Renescia Brissett encourages others to ‘Wol’ A Vibes’

Have you ever heard of the phrase ‘Wol’ a Vibes’ or have practised what it suggests? The term is synonymous with the pure act of meditation and relaxation. Mental health advocate Renescia Brissett hopes that she is able to help others achieve balance while conquering anxiety and depression through her life-changing platform.

“Wol’ A Vibes is a space where persons could come to release their emotions and express themselves through art, poetry and music. And in doing so, we support mental health through art therapy,” she told Lifestyle.

Brissett explained that she started taking mental health seriously back in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. Feeling sad, anxious and depressed all of the time, she grew tired of those gloom-ridden feelings and began engaging in some self-reflection, deciding once and for all that it was time to become a better person.

Noting that it all starts with your mind, she dove right into reading material, getting lost between the pages of books like Battlefield of the Mind, Finding Your Purpose: A Guide to Discovering Meaning and Direction in Life and How To Be Yourself.

“My mind and my perspective were my biggest issues. How I related to others and how they in turn related to me was all through my negative thoughts. I wasn’t replacing those with positive or encouraging thoughts, so that was influencing how I was feeling. Changing that mindset changed my life,” she shared.

With the desire to help others who were in a similar situation, she began by posting a video on social media on how to deal with depression and anxiety and how to achieve a positive mindset. The online engagement from others led to the provision of helpful tips like meditation. She then went on a spiritual journey of self-improvement through yoga, learning the power of acceptance and resilience.

Describing that path as nothing short of amazing, she was able to understand herself more by going within, developing mental strength in the transformative process. “Negative thoughts bring negative emotions. So being positive had an uplifting reaction. My love for yoga has helped significantly to accept and appreciate the moment and be present,” she added.

Starting that conversation and sharing inspiring content led to the incredible development of the virtual safe space now known as Wol’ A Vibes.

“I’ve always loved the arts. But I had put down those brushes since high school. I had all of these suppressed emotions and I needed to release them physically. So one day, I decided to express myself through colouring a canvas. Things I would hide, I’d just paint,” she said, adding, “I’d watch a lot of poetry and the words of poets would ignite emotions in me.”

It was during those experiences that she uncovered her desire to create a space where people would feel free to express themselves, incorporating paint, poetry and music. Hosting on World Health Day last October, she explained that not once did she feel anxious during the planning process. “When I held the first event, the attendees loved it. I got really great feedback from the audience and the main acts; they loved the energy and the environment. That’s when I realised I created this beautiful movement and people love it,” she added.

Having hosted other events since then, Brissett encourages those with mental health issues to address them through meditation and find creative outlets that work for them. So many people, she said, suffer through anxiety and depression on their own. But they’re not alone. The best way to remedy the negative elements is to restore them with elevated energy. Additionally, the mental health advocate expressed that others should never be afraid to get out of their comfort zone and try something new.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com