Sarah Armstrong

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week this week and I’ve been thinking about how quickly we can judge other people without seeing the whole story. The truth is we only ever see a snapshot of other people’s lives especially here in social media land! Creative activity can help us pause and change our thinking, this allows us to judge less and approach the world with curiosity and compassion. Try something creative for some calm time this week! 😊 #mentalhealthawarenessweek #thecreativitymindset #creativityforcalm #artforwellbeing

Creativity, connection and a room full of inspired minds ✨ Our last Tuesday Coffee Club was all about being creative and discovering that creativity isn’t reserved for artists… it’s something we all carry within us, and an important tool to help keep our minds healthy, regulated and alive. The Bean Network welcomed Sarah from The Creative Mindset, (@the_creativity_mindset ) who completely captivated the room as she shared the science behind creativity and the powerful impact creative activities can have on both our minds and bodies. Everyone joined in with a Hirameki exercise (meaning “a flash of inspiration” or “brainwave”), and it brought so much joy, laughter and unexpected creativity into the space. Thank you Sarah for such an inspiring and thought-provoking talk. At our next Coffee Club we are excited to welcome Avantika, @avantikajhanji who will take us on a journey through tarot and intuition. Avantika is an empowerment coach who supports women through one-to-one and group coaching and mentorship, helping them trust their intuition, build confidence and step into their power using tarot and astrology as transformational tools. We would love to see you on 26th May at 1 Mill Street for another Bean Coffee morning of connection, conversation and meeting amazing souls. Thank you to everyone who joined us in April. We can’t wait to welcome you back. Thank you @1millstreet for ‘BEAN our happy home’. Love, Clare, Zoe & Ana 🌈 📷Pics @anafrantzphotography_ The Bean group shot by our amazing @laura__deakin

Becoming a mum was amazing, but also isolating at times. Those early days can feel repetitive, uncertain and, if I’m honest, a little thankless. Everything changes so quickly and our brains don’t cope brilliantly with that constant uncertainty. What helped me most was finding people who got it. The messages in the middle of the night. The shared questions and reassurance. I didn’t use creativity much back then. It probably felt like too much. But now I see how even small creative moments can create space to think and breathe. If you’re finding parenting hard right now, you’re not alone. And if you need someone to talk to, please do reach out. I’m always happy to listen. #MaternalMentalHealthWeek #ParentingSupport #MentalFitness #TheCreativityMindset

First week of #TheArtfulHabit with @stoneleigh_arms_arts_space . I forgot recently how important creative time is for my own #mentalfitness and structuring time for being creative back into my diary has become important as I continue to build #TheCreativityMindset! What a wonderful first session thanks so much Sarah, Maddie and Katy I loved every minute!!

I love seeing other people embrace their creativity! Flying Monkey Dragon by Natalie @this.one.precious.life is just awesome - enjoy everyone! 🐵 🐉

Where we shot vs. what I created 📸 @flossandbea Meet Sarah : Sarah Armstrong, the founder of @the_creativity_mindset has a combined experience of over 15 years of senior leadership experience with a Master’s in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health to help people and teams reduce stress, reset unhelpful thought patterns, and build long-term resilience. As a Drawing and Talking Practitioner, a member of the Applied Neuroscience Association, and a graduate of King’s College London’s psychology and neuroscience programme, she brings both scientific understanding and human warmth to every session she delivers. Location @greybarnevents Business Retreat @vicki.femalefounders & @hannahjaneodonnell #womenentrepreneurs #creativepeople #neuroscience #stressintheworkplace

Happy Easter everyone! I hope it is a restful weekend xxx

Try this today or when you have a couple of minutes to spare: Draw your day using just 3 shapes. Or if it feels better, just use one colour to move across the page. No words. No detail. No pressure. It’s a simple way to process what’s happened without overthinking it. Good for children. Just as useful for adults. #CreativeCalm #TheCreativityMindset #CalmKidsCalmParents

When our brains are stressed they scan for danger. This is a survival tactic but it can make the world feel tense or overwhelming. Creative activity can help reset that response. Drawing, building, painting or making something with our hands slows our thinking down and helps the brain settle. Sometimes simple creative moments can bring calm that conversation alone cannot. #CreativeCalm #TheCreativityMindset #ParentingSupport #Neurodiversity

For many people, creativity isn’t just a hobby. This can be especially true for those who are neurodiverse. It can be a way to process our emotions, organise our thoughts, and make sense of things when words don’t quite come. I’m learning more about this as members of our family go through the neurodiversity assessment process. This is a project I’m painting about shame and fear (a bit dark I know), but I am working on personifying these emotions to process them better. Sometimes a quiet moment with paint or a pencil creates the kind of thinking space that talking alone doesn’t. #Neurodiversity #CreativeThinking #ArtForWellbeing #NeurodivergentMinds #TheCreativityMindset

This week is #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek2026 and the theme is ‘This is my place’. We sometimes struggle in our house with #emotionalregulation, especially post-school (#afterschoolrestraintcollapse) and so I am working hard to make home a space of regulation and calm. This post is about how sometimes we achieve that accidentally in the simplest of ways!? We had had a rather difficult day, particularly transitioning from one activity to the next, and this simple activity (which my young person led) settled her beautifully and made our evening much easier. Sometimes when I let her lead us, we find the most creative and wonderful ways to connect and support one another! I absolutely recommend a duck #mandala! 🦆 #TheCreativityMindset

Everyone can be creative! This week my daughter told me she had something called “input time” at school. As if she’s a machine, and that made me feel a bit sad 😢 At school, and work, we often have to focus on outcomes - results, progress, targets. Creativity offers something different. Time without measurement. Process without pressure or assessment. 💛 Here's your permission to know that - not everything valuable needs an outcome. Try not to judge your results, just begin something creative and notice how it feels! #ChildrensWellbeing #CreativeProcess #ParentReflection #MentalHealthInChildren #TheCreativityMindset