What is Attentive Art?

Attentive Art is a brand of Creative Mindfulness by artist Sophie Hannah Walker.

If you are looking for relaxation or life transformation, Attentive Art will show you the way.

Attentive Art is my unique approach to life and business coaching using a mixture of solution focused therapy, positive psychology and creative visualisation. It came about after I continued to ask the question ‘What is wrong with me?’ I had always found life challenging and struggled with mental health and emotional wellbeing. Eventually I stopped asking other people, therapists and so on and decided to find out for myself.

I started with a certificate in Psychology and Mental Health from Liverpool University followed by another one in Mindfulness from Monash University. At the same time I really embraced my art making again. I have always loved to paint and draw, to write and take photographs. My first exhibition after graduating with a design and business degree from Brighton University was at the old Aldwych tube station and was a great success. I continued to exhibit my work and develop my practice. Several years later though I’d had enough of the mental spirals and so began my quest. The link between art and mental health became apparent to me and I realised making art was something I had always used for my own personal therapy.

I found a course in Creative Mindfulness from the School of Modern Psychology. I trained with them for a few years in a deep dive into the creative psyche and it was utterly fascinating. I learned so much about myself as well as gaining certificates in Solution Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, a qualification as a Creative Mindfulness Practitioner and a Diploma in Modern Psychology.

I qualified in December 2020. At the time I was running the creative sub section of the Psychologies Magazine Facebook Group. I was one of several ambassadors selected by the magazine to help with the group, I was also writing a blog on their platform which I later turned into a book.

I put all my knowledge together with my creativity and Attentive Art was created.

But my quest wasn’t quite over.

I had learned many facts about the mind and the subconscious and had done a lot of internal searching and therapeutic work, but it still didn’t answer the question of ‘why me?’ More detective work ensued, I spent a year running my own art gallery and looking for more answers. In December 2024 I was officially diagnosed as having ADHD and having always had ADHD. This might cause some eye rolling and the idea that ‘doesn’t everyone have ADHD these days?’ Well, maybe, but what I know is that it is a huge thing, after 50 years of feeling lost, broken, inadequate, defective and that these things are all my fault, to have a reason why this is the case can be like seeing in colour for the first time. It explains so much and actually takes quite a while to sink in because those negative patterns are pretty ingrained and rewiring them is not going to happen overnight. So I got my answer in the end. To be diagnosed you need to have 46% of factors and I had over 80% - plus I had lived with seven off the list of ‘co-morbidities’ for many years as well. Add this to the CMT diagnosis I had 15 years ago and my physical and mental health challenges are real!

“Thank you for reminding me about the power of creativity in our lives. Yes, it is a lifesaver! It turned my life around.” - Karolina, Ireland

Attentive Art uses creative visualisation + creative mindfulness to help you find a better way to feel.

Choose from art kits, workshops or coaching to disassemble what isn’t working for you and redesign it in a way which feels amazing. Along the way you will learn about the real you that exists while developing your creative practice and unlocking those gifts which may have been hiding behind the day to day commitments and years of societal conditioning.

It is a lighthearted and enjoyable way to nurture yourself and grow.

"Sophie is absolutely wonderful to work with. Her energy is contagious and warm and receptive. I loved her engaging, creative approach to coaching which was definitely a plus for me."

- Shae, London