Hi! I’m Léonie, the editor of FurtherBeyond.
I live near Ledbury and I’m studying for a Masters in Creative Writing. I love to write short stories and I’m working on a novel.
A few years ago, when working for a mental health trust in another part of the country, I interviewed men who had experienced mental health problems about things that were helping them to cope.
The men I interviewed talked about doing voluntary work, spending time with friends and family and learning new things. And many said that they were really helped by finding their creative voice, either through poetry, writing, art or music.
It struck me what a powerful tool creativity is in helping us rebuild a sense of identity and self-esteem, and express ourselves on good and bad days.
Since then I’ve also discovered that there’s been a lot of research about how creativity can help people living with mental health problems. I will post some links on the site soon for anyone who would like to read more.
This project is run on an entirely voluntary basis in collaboration with Hereford Men’s Mental Health group.