The Colours of Morning

It’s called “The Colours of Morning” because there is a reason why the word “mourning” sounds like “morning”. It signifies a new dawn and a new beginning.

This is a Narrative Psychology & Art Medicine-based Bereavement Circle.

A 2-hour group session – (maximum 10 Participants.) with all art & sensory materials are provided.

The session provides a therapeutic environment which promotes relaxation, self-care and time for participants to replenish and nurture their well-being.

During these sessions, we let our thoughts, feeling, and behaviours flow in a loving and serene atmosphere. We talk, make candles and plant trees.

These are sessions focused on self-love and self-care. We are providing participants with creative experiences in a therapeutic & nurturing environment.

The Morning Garden

The Colours of Morning Memorial Garden that accompanies the circle was developed by fate. Our Jubilee Festival included the creation of the Theatre Garden and planting The Queens’ Green Canopy (QGC) trees.

Some of these saplings were too small to be placed outside the fence of the Theatre Garden. On June 23^rd (my sister’s birthday), I planted them in the wildflower garden section of the garden in memory of both my sisters.

Given the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022, and these being QGC trees, this section of the garden is now rightly named the “Memorial Garden” section or The Morning Garden.

Participants of The Colours of Morning Circle are invited to plant a tree, plant or shrub in the garden as an act of remembrance or release.

Candle-Making Therapy

The Colours of Morning Angel’s Whisper Memorial Candle-Making activities. Combines talk therapy, and colour therapy with aromatherapy and creative and artistic pursuits.

We seek to hold on and let go when a loved one dies. This is a contradiction that causes emotional turmoil in the grieving process.

By making your own candle and releasing your thoughts, feelings and emotions into your hand-poured candle, you release your grief, once preserving your memories.

Some participants decide to use a container or cup they associate with their loved one to make their candles in. These individuals find that hand-pouring a candle they have made into a loved one’s cup, which is now a candle, is a comfort during the grieving process.

Storytelling – Narrative Psychology

Narrative therapy is sometimes known as involving ‘re-authoring’ or ‘re-storying’ conversations. Our lives are multistoried. There are many stories occurring at the same time, and different stories can be told about the same events. No single story can be free of ambiguity or contradiction ,and no single story can encapsulate or handle all the contingencies of life.

There are several recognised benefits to engaging in narrative-based therapies. For example, the opportunity for a bereaved person to narrate their grief experience provides an opportunity for others to form a deeper understanding of the loss that person has gone through. The opportunity to create a story allows individuals to understand their own emotional traumas in a more coherent manner.