Thriving Through Change: Mental Wellness for Performers

This empowering online course is designed to help performing artists navigate life and career transitions with clarity, confidence and resilience. You’ll explore the emotional impact of transitions in the performing arts, learn to manage stress and difficult emotions, develop a growth mindset, and connect with your authentic identity — both on and off stage.

Transitions are inevitable in every performer’s life — whether it’s a contract ending, injury/illness, periods of unemployment, a career shift or an unexpected break. These moments often stir uncertainty, loss, grief, anxiety and self-doubt, but they also offer powerful opportunities for growth, acceptance, creativity and personal development.

Thriving Through Change: Mental Wellness for Performers covers the three key stages for navigating transitions with ease:

1. Managing emotions, grieving and finding acceptance

2. Developing resilience and problem-solving skills

3. Evaluating and recalibrating your identity

It offers a wide range of performer-specific techniques for mental wellbeing, including setting realistic and meaningful goals, challenging negative thoughts, practising mindfulness, exploring your non-performer skills and interests, developing self-compassion and prioritising self-care.

The course is led by Laura Duester, an accredited psychotherapist and mental health trainer. She's a former performing arts professional who now works psychotherapeutically with performing artists.

Through a blend of psychological insight, practical strategies and reflective exercises, you’ll build a sustainable foundation for mental wellness, resilience and fulfilment across every phase in your performing arts journey.