Meli Swan Art Therapy

02/03/2025

Are you teacher, TA, coach or ANYONE who teaches ANYONE ANYTHING?

Have you hit the ground running in this bats**t-crazy 2025?

On top of the world being a bit 1939Bonkers, you’ve still got all the regular ups and downs that come with the lifestyle of working closely with people.

Later this month Teachers Who Art will begin and because it’s online (live, but from the comfort of your own chair!), there are ALWAYS places still left 🙌🏻

At $80 for 6 sessions of nervous-system-changing tools, it’s a rippa bargain.

Let’s go!

24/02/2025

TRY IT TUESDAY!! (the crowd goes wild!!)

1). Create an image of the ‘stressor’ (breathe)
2). Wrote or draw some *reminders* of how you can deal with the stress - this is your preparation for the inevitable (or highly possible).
3). PLAY POP-UP PREPARATION!! 🎉
4). Soothe your now possibly frazzled nervous system and walk away, knowing you have choice and *some* control in how you respond to your regularly scheduled stress.

You do not have to be controlled by stress!!

Have a go and let me know 😎

Important 🚨: I am NOT referring to abusive relationships here. You need to keep chipping away and getting out of that s**t.

10/02/2025

Do you ‘know’ they think that? But they haven’t actually SAID that, or done anything to prove that they think that … but you DEFINITELY know they think that!

This is Crystal Balling, my friend!

You have several different crystal balls in your brain (not literal, obviously - metaphorical … but I digress). The one you subconsciously pull out most commonly is the one you most commonly PRACTICE!

The fix? Practice pulling out a different one with a different narrative 🤷🏼‍♀️ There are so many! ENDLESS versions of what people might be thinking!

You can practice it even BEFORE you subconsciously crystal ball. Next time to pass someone in the street, pull out ALL the crystal balls and imagine ALL the different things they COULD be thinking!

But be careful not to stare, or everyone will think you are weird 😉

Or WILL they? 🥹

Share this with a friend and let me know how you go!

09/02/2025

Are you a teacher, TA, principal, groundsman, school-office-person, coach, youth group leader, homeschooling parent?

Are you 🎶rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ rollin’🎶?

We usually are, huh? There’s not a lot of time to come up for air.

Teachers Who Art is a course ESPECIALLY FOR YOU! For your practice as someone involved with education, or even just for your poor, tattered nervous system.

Wellbeing at its finest and most efficient.

Want more information about how this online and affordable course can help you in your roll (🎶in’ rollin’ rollin’ rollin’)? Shoot me an email or thrown me a PM.

Not just an art therapist - as a teacher for 20 years and a parent of three, I’m sure I can answer your questions.

03/02/2025

TRY IT!

When I am initially working with people, while they are practicing these strategies, I often talk about Bigs and Smalls (or Littles).

When you are learning how to use art therapeutically for yourself, without the support of a psych, it’s good to use Small problems, and Small presentations of emotions. For example, a Small worry, or a Small sad, a Little angry.

In this case, a Small problem!

As we get into the flow of creating, our thoughts naturally become unentangled from each other, and often things become clear.

Note I said ‘get into the FLOW of creating’. This takes time to settle into it. TIME, people, TIME!

So as you do this, breathe and relax into it. Enjoy yourself! Even when you are drawing about a super annoying problem 🤭

Share this with a friend, save it for later and let me know how you go in the comments!

27/01/2025

Most people are uncomfortable about their own art because of how they think others will perceive it - EVEN WHEN OTHERS WILL NOT EVEN SEE IT!!

If you go and find art that you hate, art that makes you uncomfortable (because of its message or because it is ‘not art’) - as much different art that you can find, you will discover thaaaaaaaaat ….

It. Doesn’t. Matter.

THERE IS SO MUCH ART! And so many purposes for it.

And this is the art you see displayed publicly! If you are doing art as a deep dive into yourself, NO-ONE EVEN HAS TO SEE YOUR ART!

Of course, they can if you want them to.

This is often a major revelation to people and it is very freeing for expression 🥰

Try this experiment out and let me know how you go in the comments!

20/01/2025

TRY IT!

This is a lovely one to explore alone or with friends over a cup of tea or glass of wine. Or even with your kiddos or a class at school!

I say 5-20 minutes, but often less is more. I would pick a middle ground of no longer than 10 minutes unless you’re really getting into a flow state and enjoying yourself!

No fancy gear required 🥳

Got no paper? Use the back of a receipt, or a shopping bag!

Got no Derwent water colours? Grab a cheap packet of pencils from the supermarket!

Of course, if you’re a lover of art supplies, you could also do this as fancy as you like 🎉 THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF IT!

Post some of your creations in the comments and tell me how you go with it 🙌🏻

13/01/2025

If your intended to get milk but accidentally wore your slippers to the shop and now everyone thinks you’re weird … DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT 😍

Your intention was to get milk.

