What makes you feel safe?

Our art group spent a recent session reflecting on who, what or where makes them feel safe - and despite the recent heatwave used umbrellas to express their ideas!

Each group member had their own umbrella, and used a mix of paints to decorate it with words, colours, shapes and symbols. These represented the people, things and places which enable us to feel safest and most able to be ourselves. People explored relationships with family members, professionals and friends; thoughts about organisations and institutions which offer support; and objects which take on significance in our lives.

We then thought about people, places and things which make us feel unsafe - people who bully, refuse to support or judge; sadness and insecurity; things which are unpredictable and out of our control. We expressed these ideas on raindrops, tied on to strings.

The culmination of the session involved our facilitator ‘making it rain’ - bouncing the negative concepts around on their strings, whilst group members used their umbrellas to protect themselves - naming the things which helped them feel safe against each drop.

It was lovely to hear about all the positive influences in people’s lives, and also important to name and acknowledge the difficulties we face. It is so easy to see what we do as simply a fun activity - and bouncing those raindrops back and forth was indeed fun(!) - but it was meaningful too. Group members shared how good it felt to recognise the support they have available, and their sense of community, despite the difficult and frightening things they might face in the world. It is always good to know we are not alone.

Our creative expressive art group runs every Tuesday morning, 10.30 - 12.30 (with refreshments available from 10.00). We use a wide range of materials to explore experiences, celebrate strengths, build new skills and foster communication and personal resilience. If you, or someone you care about, would like to join in, please give us a call.