Category: mindfulness

cathARTic explorer

Posted on by Maria Bo in content creation, design, elearning, healing, mindfulness, Nature, Photography, tiktok, youtube
Logo of cathARTic project

I have incepted a new project called cathARTic explorer. This is a combination of nature and creativity to reach catharsis for healing, so the pathway is called ‘cathartic explorer’ via cathartic art. Think of this like being an arctic explorer – both dangerous and thrilling at the same time as that is what it feels like to face an uncharted territory. I have been practicing cathartic arts for years and have finally decided to take it up a notch and to inspire others to do the same. No, I don’t hold a degree in art therapy however it is not necessary to have to experience creative catharsis on your own, nor do I need one to share my ideas with others. I have designed a brochure for this project but it also works as stand alone infographics. Below you will find some videos I composed YouTube. Essentially, my videos are a form of healing art coming from a mindful baseline.

More about my background

In my training I have learned I need to “walk the talk”, I also need to prove it, and I have. I am not coming from a clinical counselling background but rather a designer who has experienced life-long anxiety challenges. So I feel called to share with others, what helps me.

For the creative, technical and delivery aspect of this project, I pull from all of my academic training: BA in Image Arts, MA in Communication and Technology, Certificates in e-Learning and Digital Media. This is combined with my wellness training: Mental Health Ambassador using the REAL-SF framework, Ecotheraputic Guide focusing on indoor and outdoor sources, Healing with the Arts for addressing the self critic, mindful training: MBSR practices for catharsis, and Reflexology for self-applied tension relief. Additionally, I integrate my self-directed studies of Scandinavian cultural history and archeology. I also have drama and theatre arts production training.

I am a peer-to-peer facilitator in what I practice – cathartic art – using mostly digital technology and handcrafting. I do not provide clinical counselling or treat for mental health disorders as that is not my area of training or expertise.

This training exposé is the backbone for my life’s work and proves my learning commitment and capability to you. Living my life with an anxiety disorder, I have found that through nature and creativity comes an incredible form of relief, enjoyment and purpose. I spent my earlier years as an experimental filmmaker whose films about mental health transited the film festival circuit and independent TV (Hot Docs nominee for Neurofeedback about mental health, Victoria Film Festival gift recipient for Breaching about orca captivity, Canada Arts Council for Sea of Souls about animism, as well Images Film Festival, Zed CBC, Knowledge Network, W Network and others). Visit my past portfolio site for more examples. I have returned to these roots to bring you with me into this uncharted territory, you will find your capabilities are limitless.

Who is this for and what to expect

Various types of mediums and outcomes are possible through this pathway and the process will be delivered both in-person and through e-learning. You will have the opportunity to produce your own cathartic stories through nature art, experimental videos, images, cards, and crafts. See my previous post about the Luna Saga for an example of my own story where you will have full exclusive access to that work through a video version, so you can see the outcome of a 20 years in the making cathartic story. Also, completing my masters thesis helped me to resolve my anxiety with a traumatic situation I faced so that I could finally write my Luna Saga. So from my own personal experience, I feel this pathway could be beneficial for those who want to learn how to creatively bolster digital tools to address stress, fear, grief, self-esteem, discrimination, bullying etc but is open to anyone who wants to manage personal / professional well-being. So to recap:

You:

  1. are not to here to seek clinical counselling and diagnosis
    • but requires listening and compassionate guidance
  2. want to explore natural forms of healing
    • through mindfulness and ecotherapy
  3. are seeking to explore creativity with digital tools
    • using a digital device, Canva, TikTok, YouTube and apps
  4. are looking to tell a cathartic story
    • through image, video, card making
  5. want to establish a ritual routine going forward
    • combining nature, creativity and catharsis

You will be trained in the digital medium(s) of your choice through the process, given the support you need to see it through and fun rituals for going forward. To recap my areas of creative expertise are:

Digital and natural mediums:

  1. image capture through digital device & manipulation with apps
  2. producing experimental videos & vlogs for TikTok and YouTube
  3. blogging with WordPress
  4. collage and (story / oracle / tarot) card production with Canva
  5. nature-based handcrafting / Lego building

Outcomes:

  1. identify creative project goals
  2. establish mindful & nature therapy practice
  3. apply creative and digital tool training
  4. produce cathartic art
  5. implement a personal craft ritual

Delivery: 1 to 1 online or in person

Prerequisite: Recommended but not required Wellness in the Digital Age

Required: A digital device

Cost: By donation

Disclaimer: This pathway is intended for adults and is not a diagnosis, treatment or replacement for medical treatment, clinical mental health counselling or art psychotherapy.

