Breathe Magic for Mental Health - Breathe

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Breathe Magic for Mental Health

Our programme exploring the effect of magic on improving mental health, confidence and self-esteem

Building on ten years of research and feedback from our Breathe Magic Intensive Therapy Programme, Breathe Magic for Mental Health (BMMH) is tailored to aid mental health improvement for groups with a wide range of challenges, with a particular focus on children and young people's mental health and wellbeing.

In 2016-17, Breathe Board member and Wellcome Trust Research Fellow, Dr Daisy Fancourt, undertook a research study to investigate the clinical impact of our Breathe Magic Intensive Therapy programme on mental health. Dr Fancourt’s study, published in 2019 in BMC Pediatrics, proved the benefits that our award-winning programme has not only on physical health, but also on social and psychological outcomes. The combination of findings from several pilot projects, alongside our research study, has inspired us to further develop this area of work.

From Autumn 2024, we are delighted to be undertaking a robust service evaluation, vital for building the evidence on the impact of our programme on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people who are attending a Pupil Referral Units (PRU), contributing to a sector-wide understanding and research on the role of arts and creativity in mental health provision.

Magic at its heart requires an intrinsic comprehension of human behaviour and the art of communication. To successfully perform magic, you need a detailed understanding of eye contact, directing your audience’s attention and creative storytelling. Contrastingly, many with mental health conditions avoid eye contact, can become shy and withdrawn and struggle socially. By teaching specially selected magic tricks we engage young people in a playful and creative understanding of the power and impact of body language, storytelling, verbal and non-verbal communication, performance skills, self-belief and confidence.

Participants take part in something engaging, fun and unusual, whilst learning tools and techniques that will last them a lifetime, building confidence, improving mental health and wellbeing and reducing symptoms.

Magic is…a bit magic.  The children were able to feel like they could master something that seemed impossible at first… they find it nearly impossible to do what others can. Overcoming this and being the person who can do something a bit special, rather than being the person who can’t is the experience that they need.
Jon Hicks, Headteacher at Ealing Primary Centre PRU

In 2021, Breathe secured five partnerships exploring the benefits of magic for many cognitive and mental health gains working with a wide range of participants including:

– Brain injury survivors with Headway East London and Headway Nottingham.
– Refugees with Compass Collective.
– Children and Young People with Open School East and Great Ormand Street Hospital (GOSH).

These 6-8 week programmes were co-designed and delivered by our team of professional Magic Circle magicians, working closely with our partners and occupational therapists, to create the content and magic tricks to meet the needs of the participants.

Building on extensive pilot work and the robust foundations of our award-winning Breathe Magic Intensive Therapy Programme, Breathe will explore the use of magic and performance to improve the mental health, confidence, communication skills, self-belief and self-esteem of young people attending a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU). PRUs are an alternative education provision for young people who cannot attend mainstream school for several reasons, including permanent or temporary exclusion, neurodiverse learning styles, physical and mental health conditions or behavioural challenges.

494k

There were 494,415 open referrals to children and young people's mental health services in December 2022 - the highest since records began.

Check out our Breathe Magic for Mental Health Infographic to see the impact of using the art of magic to build confidence, self-esteem, communication skills and improve mental health

Our Partners

The Baring Foundation Logo in purple text

Thanks to support from Arts Council England and DCMS Culture Recovery Fund funding, we are currently delivering more Breathe Magic for Mental Health programmes, including in-person delivery as well as online sessions.

By supporting our work, you're enabling us to reach more people with our creative healthcare programmes