HEAL 30

HEAL

OCT - DEC 2020 ISSUE 30

President’s Address In this issue of Club HEAL, we feature stories of
how art has played a prominent role in the
HEALing ART healing and recovery of four people with mental
health challenges.
“Art can permeate the very deepest of us, where
no words exist.” – Eileen Miller This year, Club HEAL looks forward to holding our
second major art exhibition featuring the works
Art is among the creative practices that help of art and pottery of our clients, for the first time,
promote healing, wellness, coping and personal on-line, in celebration of World Mental Health
development. It is a safe place for the exploration Day 2020. Come share our joy!
of unpleasant feelings such as anger, sadness and
fear. “God is beautiful and He loves
beauty.” – [Hadith, Muslim]
Since day one, Club HEAL has included art as part
of our day rehabilitative programme, but it was About Club HEAL
only since Nhawfal Juma’at, our art instructor,
started a formal art therapy programme in 2017, Club HEAL is a charity that promotes the healing
that art played a more prominent role in the and recovery of people with mental health
healing and recovery of the participants. challenges by inspiring Hope, Empowering lives,
fostering Acceptance and spreading Love. It has a
Club HEAL started exhibiting the artworks of our vision of a stigma-free society that is conducive
clients in a big way at our 5th anniversary charity for healing and recovery. Services provided by
dinner in January 2018, and during our first major Club HEAL include day rehabilitative services,
art exhibition, ‘Landscapes of Our Mind’, at the home visits, public education, support groups and
Esplanade in October 2018. volunteer training and counselling.

The artwork of one of our clients, Rafeah, was also Office opens from 9am to 5pm on weekdays
selected in 2018 by the President of Singapore to
be used for Istana memorabilia. 6899 3463

According to Harvard Medical School, creative 254 Bukit Batok East Ave 4 #01-229
activities such as art can relief stress and Singapore 650254
promote wellbeing, aid communication and help
arrest cognitive decline. It improves memory, [email protected]
reasoning and resilience in healthy old people. It
has been found to help people with dementia, www.clubheal.org.sg
depression, anxiety and cancer.
@Club-HEAL @ClubHEAL_SG
Moreover, it is FUN!

Registration No: T12SS0028K

Passionate About Art

BY YOHANNA ABDULLAH

Her love for art began with an obsession of She loves learning watercolour painting, her
drawing horses. Nur Afiqah Binte Adris Isnin, 25, favourite art medium, from Shakina Razale at the
who is currently employed on a contract basis as a Recovery Academy. “Watercolour is unique and
transcriber, loves the arts, from visual arts to beautiful because it has this translucent quality to
writing and music. “As a child, I was obsessed with it that allows the white of the paper underneath to
horses, and I drew them every hour of every day reflect light through it. It is versatile - you can layer
that I could. I carried a sketchbook, a pencil case and layer paint on top of each other - but you must
and coloured pencils everywhere I went. Art has do it carefully, or the colour becomes muddy. It’s
always just evolved with my interests. From about moderation, and it’s delicate. It can be
drawing or painting animals, to anime/manga fragile and brittle, especially when it dries up, but
characters, to landscapes, to interior decorating, to softens and becomes beautiful and versatile again
people, then graphic design and bullet journaling, if you just add water,” Nur Afiqah enthused.
then botanical illustration of fruits, and flowers.”
Art instructor Muhammad Nhawfal Juma’at
PET PROJECTS showed her a different perspective of art. “I learnt
to look at art and try to understand the people
The psychology graduate from the National behind it and where they are coming from,
University of Singapore did not formally pursue an respecting it as their space to explore and express
education in art. “I just always enjoyed it and gave themselves. I’ve always been too caught up in
myself personal projects to work on. I tried to do as looking for meaning that is “valid” or “right” or
much graphic design work for events and other “cool”, when really – it is a piece of someone. We
voluntary work as I could as well. When I could, I need to think not about what an art piece means
signed up for classes to expand my interests. For for the world at large, or for ourselves, but more for
music, I learnt new songs to play and sang with what it means for the person who made it. Art
friends and made covers on YouTube.” creates so much potential for a compassionate
world, and so many of us fail to seize it.”
WATERCOLOUR WONDER
MY SUPERHERO
One of the courses she attended was ‘Focus with
Watercolour’ at the Recovery Academy of Club The one who inspires her the most at Club HEAL is
HEAL. She has been a participant at Club HEAL programme coordinator, Sumaiyah Mohamed. “I
since 2018 and at the Academy since 2019 “I deal was so inspired by her story, knowing that
constantly with depressive episodes, symptoms of someone with mental health challenges -
anxiety, and characteristics of borderline schizophrenia, no less - was surviving and could
personality disorder. I tend to overthink everything, hold a job and have a family and do all these
have an unreasonably internal locus of control, and things I worried I would never be able to do with
don’t really believe in my worth as a person,” she my depression suffocating me from the inside out.
said. When I corresponded with her for design work and
finally later for the Our HEALing Voice programme,
LESSONS AT CLUB HEAL it was like meeting my superhero.”

