Lauren Hovelroud  (Kelvin Grove State College )
- October 2019

​Having experienced now two sessions of Mindful doodling I have enjoyed it immensely - both personally and professionally - and found it beneficial to my work as a teacher in many ways as well.

Firstly, as a process that does not necessarily come easy to me, mindful doodling creates a calm and safe space for me to stop, clear my mind and escape the realities of my worries, anxieties, concerns and that ever growing to-do list to pause for deep and meaningful reflection. I have found that the experience as a participant in a mindful doodling workshop has given me a variety of strategies to incorporate in my own practice to be more mindful, present and to stop purposefully, quietly and meaningfully for reflection and contemplation. The physical process also of creatively doodling my thoughts onto the page in chunky crayons was fun, nostalgic and I felt allowed me to be very expressive. It also helped me to work through my thoughts and thinking about thinking.

Secondly, I hope to incorporate and experiment with some strategies and techniques of mindful doodling with my own students, both in reflective exercises and in creative mind-mapping exercises, and to also generally promote healthy mindful practices. I think what I also find valuable personally and professionally is that mindful doodling creates a safe and expressive space for exploring thoughts, feelings, thinking and problems in a way myself and my students haven't done or don't stop to do.

I would recommend this experience to anybody, any teacher, student or human being!

Feedback from group sessions - August 2019

​* Excellent content to absorb for reflection, and to put into practice

​* Thank you - well organised - lots of food for thought

​* Incredible how quickly the guided drawing opens you up and draws you out, would have liked a longer session.

Kim - March 2019

​I strongly recommend drawing therapy! I am a 23 year old who has struggled with anxiety for 5 years. I am an introvert who sometimes struggles to express myself fully with words. I found that drawing therapy bridged this gap and enabled me to express my true feelings and explore the roots of my anxiety. In the sessions I was guided as I drew pictures, which often lead to identifying metaphors of situations in my own life. Exploring and addressing these things truly helped me to gain perspective and move past a lot of my anxieties. We also discussed various techniques including the power and simplicity of being mindful in my day to day life. At the end of each session, we would review what we had talked about, and I was given practical homework which helped me get into the habit of being mindful.

Robbie - March 2018

I felt like I was in silent therapy with myself! Ha...ha.. This time is so valuable

Matthew Meharg  (Geebung State School)
-  December 2016

Thanks so much for your engagement with our students. Judging by the students' feedback your sessions have had a positive effect on them.  Some of the feedback statements are very powerful. Thanks so much for your time.  I look forward to talking with the teachers about our plans for 2017.