Teaching can be incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with stress and emotional demands. Cultivating Teacher Wellness Through Art is a eight-week course designed to help educators use art as a tool for self-care, mindfulness, and stress relief. Participants will explore a variety of artistic practices, including visual journaling, movement, music, and mindful observation, to enhance their well-being. No prior art experience is necessary! By the end of the course, educators will have a personalized creative wellness plan to sustain their mental and emotional health throughout the school year.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain how creative expression supports emotional regulation, reduces stress, and enhances mindfulness.
• Identify personal creative practices that contribute to self-care and mental wellness.
• Explore and implement various art-based self-care techniques, such as visual journaling, movement-based creativity, and nature-inspired art.
• Establish a sustainable creative practice that fosters well-being beyond the course.
• Use art as a tool for personal reflection, self-expression, and emotional processing.
• Experiment with different artistic mediums and low-stakes creative activities without fear of judgment or perfection.
• Recognize the role of play and experimentation in stress relief and personal growth.
• Develop strategies to incorporate creativity and self-care practices into professional and classroom settings.
• Explore ways to model and encourage creativity and well-being in students.
• Provide constructive feedback and encouragement to peers, fostering a supportive learning environment.
• Create a personalized Creative Wellness Plan to maintain artistic self-care beyond the course.