She added, “Club HEAL has taught me a lot. For all MY CREATIVE INCONSISTENCIES
my education in psychology, it did not teach me
about how to cope with my mental health. Club Nur Afiqah would love to paint and sell or exhibit
HEAL provided me with opportunities to explore her paintings. “But I also feel like I don’t know what
my interests in art and counselling, and I look to say about my art - people always seem to attach
forward to future lessons at the Recovery Academy. some intense meaning to art, and I feel like I don’t
I was able to share my story on safe platforms and have a reason for what I paint other than I think it
this has really helped me build up my self-worth looks pretty, or because I like it. My mental illness
and be kinder to myself and count my successes is weird about how it affects my creativity. It used
instead of my failures.” to really inspire my creativity - I drew very dark
subjects in the past and used to paint my best
works when I was overwhelmed by my emotions.
Even now, it’s inconsistent. I guess my mental
illness, which creates inconsistencies in my
emotions and thought processes, also creates
inconsistencies in my art.”

MY DREAMS Creative Corner
Art with Nhawfal
Growing up, she wanted to study art but was told
there was no point to it. “I know differently now, BY SHAZANA
but some mindsets are internalised no matter how
much you outwardly defy it, and now that I might
finally be brave enough to try and chase those
aspirations, I don’t have the resources to. But I
understand that everyone has a place somewhere,
a thing that they’re good at, or a thing they’re
supposed to do. A purpose.”

Now she would be happy doing freelance design
work such as commissioned paintings and creating
wedding cards. “But I also know that it’s not easy to
earn a living that way, because I’m not a
professional, my skills are not refined and that my
personality needs a bit of work before I can
succeed there - I’ve had some very demanding and
intimidating clients in my short career in design -
and I don’t always handle it well.”

A BEAUTIFUL SPACE

Why does art heal? “I think art gives you space. A
space you can create for yourself, whether
physically or in your own head. They say you can’t
get better in the place you got sick. Art gives you a
space away from that. No matter where you are.”

Afiqah, who is newly married in June 2020 said, “I
have a hard time seeing beauty in myself, and
maybe art is the only way I can make something
beautiful and feel better about myself and the
world.”

