Untapping our potential

Today we caught up with Helen Joy of Right Brain Genius. Helen helps people unlock their creativity and see things differently, tapping into greater potential in all their life.

Why am I passionate?

When  I was 12 years of age, as I stepped up onto a tram in Adelaide, I had  an out of body experience where I thought I was actually stepping up  onto a grand stage about to talk about BALANCE! It was very strange and I  didn't understand it at all. All I could do was believe that one day I  would understand it.

It  took me 20 more years before I did. I had enrolled in a Beginners  Drawing Course but the day before we were due to start, it was  cancelled. I was devastated, but this voice in my head said 'Go to the  library' and so I did.

I  walked straight to the Art section and ran my hands along the row of  books. It was like someone was in the isle behind and pushed this book  out at me. I opened the book to a random page and straight away read the  word 'BALANCE'. OMG Flashback. I knew this book was going to change my  life.

For  the next 3 months I taught myself to draw from Betty Edwards Drawing on  the Right Side of the Brain book. I then became a volunteer at my  daughters grade 6 Art Class. I was mostly washing paint brushes and  handing out paper. Just being a general helper.

Then  one day the teacher was teaching them how to draw a bird. I said to her  'That's really left brained'. She didn't understand so I explained,  'That's a symbol of a bird. Symbols come from the left side of the  brain' and I asked her if she was going to teach them how to draw that  bird out in the tree?

She had no idea how to do that and so I offered to teach them how to really draw. To draw what they see.

I  ended up teaching two classes, a total of 60 students. And I taught  every one of them the skill of how to draw. It was amazing. I had no  idea what was going to happen but there were quite a few troubled kids  in those classes who had been labelled with ADHD or Asperger syndrome.  Those were the kids that other kids didn't have time for but this  suddenly changed because it was those troubled kids who 'got' what I was  teaching them. They were really good at it and the other kids were  inspired which gave them confidence.

But it was when some of those kids' parents began to ask if I could also teach them that my life really changed.

I  really didn't believe it was right to go to the library and then teach  that author's work, so I sought Betty Edward's permission to do so. She  wrote back to me saying, the reason she wrote Drawing on the Right Side  of the Brain was she felt it was every person's right to be able to  express themselves creatively. So she gave me her blessing to teach as  many people as I could. I am very grateful to Betty Edwards and  recommend her book to everyone.

I  have now been teaching Right Brain Genius for fifteen years with the  most astounding results. The best thing about teaching this course is  that I never know what is going to happen to someone and it is always  profound and amazing.

Something  happens when you unlock the right side of your brain. I really do not  understand why it is not promoted in schools and life in general. But it  isn't. Instead we live in a left brained world where Stress, Anxiety,  Depression and even suicide are prolific.

I  guess I am on a mission to teach as many people as I can, not for my  own financial purposes but to be a part of changing our world to be a  better place.

Why should people attend?

Anyone  from the age of 9-99 should attend my course so they can use more of  their brain. Use the right side in balance with the left. They learn how  to see differently. Not only what they are drawing but life in general.  Learning to draw is a form of mindfulness or active meditation and it  has profound effects on people's lives.

What personal traits do I offer?

I  care about people and believe everyone goes through different stuff  throughout their life at different times. I'm a great listener and try  to keep the classes light and entertaining. I don't expect anyone to  tell me their personal stuff. I don't need to know for them to heal.

What experience do I create?

Because  most people are left brain dominant, they walk out of each class  feeling very different to how they walked in. They feel more relaxed and  even excited to learn more next week.

What am I looking forward to most?

Bring joy to people's lives