Community Crisis Plan

Introduction:

This crisis plan serves as a supportive guide for members of our community facing various crises, including emotional distress, mental health challenges, substance abuse, and experiences of violence or abuse. It aims to direct you to appropriate resources during times of need, emphasizing that reaching out for help signifies strength and the first step towards recovery.

When to Use These Crisis Resources:

Consider utilizing these resources if you or someone you know is:

• Experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
• In severe emotional distress or undergoing panic attacks.
• Showing symptoms of a mental health disorder that significantly impair daily functions.
• In urgent need of support for substance abuse or addiction.
• A victim of violence or abuse, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, or child abuse.
• Feeling isolated, hopeless, or overwhelmed by crisis situations.

Immediate Support Resources:

For immediate danger to life or well-being, please dial 911 or contact local emergency services.

1. Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:

• Call or Text: 988
• Chat: 988lifeline.org
• Availability: 24/7 for anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

2. Veterans Crisis Line:

• Call: 1-800-273-8255, then press 1
• Text: 838255
• Chat: veteranscrisisline.net
• Availability: 24/7 for veterans and their loved ones.

3. The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ Support):

• Call: 1-866-488-7386
• Chat: The Trevor Project Chat
• Text: Send "START" to 678678
• Availability: 24/7 for LGBTQ young people under 25.

4. SAMHSA’s National Helpline (Substance Abuse and Mental Health):

• Call: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• Website: samhsa.gov
• Service: Provides referral and information service for individuals facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

5. National Domestic Violence Hotline (For Victims of Violence or Abuse):

• Call: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
• Text: "START" to 88788
• Chat: thehotline.org
• Availability: 24/7 support for anyone affected by abuse and needing support, resources, or advice on how to navigate their situation.

6. Poison Control (For Poisoning Emergencies and Information):

• Call: 1-800-222-1222
• Website: poisonhelp.org
• Availability: 24/7 assistance and expert advice on poisoning emergencies and prevention.
  

  7. The National Problem Gambling Helpline in the United States can be reached through:

  • Phone: 1-800-522-4700
  • Text: Send a message to 1-800-522-4700
  • Chat: Access online chat support through their website at www.ncpgambling.org/chat

  This helpline provides confidential assistance 24/7, offering support, resources, and referrals for those affected by problem gambling.

Safety Planning:

A safety plan involves personalized strategies to stay safe while in a crisis, including identifying triggers, coping strategies, and emergency contacts. For comprehensive safety planning guidance, visit HelpGuide.org .

Gun Safety:

Responsible gun ownership and storage are critical for preventing accidents and impulsive decisions during crises:

• Store guns unloaded and locked in a gun safe or cabinet.
• Use trigger locks or cable locks to add an extra layer of security.
• Store ammunition separately in a locked location.
• Regularly educate all household members about gun safety and the importance of not handling firearms without supervision or knowledge.
• Consider temporarily removing firearms from the home during high-risk periods for anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts or emotional crises.

Local Resources:

Maintain a list of local emergency resources, such as hospitals, shelters, and community mental health services, to ensure quick access during crises.

A Personal Crisis Plan 

Creating a personal crisis plan involves preparing for potential mental health crises by identifying warning signs, coping strategies, and local resources that can provide assistance. Here's a step-by-step guide to developing your own personal crisis plan with the help of local resources:

Step 1: Recognize Your Warning Signs

• Self-awareness: Identify early warning signs that suggest a crisis might be developing. These could be changes in thoughts, feelings, or behaviors, such as increased anxiety, mood swings, or withdrawal from social activities.
• Document Signs: Keep a journal or list of these signs to help recognize when you might need to implement your crisis plan.

Step 2: Develop Coping Strategies

• Personal Coping Mechanisms: List the strategies that have helped you in the past during stressful times, such as deep breathing exercises, going for a walk, listening to music, or talking to a friend.
• Professional Techniques: If you've learned specific techniques from therapists or counselors, like mindfulness or grounding exercises, include these as well.