BY MARDIANA

BY MAHADI

From Hatred to

Love for Art

BY YOHANNA ABDULLAH

Some people find joy in expressing their thoughts INSPIRING CLUB HEAL FAMILY
without words and Sabaria Bte Rahaman, 40,
Programme Executive (PE) at Club HEAL, is one of Sabaria is thankful to those who put trust and
them. “Art is an extension of our thoughts. Colour belief in her to be a leader in Club HEAL where
and light are expressions of our mood. Creative many have inspired her, especially her fellow peers.
expression can foster healing and mental well- “Their fighting spirit, resilience in recovery, warms
being,” said this gregarious lady who declares my heart. As for the staff, Puan Hamidah saw my
herself as “blur at times and a good listener.” first emotional breakdown in the counselling room.
Then, I couldn’t function normally or take care of
Happily married for 17 years with two children, my kids properly. She told me, I needed to stand
Sabaria, who was diagnosed with depression and up and fight for my recovery and ever since, I never
suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, was looked back. Mr Zainal makes us remember the
introduced to Club HEAL by her psychiatrist. She three R’s - Realism, Responsibility and Right-and-
had been a participant at Club HEAL, Pasir Ris East, Wrong of our every action and speech. That
for almost a year before being employed as a PE in changed how I see things in life. I thank the
July 2020. staff at PRE, Che Wan, for always laughing at my
lame jokes and patiently teaching me glass
APPRECIATION FOR ART painting. Also, Sarinah, who lifted my spirit up
when I believed I was damaged and beyond help.
Sabaria who worked as a logistics assistant and a She taught me that my identity is not my trauma
receptionist cum admin at a law firm, said that and I need to move forward without letting my
Club HEAL promotes physical, spiritual, and trauma take over my present. Truly miraculous! I
emotional healing through its motivational talks, am forever grateful to all of them.”
civic classes, art and yoga sessions. She looked
forward to all the classes, except art. “I never liked MOVING AHEAD WITH JOY
art from the very beginning. I can’t even draw to
save my life, neither can I sew, nor crochet. I can’t “Now, I want to shift my focus on what brings me
even draw a decent cat for my daughter. But at joy. As I take this journey of healing, I aspire to
Club HEAL, from a hatred of art, I started to provide others with the sense of belonging, trust,
appreciate it, and craftwork too. I learnt that there and compassion. And I hope to be the listening ear
is no right or wrong in art. It is all up to each for those who are begging internally for support
individual’s interpretation.” and terrified to say it out loud. To those who saved
me,
Now, she loves all forms of art that is being taught
at Rehab. “Each art piece or work needs a different
kind of concentration and attention to details. I am
picking up the skills here and there slowly and I
am enjoying it.”

PATIENCE. LOVE. COMMUNICATION

She added, “We need patience, love, and
communication in artistic expression. As a PE, I
believe we need all of these three traits too.
Patience towards our participants’ needs and
abilities. Shower them with love and
empowerment and may it unlock their hidden
abilities and inner voice. Communicate with them
in the language of recovery so that they know, we
are here to lift them up and not bring them down.”

A Student at Club HEAL
‘School of the Arts’

BY YOHANNA ABDULLAH

Mahadi Mafot, 50, who declares his vocation as a POSTER-COLOUR ME BEAUTIFUL
student at Club HEAL, loves to draw since he was 5
years old. “I still remember in 1975 when ‘Jaws’ was Of all the art forms taught at Club HEAL, Mahadi
shown, I was so enthusiastic about drawing the likes poster colour painting the most. “I enjoy the
shark. My parents submitted my ‘Jaws’ drawing to painting sessions using poster colours as I find
a magazine in Kuala Lumpur and I was proud that them very calming. I think I have mastered it a bit.
it was featured in it. Unfortunately, we did not keep But I need to be taught the finer strokes of
a record of the publication. It was indeed my painting or any other art form.”
proud moment,” said this peaceful, loving and
caring soul. He finds that art heals – “It is a medium Mahadi would appreciate the opportunity to
that I can express my feelings which I cannot pursue an education in the arts. “It will be a great
communicate to the others around me.” gift as I turn 50 years old this year. But my motto in
life is to be thankful for all the opportunities that
Mahadi who has schizophrenia and autism Allah has provided me with.”
attended Octave @ Bukit Batok Polyclinic and was
given the option to continue his therapy at Club Like everyone else, he has dreams. He said humbly,
HEAL Bukit Batok East, when the former closed.
With medication, his condition improved, and Club
HEAL plays a major part in his healing. “Club
HEAL’s Islamic and other well-being programs
really helped me, besides the art sessions which I
really enjoy,” said Mahadi whose health challenges
do not affect his creativity. But he does need a
quiet and calming surrounding to express himself.
He said, “I cannot tolerate a noisy environment as
this will affect my thoughts and ideas.”

