Join founder of YSM8, Poonam Dhuffer for a series of creative workshops exploring the relationship between mind, body and creativity.  

Expressing yourself through creativity can be a healing balm to anxiety, stress and depression. Extensive research has shown that creative expression helps us to recognise how we are feeling on the inside and the process can reveal new insights and behaviours. When your attention is focused with optimal attentional, your mind and body relax, allowing you to feel more optimistic, present and in a state of flow. 

Poonam has curated a series of workshops with creative collaborators to help you switch off from your digital devices, express yourself through creativity and explore new ways of thinking and creating. Using the mind, body and flow connection to help you slow down, rest and create.  

This series will involve embodiment practices, guided meditation, mindfulness exercises to help you slow down, relax and ground before entering the creative making and exploring part of the workshop.  

Limited capacity

Don’t think, just stitch

This workshop will be led by somatic coach, Poonam Dhuffer and embroidery artist, Nicole Chui. Our workshop centres around relaxation through freestyle hand-stitching on print. We are going to be disrupting images with calming freestyle hand embroidery by stitching colourful threads directly on top of photo prints instead of traditional fabric. This session is also an insight into to Nicole methodology behind my art practice.

Come for a fun, unhinged and untraditional embroidery experience. A great way to be present and socialise with new people, whilst exploring a contemporary medium of art. Don’t think, just stitch, there’s really no pressure!

Please note: no prior experience is needed for this workshop. This workshop is for people aged 16+

Poonam will guide you to engage embodiment practices, mindfulness exercises, self-reflection and collective discussion. These practices are offered with the intention to increase self-awareness, cultivate self-compassion and self-care. Please note that these activities (in the same way as speech/chat) are always optional, and remember to only ever do/ share what is comfortable for you.

About Nicole Chui

Nicole Chui is a Hong Kong born, London based embroidery artist who’s work is messy, brash and disruptive. Through her art’s mix of printed imagery and freestyle hand embroidery, Nicole aims to disrupt perfection, encourage people to break boundaries, and inspire others to embrace their raw emotions. Nicole has worked with the likes of Nike, Converse, Tinie Tempah, Asos, Camden Town Brewery, Manchester United, Adidas, Google, and Wetransfer.

Naturally Creative
24th February

Learn how to develop your creative voice in a way that feels genuine, fun, and complimentary to the structures of everyday life. Join André Anderson of Freedom and Balance and Poonam Dhuffer of YSM8 as we explore an array of ideas, methods, and perspectives to become our natural, most creative selves.

About Freedom & Balance

Andre Anderson is the Founder and Headmaster of Freedom & Balance, an art college based within London. Freedom & Balance design curriculum to help people exercise their creative identity and believe art college is for everyone, and done well, can help people to ask the right questions in new ways, in a world that is ever-changing and in need of solutions.

www.freedomandbalance.com

Stop Procrastinating and Start Creating
7th April 6.30pm

In a world filled with so much information, content and noise, it can be challenging to step away, gain clarity and create. In this workshop, That Feeling When podcast hosts Stef, Daisy and Poonam will help you tune in and explore new ways of thinking and creating to help you get clear on your vision and create with confidence. Our workshop will be interactive, involving creative exploration, embodiment practices and a collective discussion.

If you feel called to attend alone, rest assured you will be in warm company.

Please note: No prior experience is needed for this workshop. This workshop is for people aged 16+.

Zine Making Workshop
4th May

Join illustration and printmaker Aleesha Nandhra, and embodiment coach, Poonam Dhuffer for a mindful zine making workshop. During the duration of this session you will learn how to produce a mini-zine. We will be using prompts and guides to check-in with ourselves and to produce words and/or images for our zines.

Please note: No prior experience is needed for this workshop. This workshop is for people aged 16+.

Poonam will guide you to engage embodiment practices, mindfulness exercises, self-reflection and collective discussion. These practices are offered with the intention to increase self-awareness, cultivate self-compassion and self-care. Please note that these activities (in the same way as speech/chat) are always optional, and remember to only ever do/ share what is comfortable for you.

About YSM8 

Poonam is a somatic coach, facilitator and the founder of YSM8. Our mission is to help people reconnect to their wholeness, reframe their mindset, develop self-compassion, recognise they are enough and help them step in their power. We host wellbeing workshops, talks and hold discussion space for brands, mental health charities, schools, universities and communities. Poonam has delivered workshops and talks for Converse, The V&A, Beats by Dre, FitBit, M&C Saatchi, Moody Month and consultancy for Nike, The Future Laboratory, IKEA, PHE and many more. 

Poonam brings together learnings of somatic healing, mindfulness self-compassion and ancient wisdom from Eastern practices to create relatable, practical and accessible workshops, talks, discussion spaces for everyone.  On a personal level, YSM8 is the mantra she told herself every to wade through tough times and get out of the low funk vibes of anxiety, panic attacks and mild depression. Poonam believes in a Power that permeates everything. She practices light meditation, movement and element healing, which is rooted in oneness and connecting with Mother Earth. 

The Power of Intention 
19th May
4th August

Setting an intention is a conscious heart-centered practice that helps to bring our whole-self into alignment. Everything in our lives begins with an intention. 

Join Collage Club and YSM8 for an evening of mindful making to help us create from our hearts and hands. During this laid-back workshop, you will have the chance to create your own intention cards, using materials from Collage Club’s impressive stash of magazines, paper and shapes. Craft beautiful works of art that also act as practical tools for daily intention setting. 

About Collage Club

Steph Hartman is the founder of Collage Club, a workshop series celebrating the art of cutting and sticking. Her sessions provide a relaxed space in which to explore the process of collage, embracing hands-on techniques and using scissors as a drawing tool. Every workshop is packed with top notch magazines and colourful paper for participants to rip, snip, glue and stick into something brand new.