This is the first time I have worked with first year Art Therapy students to introduce the Conversation Café method and it’s possibilities for their group practicums. It’s so interesting as I am an illustrator and not an art therapist; art therapists are professionally qualified to MSc level and is a protected term. I would never suggest that I work in a therapeutic capacity, but from my experience of holding engagements inspired by the Conversation Café method in both a teaching and research context, I can see how it can be adapted to suit art therapy, socially engaged illustration, arts and health settings, and teaching. I’m looking forward to writing about this in my thesis.

I’m actually struggling to put the words together here as I am so tired. It’s been a very busy few days over in Belfast getting ready for a collecting my first round of data on the reception of my object illustrations. The hard work paid off as I am sat on the ferry home to Liverpool reading through the feedback forms. Some very interesting data to analyse when I get back, which will in turn influence the next iteration of object illustrations. I was bervous about facilitaing the session with a larger group than expected as there was so much to remeber in regards to safeguarding as well as the research context and craftivist element. I was lucky to work with such a receptive group of women that said they could have spent thei whole day at the sesion rather than the scheduled 3-hours. Even as I left the room after the allocated time to clean the other spaces we used, I returned to find some of the group still working on their work; through their lunchtime. Reading the data and the many thank yous included on the feedback forms is truly humbling. If I wanted anything from the session it was to have the group feel they got something from the session, not just me (data), and that seems to have really come across.