Step 3: Identify Your Support System

• Personal Contacts: Include contact information for friends, family members, or mentors who can provide support during a crisis.
• Professional Contacts: List contact details for your therapist, psychiatrist, or any other healthcare professionals involved in your care.

Step 4: Research Local Resources

• Social Services: Contact local social services for information on mental health support, including counseling services, support groups, or crisis intervention teams.
• Healthcare Facilities: Identify nearby hospitals or clinics that offer mental health services and note their emergency and non-emergency contact numbers.
• Community Resources: Look for local non-profits or community centers that provide mental health resources or workshops.

Step 5: Document Emergency Contacts

• Crisis Hotlines: Include national and local crisis hotline numbers, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) or a local crisis center's hotline.
• Emergency Services: Have the number for emergency services (911 in the U.S.) readily available for situations that require immediate medical attention.

Step 6: Outline a Communication Plan

• Information Sharing: Decide in advance what information you're comfortable sharing about your mental health with friends, family, and healthcare providers during a crisis.
• Consent Forms: Consider completing consent forms that allow healthcare providers to communicate with designated friends or family members about your care.

Step 7: Make Your Plan Accessible

• Keep Copies Handy: Have copies of your crisis plan in easily accessible places, such as in your wallet, on your phone, and with a trusted friend or family member.
• Digital Copies: Store a digital version of your plan in a place that can be accessed quickly, like in an email or cloud storage.

Step 8: Review and Update Regularly

• Periodic Reviews: Revisit your crisis plan regularly to update it based on new insights, coping strategies, or changes in your support network.
• Post-Crisis Reflection: After a crisis, review your plan to assess what worked well and what could be improved.

Creating a personal crisis plan is a proactive step in managing your mental health. It's important to remember that this plan is a living document that can and should be adjusted as your needs and circumstances change. Involving your healthcare provider in the planning process can also provide valuable insights and suggestions.

Conclusion:

This crisis plan is a testament to our community's commitment to supporting each other during challenging times. Utilizing these resources and following safety precautions can pave the way for healing and recovery. Remember, you are not alone, and there is always help available.

I have some wonderful news! :) My friend Tamara Laporte from Willowing Arts has just opened

registration for The (free) Life Book Creativity & Wellbeing Summit http://bit.ly/FreeLBCWSummit2020 ! 

It was super popular last year, over 11,000 people joined it then!

She has interviewed a wide range of Life Book 2020 Teachers for it and guess what?! I'm one of

the speakers AND I'm also a teacher on Life Book 2020 next year!

WAHOOOOOOOO. 

Not only is this Summit filled with inspiring interviews with amazing artists, but we each also

provide a FREE creativity & wellness activity for you that you can access for 2 weeks!

The Summit is filled with inspiring interviews, art sessions, meditations and wellbeing activities to help you get present and connected to the healing power of your creativity!

When you attend the Life Book Creativity & Wellbeing Summit you are able to

• Listen to sessions in your own time!
• Join our Facebook Group with like-minded people from all over the world!
• Wear whatever comfy clothes you want and enjoy the Summit from the comfort of your

own home! We like bed hair no worries! :)

• Play, make mistakes, be fabulous or sad, it's all welcome and ok on the summit! You are

accepted just as you are!

• Enjoy free art & wellbeing activities!

For my free activity we'll do a flip the script of our personal narrative. Imagine taking a personality trait you don't love about yourself and finding a new more self loving way to view it.  You will be able to personalize this easy beginner step by step to improve how you feel about yourself. http://bit.ly/FreeLBCWSummit2020

 So:

• Do you want to learn how to create more wellbeing in your life?
• Do you want to create, express, develop and grow?
• Do you want to play with paints, get messy with collage, enjoy mark making and drawing?
• Do you want more hints and tips on how to use your creativity to become a happier

person?

