A Co Fermanagh man is bringing his relaxation drawing classes for mental well-being to Belfast next month.
Trevor Verner from Ballinamallard has been working in art therapy for the last 16 years across Tyrone and Fermanagh.
Almost two years ago, he shared his story in his debut book, ‘The Shadow On My Shoulder’ in order to reach others who have experienced trauma or struggled with their mental health.
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Trevor, 60, gave his own raw personal account of his bumpy road to inner peace in a heartbreakingly honest account of living with underlying trauma. Written over lockdown, his debut book detailed how life can shatter and yet come back together again.
Dad-of-four Trevor first experienced trauma at just 12 years of age, when his eldest brother Ronnie, who was 21, died in a car accident on Christmas Day 1975.
“Little did I know that I would carry the trauma of that right through my school days and into later life but not be aware of it,” Trevor told MyFermanagh.
“It explains why I found my school days so difficult. I was very distant and found it hard to study and concentrate because I was carrying the devastation in my mind. The only way I could get relief was through art.”
As a young man, Trevor followed in his father's footsteps by joining the police but he soon found that the trauma of losing Ronnie had risen to the surface again, hitting him even harder.
“When I turned 21, the same age as Ronnie was when he died, it hit me all over again. This time it was like a double whammy because I realised just how young Ronnie was when he was killed,” he said.
After being involved in an explosion as a young reserve, Trevor's mental health took a nose dive.
“It was the 1980s and there were obviously stresses and strains at that time. Little did I know that the turning point for me would come when a car I was going to get into was blown to bits.” he explained.
“That was the catalyst and shortly afterwards when I went into police training, I really fell off the wagon. I lost interest in everything, couldn't sleep at night or switch off. It was a constant grind the whole time.
“It was so bad and there was no support available in those days. I felt that I couldn’t speak to anybody in my family because I felt I was a failure.”
After experiencing a mental breakdown, Trevor received the specialist psychiatric and psychological help he needed and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“The prognosis was that I’d been carrying this trauma right through from 12 years of age and the bomb blast was the turning point which pushed me over the edge,” he said.
“Trauma is like a disease but it's also a silent killer. It builds and builds for years and you have no control over it. It takes certain things to trigger it. I was advised that the best action for me was to leave the police after about ten years of service so I returned home to Fermanagh and started my life again.”
On the advice of his doctors, Trevor turned his attention to something he enjoyed but had never really focused on, art therapy.
“They felt it was better if could do without medication and keep my mind clear so I took it on board and worked hard,” he added.
“I went from being an amateur artist to a professional and now I have several exhibitions under my belt. It was my lifesaver so then I decided to take my skill out into the community. I felt it was working for me so I wanted to try and help other people.”
Now Trevor is once again branching out to help others and will be running relaxation drawing classes at The Thinking Cup Café on the Lisburn Road, beginning in April.
"It's something new for the area and drawing comes with many mental health benefits too, which I have discovered for myself down the years," he said.
"It's a programme that works for both beginners and those with some experience. Most of those who have come to my classes in the past have been complete beginners who have become good amateur artists by the time they're finished.
"I would encourage anyone interested to come along and give it a try. There's a social aspect too in terms of interacting with others and making new friendships."
The six week course starts on Tuesday, April 18th from 11am-1pm. For more details and bookings please contact trevorverner63@gmail.com.
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