Featured Post from Aston University

Psychology students launch creative sessions to support wellbeing through art

Dec 22, 2022

3 min



  • The Aston Creative Wellbeing Group is run and facilitated by Aston University psychology students
  • The group brings students together outside of class with an aim of supporting health and wellbeing through art
  • The group will be running another nine sessions in spring 2023 due to its popularity.


A student-led creative wellbeing group has been set up by psychology students at Aston University, with the help of their tutor, to connect student participants through art and help enhance their wellbeing.


The Aston Creative Wellbeing Group, which showcases its creative work on its Instagram page, was so well attended in the autumn term - with more than 120 participants - it is now planning another nine sessions meeting weekly during the spring term to continue its mission to bring students together and support wellbeing.


With some initial funding from the University welfare team to purchase ‘start up’ materials, the group ran a range of sessions including rock painting, making postcards, learning to crochet, painting and drawing and making festive decorations during the autumn 2022 term.


Dr Kate Nicholls, senior personal tutor and teaching fellow in psychology at Aston University, explained why she supported the group to set up.


Kate said: "I was keen to develop some student-led initiatives to support health and wellbeing in the School of Psychology. I also hoped it would help the students develop their professional skills and the practical application of their psychological knowledge.


"It was art making and creative activities that sparked an interest from some final year psychology students and the Aston Creative Wellbeing Group was born. The group wanted to use the arts to enhance wellbeing, using creative activities to explore sense-making, aesthetic appreciation, provide entertainment and friendships.”


Karla Hitchins, a final year psychology student who set up the group, said: “Running the group slides in nicely with my interests in art psychotherapy, but I also really enjoy arts and crafts in my own time. It has been great fun to facilitate this group.


“The aim of the sessions is for people to have a safe space where they can connect with their creative side, as well as with other students. At the University, there are wellbeing and counselling services, but I don’t think there is anything quite like this.


“Having somewhere to express your feelings, or to just have a creative outlet is incredibly important and I hope that eventually there will be more arts-based interventions for mental health and wellbeing at all universities.”


Psychology student and group facilitator, Molly-Emma Taylor, said: “I've experienced a few mental health wobbles during this term, so having the wellbeing sessions has helped me a lot.

"For example, the painting session was an amazing way to let out some pent-up feelings and it gave me time to connect with friends. I don't think I would have got so much out of it had I simply painted alone.

“I think that the theme of everyone banding together every two weeks and making art, in whatever form it may be, is pretty awesome. It's always fun to see what everyone makes.

“The social media aspect of the group on Instagram is nice too, because it means even if someone wasn't able to make it to a session they can still feel like a part of group and see what other people created.”


Jacqueline Maloney, mental health specialist at Aston University said: "As a mental health specialist at the University, I have been thrilled to help promote and support our psychology Students’ initiative to provide creative wellbeing activities for our students.

"I am a big believer in the therapeutic potential of the arts and through participation in these sessions I have witnessed students relaxing, laughing, trying new crafts, and enjoying time in creative endeavours. I am so pleased that this session will be continued into 2023."


For more information about studying psychology at Aston University, please visit our website.


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The work by Professor Bailey and his colleagues at Aston University has contributed to metformin’s recognition as the primary treatment worldwide for type 2 diabetes. Today, at least half of all patients in Western countries are prescribed metformin — an incredibly cost-effective medicine that continues to save lives. “We identified early on that gut hormones such as GIP were central players in the control of blood glucose and body weight — long before they became the basis for today’s new generation of anti-obesity medicines.” This original research helped lay the scientific foundation for breakthrough treatments like tirzepatide, widely hailed as a game-changer in obesity and diabetes care. 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About Cliff Bailey is Emeritus Professor of Clinical Science and Anniversary Professor at Aston University in Birmingham, England. He has served on medical and scientific committees of Diabetes UK (formerly the British Diabetic Association), Society for Endocrinology, and European Association for the Study of Diabetes. He has served as a diabetes expert for the approval of new medicines by regulatory agencies including the European Medicines Agency and NICE. His research is mainly directed towards the pathogenesis and treatment of diabetes, especially the development of new agents to improve insulin action and reduce obesity, and the therapeutic application of surrogate beta-cells. Dr Bailey has published over 400 research papers and reviews, and four books, and he is particularly known for research on metformin. References to Case Studies and Key Sources Bailey CJ et al. Metformin: Changing the Treatment Algorithm for Type 2 Diabetes. Aston University REF Impact Case Study, 2014. Bailey CJ. Metformin: Historical Overview. Diabetologia, 2017. Bailey CJ & Day C. Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes: Future Approaches. British Medical Bulletin, 2018.

4 min

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I am excited to see which questions will be pursued in further research and the positive impacts these will have on the lives of deaf children!” Dr Sian Lickess, Research and Analysis Lead at the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “We are proud to have supported this important partnership, which has brought together the voices of deaf children, their families and professionals to shape future research priorities. The resulting Top 10 lists represent an important step toward ensuring research is aligned with real-world needs and is meaningful to those most affected. We look forward to the impact this work will have on improving outcomes for deaf children.” The full list of priorities identified can be found at: www.childdeafnessresearch.co.uk. As well as the National Deaf Children’s Society, several other partners have also contributed to the project. These include the Professor Kevin Munro’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator award, NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, PF Charitable Trust, Research England’s QR Participatory Research Fund to Lancaster University, and UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship MR/X035999/1.

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