Essays document the co-occurrence of mood disorders and creativity in artists and their families and the profound spiritual convictions held by many of the leading artists of the twentieth century--Jacket.

Reveals the artistic subjectivity of the scientific notion of depression.

2016 First Horizon Award Winner 2016 The da Vinci Eye Award Finalist 2016 Eric Hoffer Micro Press Award Winner 2016 Southwest Book Design & Production President's Choice Award Visually stunning, psychologically hard-hitting, and emotionally mesmerizing. David Sandum appeared to have it all: a beautiful young family and a promising career ahead as a business consultant. But his life started veering off course, and upon returning to his native Scandinavia, he fell into an inexplicable, deep depression. I'll Run Till the Sun Goes Down is a searingly honest account of David's struggle to overcome his crippling mental illness. After years of hopeless despair, bleak hospitalizations, and shattered dreams, he is finally saved by his art. The paintbrush becomes his lifeline. Richly illustrated with the work of the artists who have inspired him as well as samples of his own drawings and paintings, this memoir offers both a compelling read and a visual story of David's courageous battle with depression.

This text explores spirituality and its relationship to mental health. It emphasizes the need to look inward and listen to the messages which are channelled through our beings, rather than dismiss these experiences as some form of "disorder". Part One considers spirituality as a reflection of the process of change. A brief overview of the contemporary history of spiritual inquiry in the field of mental health is provided. Part Two considers spirituality as a reflection of the process of meaning making. Part Three considers spirituality in terms of different forms of journey, including a consideration of the traditional concept of pilgrimage. Part Four considers the potential for healing that lies within even the most terrifying forms of madness. The book then concludes with a suggestion of the power of "waiting" and the rewards obtained by the careful, compassionate practice of life.

Spiritual Depression is one of the great classics of the modern Church and tackles the big question: If Christianity is such "good news" why are its followers often unhappy? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was possibly the greatest Christian preacher and teacher of the twentieth century. A medical doctor by training, Spiritual Depression draws together his professional understanding of the mind with a profound understanding of Christian teaching and the Bible. Spiritual Depression diagnoses the causes of the ill feeling that many Christians experience. It prescribes the practical care that is needed to lift people's spirits and bring them freedom, power and joy. Spiritual health is possible and this book explains how everyone can grasp it for themselves.

Narratives of Art Practice and Mental Wellbeing draws on extensive research carried out with mental health service users who are also practicing artists. Using narrative data gained through hours of reflective conversation, it explores not whether art can contribute to positive wellbeing and improved mental health - as this is now established ground - but rather how art works, and the role art making can play in people’s lives as they encounter crises, relapse, recovery or ‘beyonding’. The book maps the delicate ways in which finding a means to tell our story sometimes is the creative project we seek, and offers a reminder of how intrinsically linked our life trajectories are with creative opportunities. It describes the wide range of artistic activity occurring in health and community settings and the meanings of these practices to people with histories of mental turbulence. Drawing on psychoanalytic theory, the book explore the stories and various forms of visual arts practices spoken of, and considers the art making processes, the creative moments and the objects which in some cases have changed people’s lives. The seven chapters of the book offer a blend of personal testimony, theory, debate, critique and celebration, and examine key topics of deliberation within the fields of art therapy, arts in health, community arts practice, participatory arts, and widening participation within arts education. It will be valuable reading for researchers, students, artists and practitioners in these fields.

"This modern take on traditional witchcraft will introduce newcomers to the unique and vibrant traditions of magical practice. Drawing inspiration from Latin American and Afro-Caribbean regions, The Modern Art of Brujería takes readers on a journey through spirituality. Touching on historical colonial impact, this book offers new approaches to practicing traditional magic that support and uplift cultures that were once oppressed for their beliefs"--