• Do you want to learn how to use creativity to become more grounded, present and kind to

yourself?

These are all topics we discuss on the Summit with some of the leading mixed media artists &

personal development experts out there!

It's completely FREE so join us now by reserving your seat HERE! http://bit.ly/FreeLBCWSummit2020

The Summit begins on September 16th and runs for 2 weeks!

Life Book 2020 (which I'll be teaching on yippee!) will open registration on October 1st and guess

what? If you join Life Book 2020 you'll get life long access to the Summit content as well as a year of amazing art activities + a virtual gift bag filled with extras and goodies also! More on this later,  but keep an eye out for Life Book 2020 sign up details!

Join Us Now http://bit.ly/FreeLBCWSummit2020   for

The Life Book Creativity & Wellbeing Summit

See you there!

Love

The Art Sherpa

June Announcement Newsletter

A note from the Team: Greetings to all our Fabulous Sherpettes!,  Welcome to a special announcement newsletter!

In The News: Hello and Greetings. We are happy to report we are doing well and have some exciting new projects on the horizon. Lots of new videos, projects and Patron news. See below for details for some of them. 
So wondering what else we have been doing? We had a couple of great adventures in April and May. In April we were at Arts & The Park in Hots Springs, Arkansas. What a great time we had. So good we are doing it again next year too. Then then in April we were at Pinners GA and in May, we were at Pinners MN. And we had a great time at both of those events also. We met lots of wonderful Sherpettes at each event. We may be doing some more Pinners this year, so keep your eye on our schedule.
And, we have been invited to do an event in Canada with King's Framing and Art Gallery. So keep an eye out for upcoming info on those. 
Wondering about Sherpacon?

We have moved the date of Sherpacon to a future, unknown date. But it will probably be in conjunction with Arts & The Park in Hot Springs next year. Rest assured that it will still be happening, and we are firming up dates and location. Hots springs has amazing facilities for an event like Sherpacon, And it'll be all kinds of fun. The button machine and photo booth will make a comeback. The art spinner will return too. Plus, all manner of Sherpa fun, like ATC table, maybe rock painting, and we are hoping to add some make and take crafts for sale, that well, you get to take with you, LOL and of course we hope to bring back Glamma Jamma! In an effort to ease your pocket book we are working on a way to allow tickets to have flex pay. Also we are talking to several locations to get special rates for Sherpacon Attendees 
We appreciate your patience as we continue to revamp the website. Check out the news below to see a taste of what we've been up to lately. We are continually striving to bring you a better Patron experience and make the website easier to navigate and more user friendly and finish out our last Patron campaign.

Questions and concerns can be sent to Support@theartsherpa.com. Be watching though because in the next few days we will be adding a Patron@theartsherpa.com mailbox . The Art Sherpa ATC Team

And here is the scoop.

 Over the years we have read so many messages that share how much stress many of us are under.  Modern life can be overwhelming and complicated. Sometimes it can seem impossible to relax and find inspiration that is soothing to our hearts.  To help the best community in the world we have (21) new exciting videos to help you cope with the pressure of life. 

We are so proud to Introduce the new Music and Art Experience :

20 videos of Curated beautiful art and music to decompress by at the end of a hard day. Each video has Simple yet beautiful Designs to spark your imagination. Piano music to relax your mind, body, and soul . You’ve never Seen this before. You have never Felt this before. There is even a magic WAIT FOR IT moment in the middle of each video.  You can put on these  Zen Meditative Acrylic Techniques videos anytime you need to unwind and refresh that creative wellspring.  Each video will demo different acrylic painting techniques showcasing: Palette Knife, Q tips, and Fan brush.  This is a Mind, Body and Spirit reboot created by The Art Sherpa so you can lean back and recenter your inner artist. We believe it's perfect to help beginning Artists spark creativity while creating a soothing environment to help you put down those worries, if just for  bit.  Each individual video is a short 5:55 minutes long. Watch one, or watch all. 2 hours in total for this first collection.  

