It’s not too late to submit your works of art and go in the running to win a cash reward for this years’ Mental Health Week Art Competition.
All past and present consumers, families, carers, and Monash Health employees are encouraged to enter their masterpieces before the closing deadline on 1 September 2023.
Artwork can be submitted under several voting categories including Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander, Adult Consumers (18+), Family/Carer, Child and Youth Consumers (0-18) and Monash Health Staff.
The artwork that receives the most votes in each category will be purchased by the Mental Health Program for $300, and will be displayed across our Monash Health sites.
Let your creativity flow and enter now for the chance to win a cash prize.
The beneficial impact art can have on mental health is tried and true – and our very own Art Therapist in the Expressive Therapies team at the South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault (SECASA), Stephanie, couldn’t agree more.
“People don’t realise they are disconnected from their emotions, and art can really help unlock them,” she said.
Our Sexual Assault and Family Violence Service provides services across South-East Metropolitan Melbourne, with art therapy proving invaluable in helping victims process and heal from their trauma.
“Art therapy is a very accessible therapeutic modality for people when sometimes it’s just too difficult for them to speak aloud about it,” Stephanie said.
“If you’ve been through something horrendous and terrifying, how do you capture the extreme intensity of that feeling into a word? Art is a powerful way to capture these, and even subconscious thoughts people aren’t acutely aware of.”
Art Therapy has always held a very special place in Stephanie’s heart.
SECASA currently offers art therapy sessions to clients of the service who can access up to six one-on-one sessions.
A range of art therapy group programs and workshops are also available, running for 6-8 weeks at a time, to help survivors cope with their trauma.
“Our patients are using art as a tool to empower themselves and get back in touch with who they were before they were assaulted,” Stephanie said.
“We make art therapy a very nourishing, strengths focused, and calming experience and it has been very effective at helping them bypass their shame and strengthen their identities.”
For Stephanie, art has always and will always be her “life raft”.
“Art has always been my friend and a place I can draw and write about really difficult things in my life, and no one can take it away from you,” she said.
SECASA offers a variety of art therapy sessions to survivors of sexual assault.
As part of the art competition, three encouragement awards will be selected by the Mental Health Complaints Commissioner, the Mental Health Consumer and Family/Carer Advisory Committee and Maxxia, that will also be purchased for $300.
After the successful implementation of a new Artist of the Year award last year, a winner will also be crowned again for 2023 and receive an extra $100 for having the highest number of total votes across any category.
The winners will be announced at an Awards Ceremony on the evening of 10 October at the Mulgrave Country Club.
To enter, head to the Consumer and Family/Carer intranet page for further information and to download an application form before the closing deadline on 1 September.
Approved by Paula Hakesley, General Manager, Mental Health