This tool was developed as part of Cultural Cwtsh, which was an online creative wellbeing hub for the health and care workforce in Wales, created by the Arts Council of Wales in collaboration with artists across the country.
In partnership with the Arts Council of Wales, we’re excited to share this mental wellbeing tool, alongside with many other creative resources, with everyone in Wales!
‘Check in’ to your body and ‘check out’ from daily life.
Hello! My name is Thania Acarón and I am an artist, dance movement therapist and founder of The Body Hotel.
I am excited to offer you some creative, movement-based practical tasks which can help you develop body awareness, confidence and reflect on your current support.
As someone who works in the fields of arts, mental health and higher education, I can empathise with how, as caring professionals, we often put other people first, and self-care can prove challenging with our busy schedule.
The idea behind this video series is to ‘check in’ to your body and ‘check out’ from daily life, even only for a few minutes! The exercises here can be done in any type of space, and how you feel most comfortable.
I offer two main tasks:
1) a quick body check-in
2) a creative movement reflection which will help you energise, recharge or unwind before, during or after your busy day.
You do not need any movement experience, and activities are open for people of all abilities.
In these exercises, I draw upon my training as a dance movement therapist and working in the field of burnout prevention for many years to offer quick ideas, suggestions and short activities to get you moving while supporting your wellbeing (while keeping things light and fun).
Our bodies usually know what is going on before we are even aware, and movement is the key to understanding how we engage with others. Some people may have the notion that dance is ‘only for the theatre or TV’ and may even say ‘I don’t dance’ or ‘I have two left feet’.
If you do feel that way, I hope these videos change your mind! We are all movers and by moving we can really tune in to what is going on with us and get fresh perspectives.
Check out some of the basic principles via my intro, and then you can do one video at a time, or all three if you have more time. You can always pause and explore your own ways of moving. There is no specific sequence to the videos – just check whether you need to Energise, Recharge and/or Unwind, and click away!
Thania Acarón, founder The Body Hotel
Video: Sam Irving
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