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...
11 days ago • 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 ‘wasting’ 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...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Dearest Reader, Wow! I just realised I’ve 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. It’s small, intimate, and not a money-making venture (sorry, husband!), but it’s 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...
3 months ago • 1 min read
“Through others, we become ourselves.”- 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 Maté speak. If you...
4 months ago • 5 min read
Today marks the first day of the last week of the second month of 2025 - and with it, I feel like I’m 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 won’t be pregnant or have a child at home every day (🤯), I’m expanding my dream of supporting creative mental...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Just this morning, a person at the kindy playdough table asked me something that completely stumped me. “Oh, so you don’t want to be creative anymore?” Um, what? They asked this, almost flippantly, after I mentioned I wasn’t 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...
5 months ago • 2 min read
Hello dearest Reader, How many emails have you received slamming you into 2025? My guess is ***way more than is necessary***. This email is far from that. As the new year begins, we often feel the weight of expectations pressing down—an endless push to do more, achieve more, and be more. But what if we gave ourselves permission to do something radical instead? What if we rested? In a world that glorifies productivity, rest can feel indulgent, weak, and even shameful. Capitalism has taught us...
6 months ago • 1 min read
At first, having my office next to the laundry was a good idea. Working from home meant that I could easily do washing in between client calls or whilst working on logotypes. However, now, my office is 100% an art studio and well, when I walk downstairs to do laundry, often the paints call my name... "Psst Delphie... Can you hear us? Come, join us in here... you MUST paint!" So, I duck my head into the room, ahh, it feels comfortable here, warm, at home. I sign. Then I get the urge. A big...
9 months ago • 2 min read
It was 10.15pm before I left the set-up for the school fete. I was one of the last four people there, prepping for the next day. Another volunteer said, ‘It’s a bit addictive doing community work, isn’t it?’ And, Reader, nothing has felt so accurate (except that reel where that person can't find the end of the sticky tape... that was spot on?) It isn't unusual for me to put my hand up 🙋♀️ to help where I can, and I almost always end up doing more than I signed up for. But I never leave jaded....
11 months ago • 2 min read