Art therapy - share your work here

[OliveJewel]

And this was the last one

 

[OliveJewel]

Another one. I have a lot of energy trying to come out of me. This one kind of looks like preganant. Also kind of looks like a sad bird head putting its head down. Did a chicken funeral today.

 

[Defaultxlove]

This is 18 in x 24 in and was fun to do.

My hand was a lil unsteady and it annoyed me but oh well

 

[ziter]

Very nice @Defaultxlove, vivid and creative (the shape of it)

 

[Defaultxlove]

thanks @ziter! <3

 

[Friday]

This is 18 in x 24 in and was fun to do.

My hand was a lil unsteady and it annoyed me but oh well

Cool cool!

So how is this therapy for you?

 

[Defaultxlove]

I woke up @Friday very stressed and intensely wondering where my kids were which is bizarre cause they are upstairs and that’s never happened before.

For me just doodling is therapy it feels good.

But this specific drawing is sort of what it’s like when I pray on the ground. I feel like a shattered mess on the floor.

I didn’t plan it. My friend gave me a large canvas pad… and here this happened.

I was very happy while doing it…reminded me of better times on a very stressful day that was all focused on trauma

 

[Friday]

@Defaultxlove So drawing is an effective coping/grounding/stress management tool for you... Like kickboxing, finding 5 blue things, or massage therapy; rather than trauma processing, stress inoculation, working with triggers and stressors? A way to recover from therapy &/or live life better, centering/purpose/passion, rather than therapy itself?

 

[OliveJewel]

@Friday several times you have questioned posts on here as art or therapy. As I’m sure you know, art therapy is a real discipline with professionals licensed to work therapeutically with clients through the medium of art with the goal of improving their clients’ sense of well being. So far to the best of my knowledge no one on this thread has claimed to be working with an art therapist. The original poster said

aside from conventional therapy, I write and do all different types of art to aid in my healing. I would love for others to share their poems and art

I noticed that they said aside from therapy and that for them art helps them heal. And that they would love for people to share their art. The next poster said

I agree that art heals. Or helps in healing. Its the expression where words fail.

I’m noticing that this person said that art helps reduce their distress and process feelings without words.

Are you curious about the process of using art to help heal? Wondering if a thread about that would be helpful for you rather than shifting the focus of this one? Also am curious to see what therapeutic, or healing yourself, art you produce, if you feel like sharing.

 

[Sideways]

Are you curious about the process of using art to help heal?

Obviously can’t answer for @Friday , but for me, (having done quite a lot of art, and quite separately, quite a lot of art therapy with a trauma informed therapist), there’s a huge difference between art which is therapeutic, and art which is done for therapy. Very similar to music therapy (which I’ve also done with a trauma informed music therapist - probably I got more from the art therapy, but both were incredibly helpful for me).

Doing art, and listening to (or creating) music, are both things I do to help me ground, improve my mood, and generally feel good (or at least, better). They both help me with my sense of self.

Then there’s art therapy, and music therapy. Which is something I do to tackle a particular issue in my therapy. It’s confronting, and not just conscious but specifically directed to address a topic that I’m trying to heal from. The short term impact, like any intense therapy session, is sometimes catharsis, but most often emotional exhaustion. Pretty much the opposite of the art that I’ve done simply because I have an artistic bent.

Much like - talking to people is good for my mental health. Talking to a psychologist about my trauma, and consequent issues, is hard work, very often distressing, and nothing like talking to friends or supporters to help my wellbeing.

We have an art thread, and an art therapy thread. For all of my art therapy, to get the most out of it, has required either discussion or journaling afterwards. So, I’m usually curious to see what people have to say about things they put in this art therapy thread, in the same way I’m interested to see how folks are working through issues in therapy in other threads.

 

[Friday]

@Friday several times you have questioned posts on here as art or therapy.

That’s because we have 2 threads! Art Thread, & Art Therapy.

People often post art therapy into art, and art into art therapy.

From a staff perspective? It’s just general housekeeping.

- Making sure people looking to discuss or have a place to keep track of the therapy/repercussions/etc, and people looking to discuss art/life/etc., are in the best places for what they’re intending.

- Telling someone they need to work on their line work, or their composition couldn’t be more evocative? Can. f*ck. Off. in the art therapy thread. Because it’s not about skill/process/life. It’s about trauma processing, and ways/means for people who think in pictures instead of words, and a hundred other things. Ditto, someone who wants critiques/kudos/questions on their art? With like minded artists, or aficionados, who also happen to have PTSD? Posting in art therapy totally misses the mark.

From a personal perspective? I’m an artist. Always have been. I think in pictures instead of words, and have to translate. So art therapy? Is DEEPLY personal to me, and I wanna know, so I ask. Rather than assume. As art therapy? Can be a dot on a blank page. Or a comic book cell. Or, or, or, or. And? AS IMPORTANT TO ME, as trauma diaries -for processing- are to people who think in words. I mostly stay out of trauma diaries, but art therapy? Speaks to me in ways words never will. But? We’re in a format of words. So? Again, I ask. Rather than assume. If the person themselves hasn’t already discussed.

Also?

For all of my art therapy, to get the most out of it, has required either discussion or journaling afterwards. So, I’m usually curious to see what people have to say about things they put in this art therapy thread, in the same way I’m interested to see how folks are working through issues in therapy in other threads.

Very much this.

When I’m asking? It’s to find out

A) If this is the best place for their thread (staff)
B) Genuine interest/curiosity, if in the art therapy thread (personal)