Banner photo: Greenland glacier by Maria Peronino ©2023

Visit project development here

Forest Bath Brochure

Posted on by Maria Bo in design, healing, mindfulness, Nature

I designed this forest bathing trifold as a quick reference guide that provides reminders and mindful exercises while in the forest. This brochure also offers a foldout colour photo of a forest bath scenario for visual aid in case it is not possible to access a forest. Looking at a visual of nature is a form of eco therapy and is also effective in calming the nervous system especially while paired with mindful exercises. This would be good to carry while traveling or when dealing with stressful situations. I have added an alternative black and white version that is home printer friendly. Trifold brochures can be professionally printed through Canva; I have used the Canva printing service several times and have been happy with the results. If you need an eye catching brochure like this one, you can get in touch for scope and pricing.

(The neat thing about Canva is that both the designer and the client/team can work together inside of the ecosystem from different locations, streamlining the process. Oh and it’s also fun).

forest bathing procure foldout design
forest bathing procure foldout design front
forest bathing procure foldout design back
woman holding brochure showing the front
woman holding brochure showing the inside
woman holding brochure showing the black and white text version

Mindful Digital Collage Exercise

Posted on by Maria Bo in content creation, Digital, elearning, healing, Health, mindfulness, technology

Put aside 1 hour for this but there is no time limit. This activity is meant to keep us in the “being” mode where we can give our mind a break (parasympathetic nervous system) from the stress of always “doing”.

Here is a digital collage I created using Canva. For this exercise, I didn’t have anything in mind, I just placed random images and text onto my canvas. Once complete, I spent time looking at the themes that emerged such as travel, animals, and the colour yellow. While doing this, my mind is present while observing, turning this into a mindful seeing practice. If my mind wanders, I am aware of it and guide my mind back to the image.

Combined in this activity are three practices:

  1. Breathing practice – close your eyes and listen to your breath, observe your body for 10 mins.
  2. Collage practice – drop visuals and text onto your canvas, don’t think too hard just allow yourself to be free and have fun.
  3. Seeing practice – observe your collage for about 5 mins, taking in the themes, colours, patterns and textures.

There are two ways you can approach this exercise:

  1. Breathing > Creating > Seeing
  2. Create > Seeing > Breathing

How to produce a digital collage:

  1. Sign up at Canva.ca for a free account
  2. Select “Create Design” top right hand corner and pick a format
  3. Go to “Elements” located on the left hand side to search for images
  4. Go to “Text” located under Elements to add text and explore fonts and sizes
  5. When finished click “Share” >Download>JPG>Download to save file

Alternatively you can also make a paper collage by cutting and pasting clippings to a sheet of paper or scrapbook. I use the digital format because I don’t have access to clippings to work with.

Be sure to come back to your collage whenever you want to do a seeing practice. You can print it out, move it to your device or place as your computer wallpaper.

There is much more you can do with Canva than I have outlined here but this will get you started and exploring the ecosystem. Have fun and feel free to share your finished collage!

collage of a mindful exercise built in Canva application

Mindfully Creative Infographic

Posted on by Maria Bo in content creation, design, elearning, mindfulness

There are many ways to be creative. I have suggested here just a few that you can get started with. You do not need to be an “artist” or professional of any kind to engage in creativity. I believe we are all creative. The idea is to anchor your mind in the present moment and keep you fully and 100% engaged in the activity. If you find your mind wanders off, acknowledge it and then steer it back to your activity. Being creative is an effective way of staying in the present moment as our brain so easily drifts off into the past and the future. The goal is to leave the “doing” mode (automatic pilot) and be in the “being” mode of the moment, allowing ourselves to rest from stress. Notice how you feel during the process of creating and then how you feel about what you created. Celebrate your results – there is no good or bad results, only the reward of finding out you are creative. In my next post, I will share an example of a digital montage I made using the collage idea.

infographic of mindfully creative

Mindful Media Production

Posted on by Maria Bo in Digital, healing, mindfulness, technology, youtube
photo of an old big leaf maple tree
Photo taken with GoPro Hero12

You don’t need me to remind you of how now more than ever, is a good time to practice some mindful media consumption. This means, selecting digital media to look at that is calming to the nervous system while also keeping your mind in the present. My YouTube channel has recently undergone a facelift and theme change to accommodate for this objective. There, you will find shorts and videos of nature sights and sounds. While it is important to get into a real natural space more than anything, if you are unable to reach a forest or green space or just need immediate access to something calming then watching nature content is helpful for reducing stress. I recently acquired a GoPro Hero12 creator kit and have been using this to build up some new content on my YouTube channel; I shoot the longer videos in landscape mode on the GoPro and the shorter videos (shorts which garner the most attention at this time) with my iPhone in portrait mode. The shorts are small bursts of fun while the videos are longer serene digital forest baths for longer mindful practice. Both formats will bring positive results to the viewer and is a means to offset whatever other harmful (negative) media they maybe consuming.

Visit my YouTube channel here: www.youtube.com/@curiousbo