I felt like I could never escape from the questions in my head… Why? What next? How will we cope? Will my kids recover from this trauma? I had support from the extended family, as well as my friends and colleagues, but the mind clutter was relentless.

I remember, one afternoon, on a particularly bad day, I decided I needed to get up and get busy. I’m an Art teacher, so I took out some of my art supplies, and that’s when I discovered another side to art making. Within a short time, my mind was focused only on what I was creating, and for the first time in weeks, I experienced a tiny bit of relief.

Understanding the therapeutic benefits of art (as a hobby) and the importance of nurturing your mental health led to a career change, teaching Art Therapy to adults, because I believe everyone benefits from having a creative outlet. I also volunteer with First Light, an organisation that supports young, widowed people. Connecting with other people who have experienced the loss of a partner helps me to see how far I’ve come and reminds me to be grateful. Now that I have the strength, I want to give back to a community of people who are facing enormous change and dealing with big emotions.

I wish more people understood that the sadness of grief is always there, no matter how many years have passed, and as a society, we all need to practise empathy. Everyone has a story, and everyone’s mental health matters.