Across all five groups, despite their different needs, settings and stories, the same creative arc emerged: trust, play, challenge and growing confidence.

At the heart of this shared journey was the Story Blanket — a large piece of blank calico that opened and closed every session. At the beginning, participants were invited to write or draw anything they wished: worries, anxieties, fragments of feeling. At the end, they were invited again — and the marks often shifted toward reflection, relief or hope.

Over time, the Story Blanket became a living record of the work, holding both the emotional journey of each session and the collective growth of the group. It captured fear and courage side by side, making visible the slow, powerful building of creative resilience — and reminding everyone involved that change, however small, was already underway.