Mental Health Week with City Libraries 2017

Why SO Serious? Laughter Zen Playshop

Tuesday, October 10th, 2017
6:15pm to 7:30pm at Kathleen Syme Library
FREE

In a laughter zen playshop (yes, it is not a 'workshop'), we combine laughter yoga and guided meditation into one fun, reflective session. Laughter yoga is an aerobic exercise of voluntary and intentional laughing (without jokes). The exhaling process clears stale air in your body, making space for fresh oxygen. Let go of any pre-conceived ideas about when and how to laugh, so you can be more present and willing to play like a child (again)!

Elva is the founder of Peace Lab, but she prefers to call herself the 'Chief Experimenter', since it is a 'Lab' after all. Elva is a lawyer by trade, who used to be overly serious! Peace Lab was therefore born out of her own experience of dealing with stress, anxiety and negative self-talks. She feels very lucky that she can now share peace and joy with others through her creative project, while still being able to use her intellectual brain by working as a lawyer.

Mindfulness: TLC for Body and Mind

Wednesday, October 11th, 2017
6:15pm to 7:30pm at Kathleen Syme Library
FREE

How often do you come home from a long, stressful day and decide you should take time out to look after yourself? But then the time disappears and you don’t feel any better! Mindfulness is a tool that can help you feel less stressed. It can help you to accept yourself more and be able to deal with what life throws at you. Even better, it can be done in just a couple of minutes a day!

Learn how to look after yourself in a different way and discover the gift of being present.

Bethany has lead and inspired thousands of youth between Australia and the US to be their best self. She overcame her challenges of low self-esteem in school and now helps others do the same. With a background in psychology, counselling and life coaching she has been a leading facilitator and content creator for organisations such as The Reach Foundation and The Butterfly Foundation. Bethany instills a deep sense of self love and inspiration in people.

Crochet: A Beginner’s Guide

Thursday, October 12th, 2017
6:15pm to 7:30pm at Kathleen Syme Library
FREE

Crochet ain't just for your grandma. From accessories to amiguri and crazy teapot covers, crochet is for the young and old alike. After this class, in no time you'll be able to craft all the yarn necklaces and tiny potted cacti your heart desires.

We'll start with the absolute basics, like how to hold your crochet hook and how to tie a slip knot. Then we'll learn how to 'chain' – the basis of all crochet projects – and then the single and, depending on how we go, double crochet stitches.

Michelle is an aspiring film producer with a longstanding passion for knitting, crochet and embroidery. In her spare time you will catch her binge watching Gossip Girl or attempting once again to hand make pasta (to no avail).