BIG SPRING – A free painting session offered as a method of coping with mental illness will be offered by West Texas Centers May 9 in Big Spring.
The two-hour offering “Abstracting the Stigma – Shining the Light on Mental Health and Self-Care with Canvas and Brush” will begin at 6 p.m. at The Railroad Venue, 100 N. Goliad St., Big Spring, TX.
Reservations are required for the two-hour session and can be obtained by contacting Amy Vidal at amy.vidal@wtcmhmr.org of 432 264-3256. T-shirts will be provided for the first 50 registrants.
Participants are limited to those 15 ages and older.
Materials will be provided.
In addition to learning about painting as an avenue to manage depression, mental illness and anxiety, participants will be eligible for door prizes. Refreshments will be available.
West Texas Centers CEO Shelley Smith, LMSW, will speak briefly on living with mental illness and how promoting self-care is a viable avenue in improving mental health.
“Self-care must be a part of our daily lives,” Smith said. “It’s been proven that those who practice self-care, whether it’s setting aside time to exercise, meditate, journal, or make time to see friends and family have healthier outlooks on life.”
“Not only does practicing self-care help your outlook but it also lowers stress and cortisol levels, more commonly known as the stress hormone. High stress is detrimental to your overall health. We thought painting would be an easy and effective way to lower stress and assist with achieving strong mental health.”
Self-care booths also will be available to participants, Smith said.
“We would not be able to present this free event to the community without the generous support of our sponsors,” she said. “They are invested in the mental health of our community and recognize that creative outlets can assist those struggling with stress and mental health.”
Sponsors for Abstracting the Stigma are: Elevate Energy Resources, San Gabriel Psychiatry, Gloria Pierce, Legacy Real Estate, The Railroad Venue, The Doss Team Real Estate, Najam Hasan, The Wood Group and West Texas Centers.
West Texas Centers serves more than 2,000 consumers and their families every month in a 23-county area in rural West Texas through mental health centers and clinics.
Counties served include: Andrews, Borden, Crane, Dawson, Fisher, Gaines, Garza, Glasscock, Howard, Kent, Loving, Martin, Mitchell, Nolan, Reeves, Runnels, Scurry, Terrell, Terry, Upton, Ward, Winkler and Yoakum counties.
(Photo: Unsplash)
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