What if we cared for our minds like our bodies? Hi Reader, This week has been a big one. Honestly, itâs been like that for a while now. Hovering on the edge of burnout and just holding on. Maybe youâve felt that too? Many of us, especially creative folk, take on far more than we can manage. We push through until something gives. If this were physical health, weâd notice the signs and feel justified in resting. But with mental health, society tells us to keep going, to stay busy, to âmanage...
6 days ago â˘Â 2 min read
Follow the sun... Reader, do you ever notice how, when a new month begins on the same day a season changes, thereâs a different energy in the air? Perhaps itâs the nature of newness, the possibility of beginning again, or simply the gentle reminder that this is an opportunity to finally do one thing youâve been putting off. Here in Australia, weâre moving into spring. I have a love/hate relationship with spring: I love the blooms, the sun warming the back of my neck, the way flowers pop up...
15 days ago â˘Â 3 min read
I recently splurged on a new brush pen Reader. If you have been following along for a while, you will know that I used to have #allthepens before I moved to focus on found and handmade tools. I love nothing more than creating unique and random tools out of found objects and materials. Recent things I have written and made marks with include: - Aluminium cans - Sticks - Leaves - Toilet rolls - Pegs - Toy dinosaurs - Packaging foam - Nerf bullet (sorry kids) - Bamboo - Sting - Rocks - Spoons -...
22 days ago â˘Â 3 min read
Reader, hello my friend, I will shortly be adding these longerform musings to my website, but like all things, it's not as straightforward as I would like, so here we are in email form again! Exploring the powerful link between creativity and mental health, this personal reflection invites you into the world of art for well-being, self-expression, and nervous system healing. Say goodbye to perfection. Discover how creative play supports emotional resilience and joy. A snippet of my Permission...
3 months ago â˘Â 3 min read
Hey Reader, this week I shared on my socials the very first page artwork I had created in my new handmade art journal (from Lou at Boundtolovethem - not sponsored BTW!) Later, I reflected on this, remembering when I COULD NOT just go in and do something on the first page, or use the good paper, or make art in the brand-new journal... The fear of âwastingâ the good stuff was enough to stop me before I even began. I know I am not alone Reader. The dreaded blank page is one of the biggest...
5 months ago â˘Â 1 min read
Dearest Reader, Wow! I just realised Iâve facilitated the 50th live session for the Permission to Play members group. This little project is a labour of love, shared with some really special and wonderful humans. It started with three members, had as many as 22, and now is about 19. Itâs small, intimate, and not a money-making venture (sorry, husband!), but itâs based on a belief that showing up consistently in this space is giving back to the world in a way that WILL make change. Goodness...
5 months ago â˘Â 1 min read
âThrough others, we become ourselves.â- Lev S. Vygotsky NOTE: I have had some time today to write as we waited for the tropical cyclone Alfred to arrive. The preparation and anticipation were full on over the last week, and in the end, it fizzled out, and we had a bit of wind and rain only. I am grateful to avoid any damage personally, but my heart goes out to those affected. Okay, back to the story⌠Three weeks ago, I was fortunate to travel with friends to watch Gabor MatĂŠ speak. If you...
6 months ago â˘Â 5 min read
Today marks the first day of the last week of the second month of 2025 - and with it, I feel like Iâm stepping fully into a new stage, Reader. Current WIP - a calm and happy space for me to test out how I show up in the world. My second year of Mental Health and Neuroscience postgrad study begins today. My youngest starts full-time kindy, making this the first time in 14 years that I wonât be pregnant or have a child at home every day (đ¤Ż), Iâm expanding my dream of supporting creative mental...
7 months ago â˘Â 2 min read
Just this morning, a person at the kindy playdough table asked me something that completely stumped me. âOh, so you donât want to be creative anymore?â Um, what? They asked this, almost flippantly, after I mentioned I wasnât doing much graphic design work these days. I stumbled over my words, wondering how to explain that creativity is so profoundly a part of my life that it's almost THE WHOLE reason I have pivoted my career to creative mental health care... Reader, you see, working as a...
8 months ago â˘Â 2 min read