Freedom to express, heal and play through Weaving Words workshops for psychiatric intensive care units & acute wards

The Playhouse was the very first place that Kezzabelle ever braved the stage with her performance poetry back in 2009. Combining her regular countrywide headline bookings with her upcoming one-woman spoken word show, Kezzabelle wants to encourage mental health decision-makers nationwide to welcome her and her creative expression workshops into their occupational therapy sessions while she is in their locality. She wants to enable people to express, heal and play with words to give them a voice and for their stories to be heard.

Since 2016 she has facilitated and encouraged creative freedom to patients in P.I.C units and acute psychiatric wards in Northamptonshire every week. Now she wants to take it further. Visiting times are limited in Mental Health wards making occupational art therapies like this a lifeline for many patients. Through her ‘Permission To Love Yourself’ book tour, Kezzabelle’s mission is to use creative expression to positively impact more people's lives nationally, particularly those with mental health issues, so their pens can become a tool for life.

Spending time in a psychiatric unit can be scary for patients losing their liberty alone. Creative facilitators like Kezzabelle bring a bright relief and release, bringing the outside world in. Her ‘Weaving Words’ creative writing workshops give people an opportunity to unlock their thoughts and feelings onto the page as well as colourful imaginings from prompts, too, often bringing a sense of calm and clarity when it matters most.

According to Mental Health Act Statistics, Annual Figures, 2021-22, there were 53,337 new detentions under the Mental Health Act recorded, but the overall national totals will be higher. Kezzabelle’s goal is to foster a deep sense of connection to empower individuals to express themselves and pour out their stories. With her new book and app ‘A Weaving Words Experience’, out in the summer, Word Weavers can continue their creative journeys in a community who together simply watch, pause and write.

Kezzabelle wants to reach even more people and enable them to find the words for their experiences to help them heal. Her book tour will also raise awareness to support Johnny’s Happy Place CIC, where she runs weekly workshops in their welcoming community café in Kettering in memory of Johnny Mackay, who took his life on October 23rd 2014.

Kezzabelle said, “Words are powerful, especially the spoken word. I love taking my poetry, art and eco-therapy into mental health wards and seeing the changes it makes. When we scribble down our stream of consciousness together, it releases the busyness and often uncovers that inner child within us all too. This approach sometimes challenges preconceived ideas of poetry and writing, but Weaving Words workshops aren’t just about writing. We tackle and explore many subjects and taboos that we think about but are often too afraid to admit, using compassion, humour and playfulness. I’m excited to return to the vaudeville Playhouse Theatre, Northampton, where I performed for the first time 14 years ago between burlesque and belly dancing; my right leg shook!”

Kezzabelle Ambler, the 11th Bard of Northampton, published performance poet is passionate about facilitating a safe space for people to express, heal and play with words to tell their stories. 'Permission to Love Yourself', the title of Kezzabelle's latest book and audio, is her message for 2023 and follows her previous anthology “Permission to Speak.” Kezzabelle wants to bless, encourage and connect with those who cross her path at her spoken word performances by bringing her “Weaving Words Creative Writing Workshops' to festivals, art galleries, mental health wards and retreats. She is known favourably for her performance poetry as the “Mistress of Mischief and Wordsmith Wench.”

Website: https://www.kezzabelle.co.uk/

Event link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/permission-to-love-yourself-launch-event-tickets-626055818807