FAQ About Art Therapy
How do you stay
healthy when you are dealing with trauma and heart breaking stories all day?
I am asked this question frequently. The short answer: I am
doing what I am passionate about and what I think matters. However, the long
answer is that I work at it. Ken Wilber wrote a book called Integral Life Practice: A 21st-Century
Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual
Awakening that suggested the need for having a spiritual, emotional, physical
and cognitive practice to maintain balance and growth. I have been doing that
for years. I am a regular runner, which helps with releasing stress,
frustration and keeps me physically and mentally fit. I meditate which is
important to help me grow spiritually and keeps me from over identifying with
my small self. I am constantly taking courses and reading which keeps me
mentally sharp and I practice Focusing weekly to help me stay healthy
emotionally. When I am overwhelmed by the system, the world, or my clients I
have a partner who is willing to listen to me and I have a wonderful two year
old Granddaughter to play with when I want to feel better about humanity.
I have to be diligent to not hold on to the sadness and pain
that is involved in my work. I struggle with feeling that things are not getting
better in the world for women and children so I watch what I listen to outside
of work hours. I can’t listen to the
news, watch discouraging movies and/or go out with people to complain about the
state of the world. This is not putting my head in the sand, I just need to be
careful to balance what I see, hear and read so that I don’t become
discouraged.
What do you do to keep healthy?
One of the art activities that we have been doing in the studio lately
is mask making. Children learn about identity and self expression when they engage in making a mask. They express
feelings through their art, develop critical-thinking skills, and learn
that there is more then one right answer or way of creating something.
Art making builds confidence and helps children feel happy.
