One part of a longer story about how we came to be...
There is a huge gap in the kinds of mental health supports available. Those of us who have suffered from mental health issues know the struggle is real when it comes to seeking support. When we do reach out, we often find our options are limited, not particularly timely, and often unappealing. Clinical settings are uninviting and can contribute to our already existing feelings of being, well... somehow broken. Wait lists are long, and affordable options are few. This was my experience. I was lucky enough to get connected with an amazing Social Worker (the system is trying!) who asked me what I thought I needed to help me start to feel better. I told her I needed a community. I needed people to be with and a place to go where could feel free to be my authentic self. Who I was at that time, was a person who was very sad, very anxious, and losing hope. The options we explored, unfortunately, really didn't appeal to me. Going to meetup groups felt too daunting, and the few support groups I attended really weren't for me. I wasn't up for volunteering, and on that, we ran out of options. She asked me what I've enjoyed in the past. I shared with her my past experiences in the Expressive Arts. I talked about how much I enjoyed being welcomed to show up "as I am". In these spaces, I could be real about all my dark corners and shadowy parts. Also invited in these spaces were the parts of me that me that were lighter; my silliness, my joy, my longing, my gratitude. All of me felt welcome. We looked for Art-Based Communities for me to join. We found two. One looked promising, however I was intimidated by the fact that the all the members looked to be experienced artists, and you needed a portfolio to apply. Nope, that wasn't me. The second looked perfect. It was a community space where people struggling with their mental health would show up and be led through various art-making processes. It looked welcoming, low pressured, and I could sense the potential for genuine, authentic community there. I got excited... it was just what I was looking for! We looked further, and this is what we found: Six month wait list. Frustration. I said to my Social Worker that at this point it looks like I'll need to create what I need, because it doesn't seem to exist. She smiled. I'm not sure I believed that I would actually do it. Approximately one year, and lot's of ups and downs later... C.A.T.T Studio was born... well, it's a seed for now |