The Peaceful Brain Art Book
What’s inside?
The Peaceful Brain Art Book contains 55 gentle, beginner-friendly exercises designed to help you explore creativity during moments of overwhelm, restlessness, anxiety or creative block.
Across the book, you’ll discover simple ways to:
• Ground yourself through colour, texture and movement
• Express emotions that can feel difficult to put into words
• Release the pressure to create something perfect
• Explore uncertainty with curiosity
• Recognise and celebrate neurodivergent strengths
• Create moments of hope, reflection and joy
Exercises include The Pebble Exercise®, Colour Breathing, Bilateral Drawing, Hidden Message Layer, Touch & Trace and many more.
You don’t need expensive materials or previous artistic experience. Each exercise offers a gentle starting point - you decide where it takes you.
55 gentle, beginner-friendly art exercises for ADHD, autism, anxiety and busy minds.
Created for moments when your mind feels noisy or overwhelmed, The Peaceful Brain Art Book invites you to slow down, reconnect with yourself and explore creativity without the pressure to be “good at art.”
Written by AuDHD artist and creative wellbeing educator Demi Dawkins, with therapist insights from Jovanna Penney, founder of Bloom Therapist Network.
Published by Ilex Press, part of Octopus Publishing Group.
Available in paperback and as an ebook from 17 September 2026.
Who is this book for?
The Peaceful Brain Art Book was created for anyone who wants to experience creativity with less pressure and more curiosity.
Busy and overwhelmed minds
For moments when your thoughts feel noisy and you need a gentle activity to focus on.
Anxiety and perfectionism
Creative prompts that encourage exploration without needing to control or perfect the outcome.
Neurodivergent minds
Sensory-friendly, beginner-friendly exercises created with a range of neurodivergent experiences in mind.
Creative block or a new beginning
A welcoming place to start if you feel disconnected from your creativity or believe you’re “not good at art.”
You don’t need a diagnosis - or even consider yourself creative - to use this book. The exercises are an invitation to begin exactly as you are.
Why This Helps
Creativity, with therapist insight
Every exercise in The Peaceful Brain Art Book is accompanied by a “Why This Helps” reflection from therapist Jovanna Penney, founder of Bloom Therapist Network.
These insights gently explain how each creative practice may support your wellbeing - helping you understand not only what to try, but why the process can feel meaningful.
Together, my lived experience as an AuDHD artist and Jovanna’s therapeutic perspective bring creativity and emotional wellbeing into one accessible, pressure-free space.
Take a look inside
From grounding and calm to uncertainty, emotional expression, neurodivergent strengths and joy—each chapter offers a different way to explore what your mind may need in the moment.
Spill & Respond
Emotional Flow Lines
Chance Colours
Why I created this book
Growing up undiagnosed with ADHD and autism, I often felt overwhelmed, misunderstood and unable to explain everything happening inside my mind.
Creativity gave those feelings somewhere to go.
Art became a way for me to slow down, process emotions and reconnect with myself without needing to find the perfect words. But for a long time, I also carried the belief that art had to look “good” to be worthwhile.
I created The Peaceful Brain Art Book to offer the kind of gentle creative support I wish I’d had - somewhere to begin without judgement, pressure or the fear of getting it wrong.
This book isn’t about becoming an artist. It’s about discovering what creativity might give back to you.
Book details
Author
Demi Dawkins
Therapist contributor
Jovanna Penney, founder of Bloom Therapist Network
Published by
Ilex Press, part of Octopus Publishing Group
Available formats
Paperback and ebook
UK publication date
17th September 2026
US publication date
October 20th, 2026
Ready to give your busy brain a creative reset?
Pre-order The Peaceful Brain Art Book and explore 55 gentle ways to slow down, express yourself and reconnect through creativity.
Available in paperback and as an ebook.