An exploration of movement- & community-based interventions for wellbeing
My research sought to examine the impact of a Yoga & Mindfulness class taking place at the Castlehaven Community Centre, aimed at women with depression and anxiety, and which is also accessible on social prescription. I also aimed to explore social prescribing as an additional pathway through which more vulnerable individuals might access support as well as take part in health and wellbeing activities at the centre.
The biological, psycho-social & behavioural pathways through which ACEs ‘get under the skin’
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) result from exposure to abuse, neglect, or traumatic living conditions, such as parental conflict or substance abuse, occurring before the age of 18. There is a vast body of literature demonstrating the pernicious effects of ACEs on physical and mental health outcomes throughout the lifecourse, including cardiovascular health risks and outcomes.
Reclaiming the ‘lived-body’: Mind-body dualism, agency & embodiment
In opposition to Western biomedical practice, where the individual is relegated to a ‘passive recipient of care’, creative health – a still nascent field of research and practice – invites a more active, indeed, embodied stance. In prompting action and movement, and encouraging a turning inwards, embodied practices in particular have great potential for restoring agency and thus creating the conditions for health.
An evidence review of singing-based interventions for health & wellbeing
Singing is widely accepted as the earliest form of music-making, spanning millennia and being practised among cultures the world over. It has long brought people together, serving a communal and connective purpose, rendering it “fundamental to the human experience”, while also providing a means for emotional processing.