munn
asha
my artistic voice
collaborations projects & group work
Together with Amber Walls, I am a co-founder of Creative Collaborative. Both together and separately we have won multiple awards for the work we do. Informed by the work of creative collaborative we support people to identify what they need to make positive changes in their own lives by using tried and tested (evidence-informed) creative approaches to help participants get involved, look at life with fresh eyes, try new things, and grow their personal strengths and strategies for coping and thriving. We work nationally and internationally and are involved in several New Zealand national art and wellbeing strategies to support sector visibility and growth.
Our projects explore important themes such as identity, belonging and connection, resilience and coping. The therapeutic or safe environment we provide enables young people to build personal strength and confidence. We may also bring in other professionals or mentors to take part in and support our work. We utilise different art forms, often working towards a group outcome or showcase, but the emphasis is always on supporting each participant to work towards their own goals whilst building supportive relationships with peers and adults.
"she developed a model of working which draws on socially engaged art practice and photography, putting to the test her belief in the benefits of and connection between art, the landscape, and wellbeing when working with adolescents. So, what Asha is offering breaks with tradition. For these teenagers, their home lives are often in chaos and the reality of their lives cannot be separated off from experience. The interaction between each participant, art therapist/artist, team, art media, other group members, gallery space and landscape allowed for different forms and levels of meaningful engagement."
young people that we work with say that art therapy helps them to:
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Be more aware of who they are, and their personal strengths
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Grow their confidence, self-belief, self-esteem, motivation, and ambition
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Feel proud of who they are and what they can achieve
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Learn new techniques for coping and managing life situations
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See things differently
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Discover new skills and interests
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Show friends, whanau and significant others what they can achieve
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Make new friends, go back to education, volunteer, go new places
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Express difficult things, in their own voice