We have a play list of (2 of hours) of safe, zen art and music, no surprises. Music is varied and selected for its beauty and de-stressing properties.

BUT what if you really want a tutorial for one of these yummy designs??? Don't worry, we will conduct polls in The Art Sherpa Official and on the video i-cards  to see which ones you would like as step by step tutorials.

Date : TODAY

Time: RIGHT NOW CST TIME (LOL) 

Where : Youtube The Art Sherpa Channel. 

Playlist link so you can just lean back and watch all 20. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXUkNk1HRolFS9RTBB7A1ffy8wiDZPycj

Also if you enjoy these you may like to Check out some of Design Team member Stephanie Bergerons Abstract Demo videos

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaKkPCYk25mS2Dw6We0p1JeROXg-NOYE5

And Ready, Set, Go ! Here are the basics to the new, improved and awesomely exciting new Patron rollout. As you will notice, this has been set up like the Patreon system you are familiar with. The Sherpa is  dependent on the help of all our patrons to continue to do what she does best. Which is bring us fabulous, free content . It helps with supplies,  like paint and canvas, studio costs, camera equipment, etc. And it brings with it lots of rewards.

The Art Sherpa Patrons will have access to so many unique exclusive benefits. 

For the adults, depending on which level you donate,you will enjoy monthly Adult coloring pages, monthly watercolor lessons, monthly acrylic lessons, access to special events like figure painting, and a Patron only facebook group. 

Here is a peak at the first Patron only watercolor. 

The Art Sherpa Patron Group 

 This T.A.S.P.G. group will be 18+ and allow a place to share our results from these special patron only live streams and videos.  There will be a 30 minute monthly Q and A  in the T.A.S.P.G. 

  Little Brushes Rule  

PLUS we are introducing a Little Brush series that many of you will adore. They will have their own projects and facebook group that is for kids only. Which includes a Little Brush ATC swap with other Little Brushes. One of the things we are excited about with The little Brush projects they don't require a Big Brush to supervise or clean up. The videos will feature normal kid art supplies, teaching valuable art techniques. PLUS each video will encourage, inspire, and give clean up prompts!!! Crayons will be king and you will be amazed at what a little paper and color can do in a kids hands.  

Here are some highlights that I think you will love. Depending on your level of donation, a brand new patron only group, a little brush level that includes an ATC swap just for your little brushes, a monthly coloring page, a new ATC swap system, a monthly Q&A in patron group, exclusive, patron only watercolor and acrylic painting video, and so on. 

. 

Suggestions of things you would like to see are welcome! Send your comments/suggestions to support@theartsherpa.com. We have lots of tickets submitted to the TAS Tech Team that are being developed for implementation.

We are so excited to bring the functions you are asking for!   

         Get Your Gnomifications on Live Events for Facebook, YouTube and (NEWLY) Instagram Live/IGTV 

Just text: "TheArtSherpa" to 33222

Videos, Color, Paint, and More! 

Until Next time:

"Happy Painting everyone! Keep cool, enjoy your journey, and share art whenever possible!
Be Good To yourselves. Be Good to each other, and I hope to see you at the easel real soon!"

-The Art Sherpa 

The Art Sherpa Special Announcement Newsletter   Publish date: May 2019  
Cinnamon & John Cooney, Owners   
Colleen Siegel, Contributor /Editor  

CONTACT:
1-833-PAINT-88  https ://theartsherpa.com/Labs   support@theartsherpa.com

# clutterquest   Cleaning Quest All Week want to join me??!!

So one of the biggest challenges for me is Mess and clutter. When I am in clutter it slows me down, makes it harder for me to think and I can't get things done. The studio and I are going to tangle today and when I am done not only will I find that missing bag of zinc white paint. BUT I will be unblocked from my Creative process. Group mini quest for you this week is to look at your art space this week and straighten  up, re-organize to improve your flow, do anything that unblocks your creative process and makes your creative space the sancuary for inspiration is should be. 2019 is the year where I make my space a retreat for creativity and get the rest of the glam studio awesome done. Share pictures of your triumph over clutter all week. #clutterquest Need help to find your way through.  Marie Kondo !! My friend the Frugal Crafter swears she us the BEST!!! Check out the new show on Netflix

Tidying up with Marie Kondo 

Hello everyone!

