their own voice and then to each other, combining voice and movement (body)... they rocked!
I did actually forget to talk about the group and the fact that we do taster sessions and outreach... however, managed to get DIVERSITY, MINDFULLNESS, LIFEMUSIC precepts (Everyone is Musical and the are No Wrong Notes!), and most importantly got everyone to experience what I was talking about by having a go.
Solent NHS Trust will cover it in their press release, a few people expressed interest in coming along to BTB and a guy was interested learning how to do vocal work in the community, which is all good.

http://goodmentalhealth.org.uk/human-library-events/

 

Right, here goes, starting now....

Now felt like as good a time as any to start a blog, as I realised the need for it for myself!
Embarking on my current postgraduate study I know I am in a very different place from when I last did a degree (20 years ago). Well, not geographically, but in terms of practice, work and creativity I am in a different place (Portsmouth is also a different place too).
I feel like I have something to write about which is good because I know have a lot of writing a head of me, but I'm looking forward to it. I've always struggled with words and expressing myself in writing: I was much more at ease drawing, taking a photo, playing a tune or singing a song, on my own or in groups: Listening and watching was my primary way of interacting with the world around me, reading and writing didn't come naturally, so I think I was left with a sense that I wasn't any good at it.
However, now I feel I have something to say about my experience of being a community vocal practitioner and one way to articulate and help form my ideas and thoughts is to start writing.