Wyvern Lingo's Caoimhe Barry on minding her mental health | SelfMade x GoldenPlec

Now more than ever, mental health is being discussed at length within the music industry. Only recently, singer-songwriter Kate Nash claimed the industry has blood on its hands.

"I think [the music industry has] been responsible for killing a lot of musician," she told The Guardian. "Lots of us have mental health issues, and drink and drug problems, and the industry doesn’t really care."

Enter SelfMade and their next event: 'Mind YourSelf: Mental Health and Music' takes place on the 25 May at the Tara Building. The event is made up of two parts: an afternoon workshop, exploring the inner critic, and an evening session which will follow the usual SelfMade format of visual art, zines and panel discussion, book-ended by live performance by the panelists.

GoldenPlec.com caught up with Wyvern Lingo's Caoimhe Barry ahead of her workshop on the inner critic ...

"I guess as a musician, you don't clock out," she says on the subject of the mythical work-life balance.

"I try to do a lot. That's the way for me to focus, if I have a lot of tasks. We have band practice every day. I'll do a bit of songwriting in the evening, before moving on to painting."

Caoimhe enjoys painting and indulging in the visual arts as a means of "switching off" while still engaging her creative side.

"It's good to do something different ... It helps the creative process. I never used to have the patience for illustration. Now I do these things because they bring me joy."

That said, there's a struggle that comes with spinning so many plates.

"When it comes to being a creative, and you choose whatever you do as a job, sometimes you sit down and it doesn't happen," she explains. "That can be very frustrating.

"I'm delighted that this is my job, but the other side of that is that you need people to interact with it. That can be tough, weighing up whether you should modify something so that you know it will sell."

As a result, Caoimhe finds it important to take some time away to focus on other exploits: she enjoys running and spending time with her friends. How does she keep on top of things?

"I have a hexagon tattoo on my wrist that I use as a to-do list," she says. "They represent six things: health, fitness, family and friends. I look it at when I feel like I'm dropping the ball a bit."

With regards to Kate's statement, Caoimhe reckons the industry is coping on to the issues its facing regarding mental health.

"There's a lot more awareness about mental health in the industry," she says. "People are speaking out. The nature of social media, while it can be negative in a way, it's also comforting to know that you're not alone in struggles.

"I've been involved in a lot of stuff about mental health. I think it's crucial. I couldn't say no to SelfMade as a result. It's a really important initiative."

Caoimhe explains how artistry can often be an insular experience, which is why she wants to show people how to channel their inner critic and put them to good use.

"Implementing these technique has been hugely helpful for me," she says. "At the workshop, we're going to work through some theory before moving on to some practical work, helping people identify their inner critic."

"It's about trying to use the inner critic as something necessary. If you can't beat them, join them."

Self Made's 'Mind YourSelf: Mental Health and Music' takes place on 25 May. Tickets can be purchased here.