Wintering well: Living with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

What’s on offer?

This event will ask questions about how we manage our response to lower light in the winter months and how we might find ways to cope through creative activities. Starting with hot drinks in the bright foyer of the Arc, before the main programme of speakers, 'sky framing' participatory activity and mutual conversation with others who feel affected by winter low mood.

What’s it about?

The ESRC-AHRC-funded Living with SAD team will outline their new research, which consulted 350 people across the UK about their experience of feeling SAD, and a series of participatory and creative Wintering Well workshops with 20 participants over a Glaswegian winter in 2022-23. This research has culminated in new educational, therapeutic and artistic resources, which will be launched at the event. For the day before we put the clocks back, this public event will ask questions about how we manage our response to lower light in the winter months, and how we might find ways to cope through creative activities.

Artist Alec Finlay will launch the 'Light is a Right' book which has emerged from the research programme. Professor Chris Williams of Living Life to the Full will also launch new online CBT-led resources and both these will guide new encounters with winter life. Gavin Francis, GP and writer, will speak on Seasonal Affective Disorder and Neina Sheldon, Founder of 'Make Light Matter', will offer personal perspectives on experiencing the condition.

Who’s leading the event?

ESRC/AHRC ‘Living with SAD' research team

Open to

This event is open to all interested.

Of particular interest to

Particular interest to those who have experience or want to learn more about SAD