At Club HEAL, art instructor Muhammad Nhawfal
Juma’at inspires him the most. “He is a talented
trainer who is very good at pottery. He is also a
good-looking and nice person. He has taught me
for quite some time, and he is always sharing with
me all the interesting ideas. I really enjoyed his
pottery lessons,” said Mahadi enthusiastically.

Nhawful said of Mahadi, “Mahadi has always been
this creative individual who is able to articulate his
thoughts through art making and provide a
beautiful perspective on how to view the world.”

“My dream for myself is to travel and see the beautiful world out

there. My dream for the world is that there should be no hatred as we

”try our best to live a peaceful life.

An Artistic Adventure

BY YOHANNA ABDULLAH

Life is an adventure, and art is a means of exploring A WHIFF OF FRESH AIR
it, said Nursyarafana Binte Mohd Khir, 20, a peer at Her favourite art form is nature which gives her
Club HEAL, where she gets to pursue various forms relaxing vibes as she goes outdoors and breathes in
of art. the fresh air. She is learning many different art
Nursyarafana had worked as a librarian and she has forms at Club HEAL. “The programme there is good,
worked previously at Club HEAL’s pushcart but I have yet to learn the basics of art, and I look
selling its handmade products at the Institute of forward to progressing to the advanced level.
Mental Health (IMH). She has early stage Practise makes perfect.”
depression and anxiety and has been a participant
at Marsiling for a year. “At Club HEAL, Nhawfal is the one who inspires me
a lot because he taught us different and unique
BUILDING CONFIDENCE types of art and drawing with emotion,
She said, “Club HEAL helped me gain my understanding the story behind the drawing. Plus,
confidence by allowing me to work at the he shows us different drawing techniques and
pushcart. It helped me regain my interest in things imparts us with drawing skills.” Given the chance,
I like to do. Most importantly, it taught me how to Nursyarafana would grab the opportunity to
express my emotions through drawing, writing and pursue an education in art.
a lot more.”
She was interested in art since she was 11 years old. EMOTING THROUGH ART
“I started to practice my skills until now. Before
that, I looked up to my older siblings because they She emphasised, “Art is the easiest way for you to
had the skills. I observed their techniques of using express your emotions and what you have been
different kinds of pencil tones.” through in your life. If you feel uncomfortable to
share with someone, why not express it through
your art pieces?”

A caring person who is always there for someone
who needs help, Nursyarafana is cheerful and
positive. This is a big change. “I used to have a
negative spirit and negative thoughts like "I can't
do it” and “what's the point of it?" which was
shaped by negative vibes from my family in my
younger days.”

NEW BEGINNINGS

At Club HEAL she has learnt to express and
manage these emotions, such as through the art
sessions.

"Now, I wake up every morning

with the thought that

something wonderful is about

is to happen."

Snapshots of Past Events

1. Dr Radiah and Faizal on ADIL Knowledge Retreat:
Preservation of the Mind: An Essential Necessity – 26 June 2020

2. BBE Reopening and Book Launch of ‘Dari Kambuh ke
Sembuh’ –
2 July 2020

The launch of BBE’s reopening was graced by MP Ms Rahayu
Mahzam. The new centre will expand Club HEAL’s services to
include a dementia wellness programme, in addition to helping
people with mental health challenges. Club HEAL also launched the
book ‘Dari Kambuh ke Sembuh’, which was translated by Dr Radiah
Salim and Ms Dewani Abbas, and written by Mr Ram Dubey.

