Creativity in Therapy

Inspiring therapists and counselors to be more creative

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Creative Inspiration – Expand a Collage Image

What do you do when your creative inspiration runs low? As an artist and therapist, I strive for consistent art-making in my own life and with my clients, but sometimes art-block and lack of inspiration creep in. Some people feel like they can only take action when they are in the right mood. They need to feel the motivation or inspiration to get started. But whether it's painting, writing, cleaning your house, or tackling a big project, sometimes the best thing to do is just to get started, … [Read more...]

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Family Values Collage

When they come in to therapy, a lot of families want to focus on the problems. On one level, the makes sense – the problems are the things that they want to change, the reason that they are needing outside help from a therapist. But focusing on the problems alone – whether in talk or in art therapy – is usually not enough to really strengthen and heal the family. Doing a family values collage is one way to help bring the family together, shift their interactions, and help them build on their … [Read more...]

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Creative Gratitude Journal

How often do you consciously notice what you can be grateful for in your life? Throughout the day, is your mind full of thoughts about what you need to get done, regrets about the past, annoyances at others? How often is your mind filled with appreciation for the present moment or gratitude for the positive things in your life? As therapists and counselors, we all understand that what you focus on in your mind influences your feelings and the way you react to the circumstances and events of … [Read more...]

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The Power of Hope-filled Art

This past week I worked on my postcards for the Hope-filled Art Postcard Exchange, organized by Gretchen Miller and Nancy Lautenbach and part of 6 Degrees of Creativity. Participants create three art postcards about “hope” to mail out and will receive three in return. You can learn more here: https://6degreesofcreativity.wordpress.com/2016/08/29/creative-deed-project-art-filled-hope-postcard-art-exchange/ (And be sure to follow Art Therapy Alliance and 6 Degrees of Creativity on social media … [Read more...]

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Creating Tissue Paper Collages

Tissue paper can be a great art medium to try in therapy. I find that it helps to encourage playing with colors and materials, experimenting with new techniques, and focusing on the process. For myself, I have always enjoyed that working with tissue paper forces me to be more abstract and less focused on achieving a certain outcome. I have been using tissue paper in some of my groups lately and playing with it in my own art, so I thoughts I would share some ideas for using it in therapeutic … [Read more...]

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