A question that I have gotten often through email is what art ideas I recommend for working with depression. So today I want to share a collection of some of the art directives and approaches that I use in working with clients who have depression. First, however, let me offer a few reminders and disclaimers. Every client that we work with is unique. Please don’t take this list as a complete treatment plan for depression – not every activity on this list is appropriate for every client, there … [Read more...]
New Year Reflections – Art and Journaling
How do you feel about New Year’s resolutions? Do you make any time to reflect on your past year and plan for the year above? I’ve shared several posts in the past with ideas for goal setting, intentions, and New Year’s resolutions, as well as talking about why I think an art-based approach to this can be helpful. (Check out “Art Directives for New Year’s Resolutions” for this.) Today I want to share a quick update on my own process this year for reviewing the past year and looking forward to … [Read more...]
Connecting With Your Own Energy
“Imagine what it might be like to step away from your busy life and figure out what truly gives your life meaning. Life lived from the inside out offers us a pathway to greater authenticity and reveals our deep belonging to the wild universe of which we are a part.” (From back cover of Finding the Wild Inside by Marilyn Kay Hagar) I recently received an advance copy of expressive arts therapist Marilyn Kay Hagar’s book Finding the Wild Inside: Exploring Our Inner Landscape Through the Arts, … [Read more...]
17 Ways to Be a More Eco-Minded Creative Therapist
Are you considering sustainability and environmental impact in your art and clinical practice? I believe that it is imperative that we all be more aware of this in all areas of our life, including our work as creative therapists. This past summer I decided that it was time to commit to doing more to be eco-aware in my practice. I have always recycled at home and work. And have often used repurposed materials in art – magazines for collage, interesting containers and pieces, book pages, etc – … [Read more...]
Torn Paper Transformations
Letting go of things can be hard. Whether it’s past trauma, a loss we are grieving, unhealthy relationships, or destructive thinking, it can be challenging to find the balance between honoring what we have been through but no longer letting it define us. One of the valuable aspects of art therapy is the experiential nature. Beyond talking about something and even visually representing it in the art piece, we can also benefit from the symbolic experience in the creative process. This art … [Read more...]
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