Fantastic news! Life Book 2019 is now open for registration! I'm so excited to be part of this amazing year long course. I can't wait to share my lessons with you! :)

I know many of you already know what Life Book is all about, so if yo u can't wait to sign up, make sure to click here to get your seat, Yay! See you there! :) PS. Be sure to use this coupon code to  get your 20% off early bird price !! (valid until end of December 2018): LOVEBOMB2019

To find out a bit more about Life book, click here:  Life Book 2019

“ Life Book, a celebration and honoring of YOU” is a year-long mixed media art class organized by Tamara Laporte from Willowing Arts.

Tam is joined by 32 incredible Artists,  C rafters and Healers  who are all gearing up to share their mixed media techniques, tips and tricks with YOU! Life Book continues its bigger and better format this year by including a variety of fantastic artists and wellness guides who will focus on additional personal development practices and other art disciplines, like art doll making, basket weaving and sacred bowl making! Themed around self-development and healing, you’ll be creating several loose mixed media art journal pages per month which by the end of the year you will bind into a glorious journal (a Life Book)! You will have a wonderful keepsake that you can treasure for the rest of your life! You will also be introduced to yoga, aromatherapy, mindfulness and other wellness exercises to help support your personal development journey more holistically.

Life Book   is all about making you and the world happier. Through creating art, we will be creating a deeper understanding of ourselves, and creating a connection with each other. It's all there, in one big affordable package! It has served thousands of people from all over the world over the past 7 years. It's been wildly popular!

I hope that many of you will join us on this fabulous journey (over  20,000+  people have joined Life Book since its inception, amazing!). Imagine a year of weekly art lessons, inspiration, encouragement and a safe group of like minded artsy people. and YOU all together making art, growing and developing your skills and soul; while being guided by some of the most talented artists and wellness experts out there!

And the best thing about it all is that you get 85+ offerings throughout the one year for ONLY £99GBP (approx $130 USD)! The course/ content is valued at well over $3000+ USD - so you'd join it for only a fraction of the price! Whaaaat? :)

I haven't fully developed my class idea yet, but I'm excited to be sharing how we can paint with wild colors to create EASY expressive paintings like I did with splashy Dog Days of Summer here.  It’s great to be brave and spread your wings. I also will be sharing a great bonus project. I hope to see you there!

" When it rains – look for the rainbows – when it’s dark, look for the stars. "

I adore this humble yet mindful  little quote. Looking on the bright side of things is about finding the resilience to see the possibilities when others see the worst.  The opportunities in situations others find soul crushing. That is why I have been painting Umbrella girls. They became my symbol of hope when all was hope had been lost.

When all Hope is Lost 

My husband had nearly died, we lost everything we had worked so hard for, and even found ourselves with a newborn having to exit under the worst possible circumstances.  WE had to sell everything we owned. My art studio, Johns tools, A bunch of our art, and even many of the larger kids toys then would not fit in the trailer we could afford too rent. I remember this lady who was hired to help us sell our things letting her kids drive around in my son and daughters Barbie cars that their grandmother had gotten them one particularly magical Christmas two years before. Play all over the castle my mom and I had handpainted for my eldest. Screaming its MINE No its MINE while I tried to hide my tears and keep my kids from seeing their toys vanish. We had worked hard, been good kind  people and we had lost. I had though we had past that stage where a series of events could level us. But as many of you know it can happen to anyone. I left with my photo's, the documents and the family heirlooms we had been entrusted with. I had my husband thankfully still alive but still very ill  and depressed.

