The Creative Practices for Wellbeing Toolkit

[Arnold Korotkin]

"Abstract: The Creative Practices for Wellbeing Toolkit is a resource developed by Joanne McCuaig and Dr. Katharina Karcher. Informed by more than five years of fieldwork and an international online survey, it highlights how activities such as art, writing, gardening, music, sports, and spiritual practices can foster healing, emotional expression, and community connection. The toolkit defines creative practices as imaginative processes rather than outcomes, emphasizing their beneficial impact on participants’ wellbeing. Our research shows that most individuals discover creative practices independently but many would value more support (with 92% expressing a desire for more guidance). Real-life examples discussed in the toolkit include photography, journaling, knitting, and collaborative projects. The toolkit stresses the importance of inclusivity, recommending flexible formats and sensitivity to physical and psychological needs. Whilst developed for and with people with lived experience of terrorist violence and organizations supporting such individuals, we hope that the toolkit can also be of value to victims of crime, refugees, and others seeking creative pathways to wellbeing."

The full toolkit can be found here: https://blog.bham.ac.uk/urbterr/wp-content/uploads/sites/93/2026/02/Toolkit-English-final.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawQKhf9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFjclRaZ2VCOXJTaXg0VUE2c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHlmf_8uUhSJNnr8igjQox6zB-GD0EbQhyd0aW2WhEu6dU-ACU_zYkepyO-AR_aem_bCvW-R_E3kMvb4zaNaS6Bw