Finding Wellness Through Creativity

Friday, 7 October 2016 05:46

Photo Courtesy: Creative Outlets Facebook Page

"I want to show them that you can be successful without being the norm..."

WOODSTOCK - Teens and young adults who are looking to find their creativity are encouraged to try a new free program offered at the CMHA building in Woodstock.

Creative Outlets was designed by tattoo artist and musician Aaron Allen. Allen wanted to do something for the youth in our community who are struggling in the wake of so many tragedies and suicides. He tells Heart FM about some of the things that will happen during the 8 week program.

"I'm going to be bringing in actors, comedians, Ned Burwell is a tattoo artist from the Dorchester-Ingersoll area who practices meditation and different methods to kind of quiet your mind. So every week I will have a new guest that I feel kind of makes their own path in life. Some of them come from some pretty terrible backgrounds; my one friend Jason Allen is a comedian from Hamilton. He was a pretty heavy drug user and hit rock bottom and then he started to work with the homeless. He worked with the homeless for 10 years and now he has gone on to be a comedian and I just want to show the kids you can be at a really, really dark place and you can come back and you can do well."

Allen suffered from depression as well and channelled some of that through his art and wanted to share his story and the stories of others with youth in our community. Allen tells Heart FM what he hopes the youth will take away from the program.

"The focus is to have the kids come in and learn what their passion is and I actually do my passions for a living, so they don't just have to go to college, get a job, and live that way because a lot of us live outside the box. So I want to show them that you can be successful without being the norm - we can live outside of the box and we can make a living at it."

The program is designed for youth between the ages of 16 and 24. The workshop will be co-facilitated by social worker Ed Cook who will be able to help out if any of the topics get really deep. The first session is on Wednesday October 12th at 6:30 p.m. at the CMHA building in Woodstock. If you're interested in signing up you can find more information on their Facebook page or contact Aaron directly at 519-630-0051.