I-ACT

Innovating Art Community Therapies Project 23PSA0030 - (AEF) Code 2023-2-BE01-KA210-ADU-000179863

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

Με μεγάλη επιτυχία και τη συμμετοχή περισσότερων από 150 ατόμων, πραγματοποιήθηκε η 11η Ημερίδα της ΕΠΙΟΝΗ «Φροντίζοντας τους Φροντιστές». Η αίθουσα του Πνευματικού Κέντρου γέμισε με άτυπους φροντιστές, επαγγελματίες υγείας και πολίτες, ενώ την εκδήλωση τίμησε με την παρουσία του ο Δήμαρχος Καλαμάτας.Τι κρατάμε από τους ειδικούς μας:Νευροβιολογία & Φύλο: Οι γυναίκες αποτελούν τα 2/3 των ανθρώπων με κατάθλιψη στην Ευρώπη, με τις ορμονικές μεταβολές να παίζουν καθοριστικό ρόλο στη διάθεση.Ο «Δεύτερος Ασθενής»: Ο φροντιστής συχνά παραμελεί τον εαυτό του, όμως το χρόνιο στρες έχει βιολογικό αποτύπωμα και απαιτεί έγκαιρη παρέμβαση.Τα δεδομένα της Μεσσηνίας: 2 στους 3 φροντιστές στην περιοχή μας αναφέρουν σημαντικό ψυχικό φορτίο, ενώ το 36,2% βιώνει έντονο άγχος.Από το Τραύμα στην Ανθεκτικότητα: Η φροντίδα μπορεί να «πληγώνει», αλλά η ανθεκτικότητα είναι μια διαδικασία που μαθαίνεται μέσα από τη θετικότητα και την ευελιξία.Η Δύναμη της Σχέσης: 20 χρόνια φροντίδας μας έμαθαν πως η παρουσία είναι πιο δυνατή από τις λέξεις.✨ Το μήνυμα της ημέρας: «Δεν χρειάζεται να είστε ακούραστοι, χρειάζεται να είστε παρόντες... και για να είστε παρόντες, πρέπει να είστε καλά!».Ένα μεγάλο ευχαριστώ στους συνεργαζόμενους φορείς μας (ΚΔΑΠμεΑ Δήμου Καλαμάτας, Σύλλογος Αυτισμού Μεσσηνίας, IASIS, Θάλπος, Κήπος της Λυσούς) και στους χορηγούς μας για τη στήριξη.📍 Μαζί χτίζουμε ένα δίκτυο προστασίας για εκείνους που προσφέρουν την καρδιά τους.#ΕΠΙΟΝΗ #Φροντιστές #Καλαμάτα #ΨυχικήΥγεία #CaregiversSupport #Resilience #MentalHealthAwareness #Messinia #SupportTheCaregivers #Health2026

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

🌟 #HL4EU Final Conference!
Today, we gathered at the European Parliament Info Hub in #Brussels for the final conference of the Healthy Lifestyles for Europe (HL4EU) project: *"Advancing Cross-Sector Collaboration for a Healthier Europe."🇪🇺

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

EPIONI hosted its 4th Arts & Mental Health Festival from May 21 to 24, highlighting the powerful connection between creativity and mental well-being.

Through this festival, the organization reminds us that art can be a meaningful space for expression, support, and healing for people living with mental health challenges, their families, and caregivers. 💛

The festival featured moments of sharing, reflection, and creativity, all centered on the therapeutic value of art. Initiatives like this show how cultural and artistic approaches can help raise awareness, reduce isolation, and promote a more human-centered view of mental health.🤝🌍

A big well done to EPIONI for this beautiful initiative and for its ongoing commitment to caregivers and mental health.💙
#MentalHealth #ArtTherapy #EPIONI #ArtsAndMentalHealth #Wellbeing #Inclusion #ΕΠΙΟΝΗ #Φροντιστές #Καλαμάτα #ΨυχικήΥγεία #CaregiversSupport #Resilience #MentalHealthAwareness #Messinia #SupportTheCaregivers #Health2026

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

30 Ukrainian participants joined Trust Art Therapy at EPIONI's festival, using eco-art therapy, photo & creative writing to process war trauma. Art as an antidote to trauma with partners from all across Europe.

4 days, 3 venues, countless moments of healing at EPIONI's 4th Arts & Mental Health Festival in Aegina.

Eco-art therapy, dance, sculpture, Psychonauts film, sunset concert & World Schizophrenia Day workshop. Art heals, community supports, let's continue building bridges to mental well-being.🌿

#EPIONI #ArtsAndMentalHealth #MentalHealth #ErasmusPlus #MentalCare #Aegina #ΕλληνικόΔίκτυοΦροντιστώνΕΠΙΟΝΗ #ArtTherapy #Psychology #CommunitySupport #Αίγινα

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

🎭😄 COMIC RELIEF | WP3 – Piloting Sessions
Over the past three months, we ran 3 co-construction workshops with young people — creative, joyful, and deeply meaningful. 💛

📅 March 30 | April 27 | May 25, 2026

🎯 Why these workshops?
As part of the European project #ComicRelief, co-funded by the European Union, we are exploring how humour and creativity can help young people (aged 16–30) deal with stress, anxiety and social isolation. No theory without practice — we experiment first, with them, for them.
These piloting sessions are at the heart of the project: co-designing a method that truly works, before turning it into a handbook for youth professionals.

What we explored:
✨ Improvisation theatre
🤡 Clown therapy
✂️ Collage & hands-on activities
🖌️ Painting & artistic expression

Laughing together is also a way to reconnect — with yourself and with others. These workshops showed us that humour is a genuine tool for resilience. 💪
What's next? We'll share our results with European partners in Slovakia this summer, to finalize the handbook and video tutorials together.

