CREATIVITY IN RECOVERY FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH & WELL-BEING

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Creativity is an evidence-based wellness practice proven as influential as peer support in enhancing a person's overall well-being. In this presentation, Shannon will show - through her lived experience as a professional writer and creator in recovery - how creativity is critical to helping individuals shift from surviving to thriving.

 

She will demonstrate powerful wellness practices, such as visualization (used in sports psychology), creative and intuitive writing, drawing, and cognitive restructuring, to show how these techniques can radically enhance a person's self-esteem by:

• reducing stress and anxiety;

• increasing positive emotions;

• decreasing depressive symptoms;

• boosting the immune system;

• improving the relationship with self and others;

• increasing feelings of accomplishment; and

• improving concentration and focus.

 

By participating in this keynote, workshop, or breakout presentation, audience members will experience these benefits for themselves to tap into their personal relationship with the 'self' to enhance individual growth and development beyond the peer-to-peer scope. This presentation will include statistics from various credible sources to highlight the impact of creativity on health and healing from trauma and more.

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PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES:  

1.  By attending this presentation, participants will be able to understand the mental, physical, and emotional benefits of utilizing creativity in their daily lives based on statistics from credible sources.

2. Attendees can recommend various evidence-based creative wellness practices as recovery support for their organizations, peers, and clients.

3. Audience members can plan, demonstrate, and host various creative activities and techniques at their recovery organizations to benefit the overall well-being of their clients and peers.

4. Participants will be able to describe in detail why creativity is essential to thriving in recovery and utilize key sources in grant proposals to expand on the traditional recovery support model.

 

​BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES:

• ​William L. White, New Addiction-Recovery Support Institutions: Mobilizing Support Beyond Professional Addiction Treatment and Recovery Mutual Aid, 25 Sep 2012;

• Abt Associates Inc. and Hart Research Associates and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center, Pathways to Healing and Recovery: Perspectives from Individuals with Histories of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems, November 2010;

• Am J Public Health, Heather L. Stuckey, DEd and Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH, The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature, February 2010;

• Charles Benayon, Founder & Ceo of Aspiria Corp. and HuffPost Blogger, How Creativity Improves Mental Health and Wellness, July 2017.