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We keep asking why anxiety is rising, why school feels harder, and why so many people hit crisis before they get help. Then Natasha drops a simple idea that changes the lens: as we cut play and creativity out of children’s lives, we should not be surprised by the mental health fallout. Natasha is Head of Therapy and Wellbeing at Mind Apart and a HCPC registered drama therapist, and she explains how creative therapy works in the real world, not as a “nice extra”, but as an accessible route into safety, trust, and change.

We talk about what creative therapy actually looks like, from using metaphor in a parent support session to using music, movement, art, and drama to help someone express what words cannot hold. Natasha shares why these approaches can be especially powerful for neurodivergent people, people with English as a second language, and anyone who has tried traditional talking therapy without success. We also explore the trauma-informed side of the work: the chance to revisit a story, rewrite an ending, add missing support, and rebuild a sense of agency without forcing disclosure before someone is ready.

The conversation goes wider too, into education pressure, the long tail of post-pandemic grief and disconnection, and the practical reality of delivering community mental health support while NHS waiting lists stretch into years. Natasha breaks down the funding and contracting pain points that make “neighbourhood health services” hard to deliver, even when outcomes are strong and demand is obvious.

If you want a grounded, hopeful look at creative therapy, prevention, and what mental health support could be when we value emotional wellbeing, hit play. Subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with someone who cares about change.

Connect with A Mind Apart: https://amindapart.org.uk/ 

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Hi, I'm Heidi Fisher, the host of the Make an Impact Podcast.  I'm an impact measurement expert, passionate about helping you make a bigger impact in the world by maximising the impact your services have.

 I can help you to measure, manage and communicate the impact you have better to funders, investors, commissioners and other stakeholders, and to systemise your data collection and analysis so that it frees up time and doesn't become an additional burden.  

I love helping you to measure social and economic impacts, including Social Return on Investment or value for money assessments, as part of understanding the change you make to peoples' lives.

 You can get in touch via LinkedIn or the website makeanimpactcic.co.uk if you'd like to find out more about working with me.