Peer support creates hope, connection, builds a community of support and resources, supporting recovery from perinatal mental health illness. Women have created amazing art work expressing their journey on Mas, highlighting the power of peer support. The art was launched at two special events in 2 Royal Avenue, Belfast and The Void Gallery, Derry~Londonderry. We also launched our After the Storm Campaign, inspired by the title of Strathfoyle Women’s Activity Centre art work.
The creativity of the women reinforces the necessity and impact of community peer support, inspiring hope for other women who may be struggling and creates awareness, breaking the stigma in maternal mental health.
#afterthestorm
#masmatter
The After the Storm campaign was inspired by the artwork of the Strathfoyle Mas group. Our piece is called “After the Storm”. It represents our journey through MAS, it shows the 3 stages from where we started to where we aim to be.
The first canvas represents the darkness, where it all began… our postnatal depression. The time where we felt the lowest, the loneliest and where we felt rock bottom.
The second canvas represents the hope and connection… it is reaching out for help. The rainbow is so important in this picture as the rainbow connect us from the darkness to the light. For us woman living in the rural area of Strathfoyle.
The Strathfoyle Women’s Group was the pillar of hope for us. The centre offered us the MAS project in our darkest time, which introduced us to Fiona and connected us to each other where we together have built a support system and felt we could share our journey’s without judgement and in a way build each other back up from the bottom. The girls at Strathfoyle have been our backbone in a way and we are all so grateful to have them in our community.
Windsor Women’s Centre Hope & Connection art work
Mycelium is what the fungi actually is, we usually only see the fruiting body and call it ‘mushroom’. Mycelium creates vast, hidden networks, connecting plants by their roots, supporting water and mineral exchange. It was an inspiration for this piece, which symbolises hidden and often invisible connections that women make by simply existing in same space – Quietly and continuously supporting one another. One woman said: “The connection theme spoke to me about family and nature and so we had the idea to forage for sticks and use them as frames for picture of our families.” Another woman said: “I choose to paint as it is therapeutic for me and allows me to be mindful of the hope that attending the MAs group brings me. I have loved being a part of the group and it has help me have a more positive outlook.”
‘Mas group has become a real lifeline for me as I’ve tried to get back to myself after becoming a mum. When my son was born I didn’t experience the happiness and joy I thought was normal with the arrival of a baby, and was soon diagnosed with postpartum depression. I found it hard to bond with my baby, didn’t want to leave the house and was extremely sleep deprived. I went to the GP and didn’t receive any support, and soon realised that if I wanted to get better I’d have to do it myself! It was at this, my lowest point, when I joined my local Mas group, and it’s been such a relief to find a community of women who live in my area who are going through the same thing. I really look forward to seeing everyone each week, and getting to take time to do crafts and chat is so lovely. I’ve made great friends in a very short period of time, and as my son is getting older I feel more able to face the day knowing I have a group of wonderful, supportive women behind me!’
‘Hear me , speak!’
The women from The Women’s Centre Derry Mas group have created a piece to represent how they felt when going to speak about their low mood and anxiety after having their baby. They didn’t feel like they were being ‘heard’. The words they used to express how they felt and the words that were said back to them. They will attach photos between this piece , photos that show how they became hopeful and started to build connections. Then these photos will attach to another piece which represents them finding their voice and all the positive words that came from joining a group and letting them speak out.
Roots that Remain
This title and piece by Atlas Centre, Lisburn Mas group conveys the foundational support and interconnected growth provided by both the trees roots and the supportive network of Mas. A trees roots and the Atlas Mas group share similarities in support, growth and interconnectedness.
Rising From Trauma
This piece of work was created by Atlas Centre, Lisburn Mas project and represents the journey as mums in todays pressure cooker of a world. The bottom piece is a representation of trauma and prejudice they may have encountered along the way. The egg shells represent how mums can feel like they are walking on egg shells The top piece the mums created to represent themselves and their children.
The Mas project at The Falls Women’s Centre artwork captures their thoughts on what brings hope and connection: Flowers, nature, helping others, Mas, talking and sharing – the power of peer support.
Ballybeen Women’s Centre Mas group created a tree to capture their journey of After the Storm, highlighting themes of hope and connection on their perinatal journey.
The roots of the tree represent the groups foundations values, beliefs.
The trunk of the tree is what maintains wellbeing : MAs, connections, support, self care.
The leaves of the tree are handprints from all of the women’s children, symbolising hopes for the future.
The butterflies are a symbol of women within the group who have lost babies.
“Clothes Line”
Have a look at the beautiful visual art the Young Mums from Atlas Women’s Centre have created, our little washing line which captures the day and daily life as a young mum: completing the household chores alongside accepting our new identity, the words on the vests give us a glimpse of the joys and challenges of motherhood as a young woman.
