{"id":762985,"date":"2026-07-14T19:59:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T19:59:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/762985\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T19:59:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T19:59:15","slug":"art-class-uses-creativity-to-paint-different-picture-of-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/762985\/","title":{"rendered":"Art class uses creativity to paint different picture of mental health"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an art studio in Newcastle, New South Wales, Halo is hand-making beads out of clay.<\/p>\n

It might seem like a simple task, but it would have been impossible for the 23-year-old just four years ago due to mental illness.<\/p>\n

“Dad wasn’t allowed to leave my side,” Halo said.<\/p>\n

“When I first came here, I was basically non-verbal \u2026 but now I talk to people.”\"A<\/p>\n

Halo has been attending the Arts in Recovery workshops each month since 2022. (ABC Newcastle: Laurise Dickson)<\/p>\n

With no sign-in or entry fee required, Halo’s attendance at the monthly Arts in Recovery classes have been key to her recovery.<\/p>\n

“[It is] one of the few places outside of my studio at home where I can go and not be made to feel like a freak,” she said.<\/p>\n

“I grew up with a lot of bullying, so coming here helps me feel safe and happy and Dad doesn’t have to stay by my side all the time anymore.”<\/p>\n

The not-for-profit, community-based mental health program has been running in Newcastle since 2010.<\/p>\n

Since the first workshop, more than 5,000 participants have passed through the art studio.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

About 30 to 40 people attend the monthly Arts in Recovery workshops in Newcastle. (ABC Newcastle: Laurise Dickson)<\/p>\n

Unique model removes ‘barriers’If you or anyone you know needs help:Suicide Call Back Service<\/a> on 1300 659 467Lifeline<\/a> on 13 11 14Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line 13YARN<\/a>\u00a0on 13 92 76Kids Helpline<\/a> on 1800 551 800Beyond Blue<\/a> on 1300 224 636Headspace<\/a> on 1800 650 890ReachOut<\/a> at au.reachout.com<\/a>MensLine Australia<\/a> on 1300 789 978QLife 1800 184 527<\/a><\/p>\n

Unlike other art therapy programs in New South Wales, Arts in Recovery is unique as it is not run through the NDIS. It is free for participants and has no formal referral process.<\/p>\n

They have an “open-door” model that allows participants to attend workshops however often they like and interact with mental health professionals outside a traditional clinical setting.<\/p>\n

It is the brainchild of occupational therapist Alan Johnson, who co-leads the program with the University of Newcastle.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Alan Johnson runs Arts in Recovery without barriers to participation. (ABC Newcastle: Laurise Dickson)<\/p>\n

“There’s no hierarchy between the people running the tables and the people participating,” he said.<\/p>\n

“If they have to pay, if they have to sign in and out, that just places barriers in the way.<\/p>\n

“They can literally come here, be themselves, let the mask slip and know that they’ll be accepted.”<\/p>\n

Mr Johnson said providing support outside a clinical setting was key to the program’s success.<\/p>\n

“It can be a way to open up about really difficult things while creating art,” he said.<\/p>\n

“It’s less threatening and easier to discuss that without sitting across the table with a notepad and pen.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Arts in Recovery is a not-for-profit arts therapy program that has been running in Newcastle since 2010. (ABC Newcastle: Laurise Dickson)<\/p>\n

‘Casual, safe environment’<\/p>\n

Participants are guided by volunteer facilitators like Annette Squires, an occupational therapy assistant.<\/p>\n

“We have different tables set up where you could be making clay [pieces], doing mosaics or just sitting and doing your own work,” she said.<\/p>\n

“It’s a very casual, safe environment where you can come and create whatever you want.”\"A<\/p>\n

Annette Squires is an occupational therapy assistant in mental health who volunteers at the Arts in Recovery workshops. (ABC Newcastle: Laurise Dickson)<\/p>\n

The workshops rely on private donations to operate, while materials are donated from local artists and community members.<\/p>\n

Ms Squires has been volunteering with the program for eight years and has seen first-hand how powerful art can be in mental health recovery.<\/p>\n

“I see people use creative art in in-patient wards, and then once they’re discharged into the community, I encourage them to come to the workshops to continue art as part of their therapy,” she said.<\/p>\n

“Coming here helps create confidence, not only with their art skills but with connecting with other people, too.<\/p>\n

“I’ve seen people really grow a lot from this program.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Cam Smith uses art in his mental health recovery and attends the workshops as a local peer support worker. (ABC Newcastle: Laurise Dickson)<\/p>\n

One of those people is Cam Smith, who started attending the program after receiving mental health treatment in hospital, where he discovered his love for art.<\/p>\n

Mr Smith says the program helped him realise his passion for helping others with their mental health and pursue a career as a peer support worker.<\/p>\n

But attending the monthly workshops continued to be a big part of his own mental health and recovery.<\/p>\n

“Even if I wasn’t working, I’d come here every month and do this,” he said.<\/p>\n

“This is my key approach to peer work.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Participants of Arts in Recovery have the freedom to create and learn new art skills at the monthly studio workshops. (ABC Newcastle: Laurise Dickson)<\/p>\n

Expression through art making a real difference<\/p>\n

The Arts in Recovery model has also started attracting international attention.<\/p>\n

An international occupational therapy team has begun discussions with Mr Johnson and his colleagues to see how this program can be established in the United Kingdom health system.<\/p>\n

Back at the Art in Recovery workshop, Halo is chatting with volunteer Annette Squires as they craft dessert-shaped beads.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Since 2010, more than 5,000 people have passed through the studio in Newcastle. (ABC Newcastle: Laurise Dickson)<\/p>\n

The art she makes during the year will go on display at the program’s annual public exhibition, called BOUNCEBACK, where more than $20,000 from art sales has gone directly back to participants.<\/p>\n

Last year, Halo’s hand-made, stuffed animals sold on opening night.<\/p>\n

“I like doing drawings and painting, but sometimes we’ll do other fun stuff when I come here, like clay,” Halo said.<\/p>\n

“I can actually sit and talk to people at the same table and do art now.”\"An<\/p>\n

Arts in Recovery holds an annual exhibition, with profits from art sales going directly back to workshop participants. (Supplied: The University of Newcastle)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In an art studio in Newcastle, New South Wales, Halo is hand-making beads out of clay. It might…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":762986,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[326419,176182,326420,16045,42198,78107,97,326418,259,260,284969],"class_list":["post-762985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mental-health","tag-alan-johnson","tag-art-therapy","tag-arts-in-recovery","tag-community-health","tag-creativity","tag-goodnews","tag-health","tag-hunter-new-england-health","tag-mental-health","tag-mentalhealth","tag-university-of-newcastle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/762985","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=762985"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/762985\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/762986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=762985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=762985"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=762985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}