Following a period of phenomenal growth and enhancements to its programme, Minding Creative Minds has today announced a brand new development – with the launch of its Creative Arts Therapies pilot programme. It joins a growing list of free and confidential services for those who work in the Irish creative sector, facilitated by the organisation and its team.

Now in its fourth year, Minding Creative Minds (MCM) is Ireland's support programme for the entire Irish creative sector, whether based on the island of Ireland or overseas. Last year, the organisation saw a significant expansion in the numbers of creatives engaging with its 24/7 counselling services – facilitating over 2,000 counselling hours, and adding specialist trauma counselling to its list of services. MCM also saw major growth in other areas of its programme, including over 1,000 hours of 1:1 mentorship engagements, and over 50 online and in-person masterclasses, attended by over 1,400 people. The organisation also hosted its inaugural Minding Creative Minds' Creative Careers Summit.

Today's announcement marks another major milestone for MCM. Applications for the Creative Arts Therapies (CAT) pilot programme – which involves 12 free weekly sessions with a Creative Arts Therapist – are open now through the MCM website.

The first one or two CAT sessions will take place online, via Cliniko Telehealth, followed by in-person sessions. Before beginning the therapy, service-users will also get the opportunity to talk through the process with MCM's Creative Arts Therapy Co-ordinator.

MCM's CAT service is in its pilot phase, meaning the organisation is welcoming user feedback over the coming weeks and months.

“For a long time I have been aware of the powerful work that's being done within the field of creative arts therapy, having originally been interested in pursuing this line of work myself," comments MCM's Director and Creative Arts Therapies Service Project Lead, Ann Marie Shields. "In more recent years I've seen some of the remarkable results clients have had with music therapy. Research shows that the creative arts therapies (music therapy, drama-therapy, art therapy and dance & movement therapy) help to relieve pain, reduce anxiety, help process traumatic experiences and provide a positive means of communication.

"The practitioners are not only clinically trained but are also creatives themselves so have a deeper understanding of what people who work in the arts industry might be dealing with. Providing access to these creative therapeutic routes into healing is a natural fit for Minding Creative Minds.”

Creative Arts Therapies are, as MCM explains, "the planned and prescribed use of creative processes with a qualified therapist working to support and enhance the psychological and social well-being of individuals." CAT can help people to interpret, express and resolve their emotions through the creative process of the arts – drawing from the benefits of creative expression in supporting mental wellbeing.

It's a particularly appropriate and meaningful service for people working in the creative industries, who are used to, and drawn to, engaging with the arts.

CAT is an umbrella term for four areas: Art Therapy, Dance-Movement Therapy, Drama Therapy, and Music Therapy.

“We are thrilled to be in a position to now add this wonderful new service to our list of free services," says Founder and CEO at MCM, Dave Reid. "The service was over twelve months in the planning and we are very pleased to be ready to launch. Our Minding Creative Minds (MCM) Creative Arts Therapies service offering involves twelve sessions over a twelve-week period of time."

The team who will facilitate this new service include: Rebecca O’Connor (Neurologic Music Therapist; Creative Arts Therapy Supervisor), Liz Helitzer (Music Therapist; Creative Arts Therapy Coordinator), Eithne Swaine (Art Therapist), Nicola Kealy (Drama Therapist), Shane Cassidy (Music Therapist), Anna Fiona Keogh (Dance and Movement Therapist) and Kevin McNamara (Music Therapist). The addition of CAT to MCM's services has been made possible due to the support of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

MCM's services are available to those who work in all aspects of the Irish creative sector – including live event crews,  bookers, actors, producers, writers, designers, arts administrators, visual artists, photographers, dancers, poets, comedians, journalists, circus performers, venue workers and more. Every month, MCM holds an online meet-and-greet session, allowing the Irish creative community to source important information about the organisation's services, and to share their experiences with their peers.

You can apply for Minding Creative Minds' Creative Arts Therapies, and find further information, here.

Details of all MCM's services – including counselling, legal assistance, financial assistance, career guidance, and more – can been be found at mindingcreativeminds.ie

Minding Creative Minds' 24/7 Dedicated Phone Line:

ROI: 1800 814 244
NI/UK: 0800 0903677
International: +353 1 518 0277

Or Text/WhatsApp “Hi” to 087 369 0010 [when you receive a response mention “Minding Creative Minds” or that you are in contact from the Creative Sector]