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.

Helen Keller

So  I ended up driving the 4,090.6 km to Houston  , nursing my two month old, all the way back to Texas.  I am the girl who never gave up. Who rode a 12 hand high pony to national recognition against full grown horses and adults. I am NOT giving up on this road. I plotted a course and made us get the geocaching stuff out. We looked at all the tourist stops, cached all kinds of adventures and found our way back to Texas almost like my family. Almost like myself.

All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my Angel mother.

Abraham Lincoln

BUT I have no paint !!! I have no canvases and really I am heart broken. But I am not willing to give up.I don’t even know why I was so determined. But I expect it’s those things that keep mothers going. My husband and my kids and needing to show them that things were going to be OK. I honestly was it a time in my life I didn’t know If I would ever paint again. Was I ready to start over.?! But as I got back into the swing of things at the request of my mother. Many of you know how she got me into painting parties as a way to get me out of the house. I started bringing the paint home and the canvas’s home. And just like it’s always been my art was there for me to see me through my hardest times. There were owls and sunflowers by van Gogh.

I can't just make a song people can dance in a club to... it still has to be real.

Mary J. Blige

And I managed to get a 30 x 40 canvas that was gifted to me so that I could sell a painting. I mean that’s what I know....Art.  So I just took all that feeling and hurt and fear and I matched it up with my results and determination to see a better future. And I painted my first girl in the rain. And we hung it on the wall. People LOVED her.  Two very important things happened I realized I could not sell her and I realized we needed to have a lesson on it. So I did an umbrella girl tight skirt good figure to tone streaky background for the rain. And not to be funny but she made a splash . See because she came from something real,  something authentic , honest , and true it’s spoke to people who saw her!

Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life.

John Updike

Because they been through the rain to and they wanted to see rainbows and they wanted to see stars. As you know since this is become a huge trend and I’m really honored to of been a small part of creating it. Back in 2011 and 2012 there would have been no way to know that owls and Umbrella Girls would be so huge.

 The way that owls and girls in the rain came from such a real place in me it’s how we should be as artists. But for me that first painting was the seminal moment when I remembered who I was. By now I have a collection of girls in the rain. Lessons and designs. My original girl ended up being gifted to woman I met name Sharron. She had survived a terrible assault and being set on fire as a young woman. She had seen her son murdered in front of her. Yet she was one of the strongest most hopeful people I ever met. And when she would look at that paining she would say that’s me. That’s how I got through. And I knew the paining had to be hers. I want her to have that in her life. And that’s how artists Are We generally see more than the money  or the likes and follows. Because they’re real stories behind our art. What I paint is true for me even when it seems like a  simple trend.  

There is this lesson in the rain and in the dark. You have to make a decision about who you are in relationship to these things. Was I the perspective of  possibility?  When people paint my girls in the rain I’m hoping that some of what I got out of that journey, some of what it took me to survive and see through and find my positive future gets into them. Everything I do is so much more than my YouTube channel or my Instagram account or my Facebook. It’s real. The rain is real. But the umbrella is real to. This wasn’t just a streaky background I had put in a corridor of light to show the possible Future.

I think a lot about what happens to people that paint with me and the images I put in front of them in if I’m going to be leaving them stronger emotionally?  More than that to Tutorial to me  I guess it’s a lighthouse. All these paintings even after I’m gone will be in the world helping some other person  back to her personal power. Some family Back into health and Joy 

I’ve learned some things about myself. I’m tougher than I knew. I can face the storm and everything that comes for me and I will find the rainbow at the end of it. But even more than that I want to help other people behind me find that path through their personal storm. So when you do one of my tutorials know this is more than painting. This is more than views or legs or social media. This is you and me having a conversation about how strong you can be. About that you can get through your personal storm and find your rainbow at the end of it. I want to thank everyone of you for your time and your courage.