Episode 68: Self-Soothing Creativity for Mental Health and Wellness with Shannon Reed
Shannon Reed
"Shannon Reed is a maker who is also known as Mockingbird Makes - well known for her crocheted unicorns, cactus and pompoms (called "sunshine in product form") and as a speaker on Creativity for Wellness. Her passion for re-connecting people with their creativity led her to create her "Creative Conversations", a safe, nourishing women’s gathering where you can come to create with your hands but mostly to connect with your heart. She also hosts Small Business Huddles for indie business owners to meet up online weekly on Zoom and support each other. She is a teacher of crochet, knitting, embroidery and pompom making. Her mantra is “Self compassion is a superpower”!"
BC (before children) Shannon was an innovation consultant helping organisations with creative problem solving and now uses those skills of creating safe and permissive spaces to help others reclaim their often outsourced creativity. She draws on her NLP and mindfulness training and years of personal growth through therapy to support her in this.
In this episode, we talked about:
Creativity from a wider viewpoint than just what artists and painters have claimed it as. It’s an innate part of us. Everybody is creative. “If we don’t use it, we might abuse it”. Creativity is a drive within human beings to express themselves, better their situations and understand the world
It’s not binary, so it’s not a question of either being creative or not. There may be more or less opportunities to practice, or to be with ourselves than the next person
“We’re gifted and talented in different ways of being creative”
Creativity isn’t necessarily about going and doing something new. If we start from where we already are, we have more confidence and less fear. What are you already doing that you don’t notice?
Unexpressed creativity can be hurtful towards yourself
Bringing mental health out into the open
Shannon talked about dealing with depression and anxiety by having space for herself
Creativity instead of meditation in order not to be confronted by the ‘inner critic’
Repetitive, rhythmic and soothing activity such as knitting and creativity, offering space to process and permission to sit still
Elizabeth Gilbert and Tara Mohr: “Traditionally, women have always made their art out of stolen materials and stolen time”
Undervaluing creativity
Co-regulation: how calmness from one person facilitates calmness in others. Finding pockets of creativity demonstrates that for others
Creative problem-solving from thinking outside of the box and being more heart-centred
Finding a more cyclical way of living instead of just focussing on productivity
The expansive nature of time when you’re immersed in something
Safety comes from doing something ‘non-essential’, therefore the survival aspect of the nervous system can quieten down
Expressing our uniqueness through our hands. Touching ourselves through creative practices help to soothe and calm
Being able to pick up and put down creative pursuits such as knitting and crocheting
“Outsourcing our creativity deprives us of being in full ownership of our mental health, innovation, confidence, worthwhile thoughts etc”
When we know what we need, we can communicate our needs more effectively with others. We can then bring safety into our lives, via relationships and safe spaces. This leads to innovation and unlimited potential
Creativity from source/ divinity
Creative conversations as a safe way of being in a circle with other women to connect and create
The importance of play for children and adults alike, which leads to joy and resilience
Resources:
Connect with Shannon
Website
Etsy MockingbirdMakesCo
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
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