3. Healing Friends Training – 4 July 2020 and 12 Sep 2020

4. Yohanna, Junainah, and Dr Radiah in a book discussion on
‘Shattered, We Heal’ with National Library – 9 July 2020

5. Nurleen on M3@Bedok's It's OK to Talk for M3 Youth
Festival – 26 July 2020

6. Kak Junn in a National Anthem Moment @ The Padang – 9
August 2020

7. Noraini and Shaifudin on “Are you Ok? Understanding
Depression and Anxiety @ ITE College East, Sports Management
– 15 August 2020

8. Situational Counselling for Pergas Asatizah – 15, 22 and 29
August 2020 1) Nabiilah, Noraini and Afiqah Adris on Coping with
Adjustment Disorder, Depression & Anxiety 2) Nurleen, Balqis and
Lino on Caring for Caregivers 3) Hamidah, Fauzy and Dang Ayu on
Resilience

9. Hamidah with ARS on Stress and Anger Management: A
Preventive Approach – 15 August 2020

10. Dr Radiah in Wisma Geylang Serai’s Health Fiesta 2020:
Talkshow – Covid-19: Where do we go from here? – 16 August
2020

11. Dr Radiah and Ustazah Shameem in ON Cue Wisma Geylang
Serai – 8 September 2020 - HATI KE HATI - “Managing Trauma and
Tragedies” - Keeping a healthy mind with Screenbox

12. Hamidah Bahashwan, Fauzy and Sabaria on Surviving the
Pandemic- A Psychological Resilience (in English and Malay) for
ARS – 2 and 16 September 2020

13. Feda, Daniel and Yvonne on Managing Expectations and
Problems during Covid-19 (in English and Malay) for ARS – 3 and
17 September 2020

14. Dr Radiah, Ratnah and Shazana in 4PM's Santai Series:
Breaking Barrier, Bridging Gaps – 12 September 2020

15. Dr Radiah on Life Chat: Supporting a Distressed Person on
FB Live with Caring for Life – 17 September 2020

16. Dr Radiah on The Dementia Lecture/Engagement Series – 21
September 2020. From Dark to Light : Shedding Light and Opening
Doors For People With Dementia and their Families - A Medical
Perspective with Community Volunteer Leaders (CVL) Outreach
team of The Chapal-Malay Dementia Community

Upcoming Events Patron in Chief
Mdm Halimah Yacob
1.Launch of “Dari Mabuk ke Terdorong” and Club HEAL-RSG
Collaboration – November 2020 Patrons
Mr Zaqy Mohamad 
Mdm Rahayu Mahzam

Hon Advisors
Dr Joseph Leong Jern-Yi
Dr Habeebul Rahman
Dr Norhisham Main
Dr Sharifah Mariam Aljunied
Mr Ram Dubey

Hon Legal Counsel
Ms Roslina Baba

Management Committee
President
Dr Radiah Salim
Vice-President
Dr Zuraimi Mohd Dahlan
Hon Treasurer
Ms Fauziah Mohd Hussein
Hon Asst Treasurer
Mr Muhammad Fithri Daud
Hon Secretary
Ms Noorunnisa Ibrahim Kutty
Hon Asst Secretary
Ms Rohizan Talib

Members
Ms Amarjit Kaur
Dr Bibi Jan Ayyub
Ms Deena Bajrai
Ms Eunice Olsen
Mr John Ho
Ms Nur Izzati Zainuddin
Ms Siti Aishah Jaafar
Ms Siti Hawa Sulaiman
Ms Siti Noor Baizura Rahmatullah
Ms Tazrinah Hussein

Pledge Your Support Editorial Team

Do help people with mental health challenges receive the support they need. Chief Editor
Ms Sumaiyah Mohamed
HOW TO SUPPORT?
Editorial Team Members
Dr Radiah Salim
Ms Yohanna Abdullah

Designer
Ms Marina Chong

Online at www.giving.sg/club-heal For Bank Transfer & PayNow
To request for tax deduction , please
Cheque (crossed & made payable to indicate your full name (as per your
'Club HEAL'). Please indicate your NRIC identification card) under “Bill Reference”.
at the back of cheque for tax deduction.
Thereafter email your full name, NRIC, FIN
Via Bank Transfer or Passport No, contact number, transaction
OCBC Current Account: 641-372131-001 ref No., gift amount and date of donation to

Via PayNow [email protected]
UEN no: T12SS0028K or
scan QR Code using bank app For Cheque & GIRO
Please mail cheque or completed form to

254 Bukit Batok East Ave 4 #01-299
singapore 650254.