🇪🇺 Co-funded by the European Union.
#ComicRelief #YouthMentalHealth #YouthWork #Humour #Resilience #ErasmusPlus #ImprovTheatre #ClownTherapy #Art #Europe #EuropeanUnion

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

🎨 The 3rd Arts & Mental Health Festival in Aegina took place over 3 inspiring days filled with workshops, exhibitions, music, and powerful discussions.

We explored how art can support mental health and bring communities together.

A big thank you to all who joined us — see you next year! 💙🌿 #ArtAndMentalHealth #Epioni #AeginaFestival #MentalHealthMatters #EuropeanMentalHealthWeek

[EUFAMI @EUFAMI]

@EUFAMI presents "The Reality of Schizophrenia" project, led by Hanna Dziwosz. This vital research explores the lived experiences of individuals & families affected by schizophrenia in Austria, Poland, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Israel.

#BreakingStigma #FamilySupport

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

Comic Relief update! 🙌
We're blending humor & research to transform therapy – because laughter is powerful medicine 🎭✨

Huge thanks to our amazing partners 💙
#ComicRelief #Therapy #Humor #Research #WP2 #EUproject #Innovation #Teamwork

[MENTAL-CARE @MentalCare24]

🧠💙 Mental health is a team effort — and every voice matters.

The Erasmus+ MENTAL-CARE project connects service users, professionals & caregivers to improve support across Europe.

Let’s break stigma & build bridges together! 🌍
#MentalCare #ErasmusPlus #MentalHealth

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

🤝 Peer support matters.

When we connect with people who have lived through similar challenges, something powerful happens : trust grows, hope is shared, and recovery feels possible.
🌱 Shared experience reminds us we’re not alone.
💚 Walking together makes the journey lighter.
Recovery is not a solo path : community and connection make all the difference.

🌟Pathways to Recovery (@Pathwrecovery) brings together partners from Sweden, Greece, and Portugal to share good practices in mental health and support the recovery of individuals and their family caregivers.
Together, we promote recovery-oriented care and fight stigma across Europe 💙

This small-scale ERASMUS+ project is co-funded by the EU.

#PathwaysToRecovery #MentalHealth #InformalCarers #ErasmusPlus #EUProjects #CaregiversMatter #RecoveryJourney #EuropeanCollaboration #MentalHealthAwareness

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

Ημέρα του Φροντιστή στην Ευρώπη 2025 https://t.co/kgSimhsfif

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

European Carers Day 2025 https://t.co/xSX5wnFRto @Europarl_EL @Eurocarers_info

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

Journée Européenne des Aidants 2025 à Athènes https://t.co/kYuHRtloNe

[I-ACT @I_ACT_]

🎨💙 16 months of European collaboration around art and mental health! Our project brought partners from Belgium 🇧🇪 Denmark 🇩🇰 and Greece 🇬🇷, to develop innovative approaches to art therapy.
🖌️ Together, we:
✨ organized 3 international festivals,
📘 co-wrote a multilingual guide

[Greek Carers Network EPIONI @epioni_ngo]

🎨💙 16 months of European collaboration around art and mental health!

#EPIONI proudly took part in the Erasmus+ project @I_ACT_ , alongside partners from Belgium 🇧🇪 and Denmark 🇩🇰, to develop innovative approaches to art therapy.

🖌️ Together, we:
✨ organized international festivals in Greece and Belgium
📘 co-wrote a multilingual guide,
🤝 and empowered civil society in mental health care.

A big thank-you to our partners for this beautiful EU-funded journey 🇪🇺

#IACTProject #ArtTherapy #MentalHealth #ErasmusPlus #EPIONI #Solidarity #EuropeanProjects #CaregiversSupport #HealingThroughArt @KomSundDK @aef_europe

[I-ACT @I_ACT_]

➡️ Aujourd’hui à Manage 🇧🇪, nous avons participé au Festival #SaintBernART au Campus Santé Mentale Saint-Bernard !
Une journée remplie d’art, de dialogue et de bien-être 💬🎨
Fiers de faire partie du #IActProject, cofinancé par 🇪🇺 !
#SantéMentale #ArtThérapie #BienÊtre

[I-ACT @I_ACT_]

➡️ Today in Manage 🇧🇪, we joined the vibrant #SaintBernART Festival at Campus Santé Mentale St-Bernard!
A day full of art, dialogue & well-being 💬🎨
Proud to be part of the #IActProject, co-funded by 🇪🇺!
#MentalHealth #ArtTherapy #WellBeing #EUfunded #EPIONI

[I-ACT @I_ACT_]

Join us at Saint-Bern’Art Fest!
🗓 Apr 8, 15:00 | 📍 Centre Saint-Bernard
🎤 Talk w/ Séverine Piret: Does art really heal?
🧠 Dive into arttherapy & mentalhealth
🔗 Sign up: https://t.co/B8LLhsfOjd
#IACT #ArtTherapy #MentalHealth #SaintBernArtFestival

[I-ACT @I_ACT_]

🎨🧠 For over a year, we’ve been collaborating through our Erasmus+ small-scale project, co-funded by the EU, exploring art & mental health. On April 8th, we meet in Manage, Belgium for a festival celebrating creativity & inclusion! 🇪🇺✨ #ErasmusPlus #ArtTherapy #MentalHealth

[I-ACT @I_ACT_]

Can art therapy transform mental health support and reduce stigma? Through I-ACT: Innovating Art Community Therapies, we aim to:  
Engage communities by hosting two international art therapy festivals, one in Greece (May 2024) and one in Belgium (April 2025).