The act of writing is therapeutic.
In this workshop, tutors Beth Daley and Dr. Rebekah Olive offer you a safe place to write freely. They will provide gentle prompts aimed at helping you develop your self-compassion through creativity. You’ll spend some valuable time focussing on your wellbeing in a relaxed and friendly environment, explore the compassionate part of yourself and learn new creative skills.
You’ll discover the elements of compassion, and explore how they apply to ourselves and to others. Together we’ll think about noticing ourselves and the world, focusing on observing ourselves and our surroundings. And we’ll think about the masks we wear for different people and situations.
You’ll use free-writing prompts, meditation and play, and respond to your own experiences and to the stories around us, for example in poetry or film.
Beth has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Manchester. She is a published author, copywriter and editorial adviser for a European digital cultural heritage organisation.
Dr Rebekah Olive is a clinical psychologist specialising in compassion-focussed therapy.
Beth and Bek started running Writing for Wellbeing workshops together from Olive Branch Therapy in Ilkley in 2023.
What to expect
Time at ArtisOn is designed to take you away from it all and provide the environment, the time and the guidance you need to create. You can expect a warm welcome, skilled and friendly tutors plus the chance to meet like-minded people keen to share ideas and experiences. You can even leave us to clear up the mess! There will usually be two workshops going on and we encourage everyone to mingle and be nosey about what the other workshop is up to.
Arrive in time to meet other participants over a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits before beginning your session at the appointed time. There will be a mid-morning break for refreshments and a chance to talk over progress with others. Lunch is usually around 12:45 for about 45 mins – you can expect a homemade 2 course lunch. The main course will be delicious but don’t overdo it as the puds are usually worth waiting for! There will be a further afternoon break with the most wonderful cakes from Roots & Fruits Home Bakery, a North Yorkshire micro-bakery producing handmade bread and cakes. All food and refreshments are included in the price of the workshop.
Finish time is given as a target – there are occasions when the session may overrun so do let us know if you need to be away promptly.
We aim for your day to be a real treat… of course you could always learn a new skill in a shed or a draughty village hall with a curly sandwich, but we want you to have more fun than that! So we make it a day being looked after, with good food, good company and great inspiration!
What you’ll need to bring with you
Writing materials – pen and paper or a laptop.
