This site uses cookies to enhance the functionality of the site.

Non-acceptance may result in the site not functioning as expected.

The More button will take you to our Privacy Policy page.

 

Lapidus News

Words, wellness and writing!

Here's Why BAME is A No Go Term for Minority Ethnic (ME) Communities

Since the Black Lives Matter movement drew us closer to the reality of racism in the world today, the term ‘BAME’, meaning ‘Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic’ has been bandied about everywhere.

I don’t do ‘BAME’. I don’t like the term that is. I am BAME, according to someone who made up the acronym. But do I want to be? Why should I? Do you like being called ‘White’? Black? Asian? And having that pointed out on forms, in funding calls and in research?

Continue reading
  1384 Hits
  0 Comments
1384 Hits
0 Comments

Creative Writing for Wellbeing under lockdown: Zoom’s double-edged sword

Professor Tony Wall reports on a lockdown study of 100 therapeutic writers carried out by Lapidus International.

A new national study by the University of Chester and Lapidus examines how creative writing for therapeutic purposes provision changed under the first lockdown of 2020. The study focused on the top 1% most health deprived areas in England (clustered into 16 areas) and combines web analyses, virtual focus groups and interviews, to find out how provision changed, how these changes impacted people, who had been excluded, and what is needed at the local level.

Continue reading
  1954 Hits
  0 Comments
1954 Hits
0 Comments

Mirror image – an opportunity for cultural practitioners to reflect on wellbeing, organised by the Cultural, Health and Wellbeing Alliance (CHWA)

On Thursday 3rd October I attended a symposium in response to Francesca’s facebook suggestion. As I live in Birmingham, I jumped at booking a ticket, without any expectations other than to enjoy a few hours on reflecting on wellbeing.

Nicola Naismith, author of ‘Artists Practicing Well’ opened the event introducing her research on how practitioners have a responsibility to practice self-care. Even though, there are good practice guidelines helping organisations and freelancers to deliver activities for wellbeing, Nicola has found through her research that there is limited support for practitioner wellbeing.

Nicolas’s report recognizes that the self-care of the practitioner should be a team effort, involving the commissioner, organizational leader, funder, policy maker. This is necessary for practitioners not to feel isolated. See synopsis of report.

Continue reading
  1857 Hits
  0 Comments
Tags:
1857 Hits
0 Comments

'Arts and Health' for trainee GPs

 

We often talk at Lapidus events about the potential for social prescribing.  People say how wonderful it would be if GPs had more understanding of the potential of CWTP and related practice to promote health and well-being.

Continue reading
  2134 Hits
  0 Comments
2134 Hits
0 Comments

Some Reflections on a Day of Helping Women Writers Write

I feel really lucky to have been at the Mslexicon event in Leeds last weekend (12th/13th July). It was a dynamic and supportive conference for women who write and I can honestly say I have never experienced anything like it in my life before.

Continue reading
  3863 Hits
  0 Comments
3863 Hits
0 Comments

Attending the National Association for Poetry Therapy Conference

This year I was a first time attendee at the NAPT Annual Conference and this was my first time in America. The theme of the conference was Poetry Therapy in a changing world: Pathways to Growth, Healing and Social Justice and was held at the Conference Centre in Chaska, Minneapolis.

Continue reading
  2830 Hits
  1 Comment
Recent comment in this post
Guest — Barbara Bloomfield
Thank you so much for this heartfelt picture postcard from Minnesota. I really enjoyed reading it. Barbara
Sunday, 27 May 2018 10:31
2830 Hits
1 Comment

Thank you Stephen - London Lapidus

 

Last Saturday, 30th September, instead of our usual meeting at the Poetry Cafe, London Lapidus met in Tate Britian and had a very interesting, thought provoking  and inspiring afternoon.

Continue reading
  2434 Hits
  0 Comments
2434 Hits
0 Comments