Cultivating Creative Wellbeing: A Professional Development Session with Palmdale Educators
Last week, we had the privilege of facilitating a Professional Development (PD) session with Palmdale staff, an inspiring experience that highlighted the power of creativity in fostering wellbeing, community, and personal expression. This session was part of Creative Wellbeing, a project of the Arts Ed Collective, developed in collaboration with the LA County Department of Arts and Culture and the Arts for Healing and Justice Network. Together, we are working to advance the goals of the LA County Regional Blueprint for Arts Education, ensuring that creative expression remains at the heart of learning and healing.
Exploring Identity Through Collage
The focus of our session was exploring identity, storytelling, and mindfulness through visual arts. Using a hands-on collage-making exercise, educators engaged in a process that not only encouraged artistic expression but also provided a tool for fostering student engagement in the classroom.
The works created were vibrant, expressive, and deeply personal—each piece a reflection of the educator’s inner world, experiences, and emotions. Using a mix of torn textures, color blocking, and striking imagery, participants layered materials to craft powerful visual narratives.
💡 Why collage? Collage allows for freedom and intuition—no prior artistic experience is necessary, and every choice (a torn edge, a layered image, a repeated pattern) contributes to the storytelling process. This process can be incredibly healing for both educators and students, as it promotes self-reflection, emotional release, and mindfulness.
Art as a Tool for Educator Wellness
As teachers, counselors, and school leaders, we often focus on supporting students' wellbeing, but how often do we center our own? This session reminded us that art is a powerful tool for stress relief, self-discovery, and renewal—one that educators can use not only for their students but for themselves.
Some of the key takeaways included:
✨ Art as Self-Care – Engaging in creative expression reduces stress and fosters a sense of peace.
✨ Collage as Storytelling – Layering images, textures, and patterns allows for deep personal reflection.
✨ Creative Wellbeing in the Classroom – Integrating artistic practices can enhance student learning, emotional expression, and engagement.
Bringing Creative Wellbeing to More Classrooms
This series is part of a broader effort to ensure that educators and students have access to arts-based wellness strategies that support emotional resilience and community-building. Through partnerships with Creative Wellbeing, the Arts Ed Collective, and the Arts for Healing and Justice Network, we aim to expand arts education, particularly in underserved communities, so that creativity can continue to serve as a tool for healing, growth, and empowerment.
Join the Movement
Are you an educator looking to bring Creative Wellbeing into your school or classroom? Let’s continue the conversation! Reach out to learn how you can incorporate arts-based wellness practices into your curriculum and professional development.
🖌️ Stay Inspired, Keep Creating, and Cultivate Wellbeing Through the Arts! 🎨
