In search of balance: Studio SHIFT at the EMPOWERmental Winter School

EMPOWERmental is an international project supported by the Erasmus+ programme that places the psycho-physical well-being of workers at its core, through an artistic, body-based, and community-driven approach.

Elena Giunta took part as a facilitator in the project’s Winter School — a valuable learning experience to bring back into the contexts Studio SHIFT works in every day.

Creativity as a compass

EMPOWERmental was born out of a desire to counteract burnout and promote mental and physical well-being practices rooted in body awareness and the development of creative potential.

Its foundations lie in the research and experimentation of the Co-Warming project (Tandem Europe 2019–2020), from which a continuous process of growth, cross-contamination, and adaptation to diverse target groups began: young people, adults, parents, corporate teams, and non-profit organisations.

At the heart of the project is an integrated approach that weaves together performing arts, design tools, breathing techniques, creative play, and drama pedagogy. Each activity is designed to nourish individual resilience, strengthen the sense of community, and generate lasting positive change — even within professional teams.

A Journey of learning and transformation

The EMPOWERmental Winter School proved to be an intensive journey that combined training, personal exploration, and co-creation.

The programme alternated between moments of theory and shared reflection with hands-on activities such as theatre improvisation, drawing, and meditation. This shared experience led to the co-creation of a catalogue of exercises and operational tools.

The aim was to explore a different way of being — with ourselves and in our work — cultivating presence and the ability to tap into our own resources.

Participants — including facilitators, educators, artists, and social workers — were invited to actively engage, experience, and internalise practices capable of restoring energy, managing stress, and sparking creativity. These tools can then be used in their work with users, clients, or communities.

A community that welcomes and transforms

At Studio SHIFT, we support organisations and Third Sector entities in processes of change and innovation, often in complex and highly interpersonal contexts.

We know how essential it is to care for the energy, relationships, and emotional experiences of the groups we work with — and how individual well-being is deeply connected to collective well-being.

Participating in the Winter School allowed us to integrate new creative tools into the services we offer, while also giving us the opportunity to reflect — through an immersive experience within an international community — on how self-care can also become care for organisational processes.

Learn more about EMPOWERmental and stay tuned for more updates, reflections, and stories from our work.