YOU’RE A WINNER 🎉

What has this got to do with art therapy? It’s a foundation mindset that is transformative for ANYTHING in life! Starting with yourself before you even pick up a pencil 😎

Let me know what you think or how you go in the comments 👇🏼🎉

07/01/2025

Do you wish you were doing something? Or NOT doing something?

You might be pleasing others a LOT!

But how do you know if you’re a people pleaser or if you’re just exhausting yourself, living to your values … of helping people?

I’m so glad you asked.

In People Pleasers Who Art we look at all these things.

We look at how to set boundaries without being rude, we look at how our narratives and habits affect us and how we can change them, we look at the effect of ‘should’ and how to processes guilt.

If you would love to know more about People Pleasers Who Art, or any of the rest of the Who Art courses, email me or DM and I will answer all your questions ☺️

Go forth! And be mindful!

23/09/2024

NO-ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT EGO!

I think it’s because we’re all scared we have one.

Well here’s some news: WE DO! And it’s a GOOD THING!

It’s our relationship with our ego that can be ‘good’ or ‘bad’ (although I prefer to say ‘helpful’ or ‘unhelpful’

And ego is one of the BIGGEST issues in effective teaching.

If you are a teacher, TA, coach, mentor or leader, you are welcome to sign up for Teachers Who Art, where we explore our own lives without sharing our experiences with anyone else.

Because let’s face it - we’re sick of having to talk to everyone!

DM or email to register or ask questions. WE KICK OFF ON OCT 5!

16/09/2024

11/09/2024

Teachers Who Art is open for registration, but I figured you might like to know a little bit about the person who runs it - ME!

1). You will always get the authentic me - poorly timed humour and all! I am not interested in playing pretend. I absolutely know what I’m talking about and I’m very good at my job. However, in full transparency, I am rubbish at technology, you will find spelling errors in my posts despite my best strategies as a person with dyslexia, my fashion is questionable and I can’t do maths.

2). I LOVE PLAYING PRETEND! I am a performer and storyteller and I’ve been privileged enough to have nabbed lead rolls in shows such as Wicked, Little Women, Ladies in Black and Into the Woods. I’ve never been a fan of taking life toooo seriously, but I think high level performance has given me the chance to learn the when’s and how’s in doing so.

3). Why would you want to be lectured about teaching by someone who has never taught? Well I have been a music teacher for over 20 years (I’m so OLD!) and during that time I have also been privileged to have taught kindy, well being and support teaching for students with very high needs. During this time I have observed myself and others and have rode the highs and lows of the rollercoaster of teaching.

4). I studied art therapy purely out of interest. But then I noticed just HOW many teacher related issues could be circumvented simply by understanding how to identify and effectively process BASIC emotions. Our western culture is absolutely shocking at running towards these discussions.

And so I present to you Teachers Who Art, the online version! A space for you to come for YOU. For YOUR headspace, for YOUR growth, for YOUR learning and healing.

STARTING OCT 5th, 3.30pm

REGISTRATIONS OPEN NOW VIA EMAIL.

14/07/2024

Thank you to all the people who have been so understanding toward me putting an abrupt halt on my art therapy this year as I put time and space into my friends affected by death and massive change this year.

So far I have no regrets about choosing to use my time and emotional capacity as I have 💜

I know many of you were keen to get stuck into Teachers Who Art and we were even about to expand to the eastern shore!

Fear not! I might get it online before the year is up 😏

15/01/2024

Teaching is an important - nay - essential part of our culture.

And it is wonderful.

And exhausting.

And it makes you want to dance!

And sometimes it makes you want to punch people in the face.

Emotion identification and regulation and HEALTHY processing of emotions is key to your surviving the best job on the planet.

Eastern and Western shore sessions of Teachers Who Art will be running this year.

Registrations opening soon!

08/01/2024

CALLING ALL TEACHERS!!

In March we will begin 2024’s Teachers Who Art, a 6 week course run over 6 months (because let’s face it - teachers don’t need MORE rushing to do).

It’s $250 for the 6 sessions. The sessions are super teacher friendly - only once a month for two hours, allowing plenty of time to practice and work through teacher related issues between sessions.

You don’t need any of your own materials but you can bring your own journal if you like.

The first session usually sees us thinking about the things we find hardest about teaching, but that is the ONLY time we discuss teaching specifically. After that it’s up to each of us to apply the learning to the classroom or the personal life (and that choice does not get discussed).

THAT’S RIGHT - you heard correctly, no ‘teacher talk’ in sessions. This is alllllllll about you.

After that first session, I tailor the rest of the sessions to target the big feelings from the group, all without ever having to share any personal thoughts or emotions unless you want to.

Registrations will formally open at the end of January, and by ‘formally’ I simply mean … that’s when I will look at emails and dms specifically 😂