Art Therapy

Last year I started the year with Soul Restoration. It was the first time I really ever thought about Healing through Art. Once the course was over I continued as suggested until the Soul Restoration 2 course started. I learned great things but mostly was Art based.

I made books and collages and journals galore...now here it is again the words to use Art through healing. I like how she says at the end you don't have to be an "Artist" just do whatever is artistic for you.

This is from my recent Step to Heal course with Amelie Chance

Art therapy has been empirically studied by hundreds of different researchers to effectively help people overcome past trauma.

The results of art therapy on PTSD patients:

• Art helps process difficult emotions without the short-term negative side effects of talk therapy
• Art combines a pleasurable activity with processing of past trauma
• Art helps re-consolidate disjointed memories from a past event to provide coherence and closure
• Art helps to express events that are hard to express in words alone
• Art has healing power

It does not matter if you cannot draw or paint. It makes no difference if you feel you are not creative. The creation of art can facilitate your healing.

I recently was diagnosed with PTSD because of things that have happened in my past to me and around me. As well, a recent  loss of a relationship sent me into overdrive and I sought professional help to learn of this diagnosis. As I said in a comment below that most people think PTSD only is for those who have served in the military. Let me share with you what I learned so you understand this part.

"Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder which is triggered by a traumatic event in your life. There is no absolute list of traumatic events that can and cannot cause PTSD. Therefore, a traumatic breakup, events from your past, rape, molestation, loss of a child, loss of a loved one, and a series of all these events together after a period of time could cause PTSD.  PTSD causes symptoms that include unwanted flashbacks of the event in question, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, and nightmares. The symptoms must last longer than 30 days after the event for it to be called PTSD. The symptoms of PTSD and other anxiety disorders are sometimes difficult to distinguish. In addition, PTSD overlaps with many other symptoms of depression. In many cases, people with the diagnosis of PTSD also have diagnoses of depression. Traumatic breakups almost always cause disturbances in mood that can look like depression, anxiety, PTSD or other mental problems. If your breakup happened very recently, then you may be experiencing normal human emotions associated with the event."

Last year was the beginning of me releasing my past and the hurts and hangups that were keeping me from moving on. I now have learned and accepted that I am not the Broke girl anymore, I am not the Target, I am not the victim. I am whole, complete and wonderful WITH all my flaws because they have made me who I am today.

I wanted to share with your my progression from last year and the art I made while "Healing"...

The first set is from Brave Girls Club Soul Restoration Courses...

Truth book

Morning Pages Journal

Collaging

Special Aprons

Truth Holder

 I went on to take other art courses...

I made Value cards on a key ring

Summer of Color class

In the Sun Art Journal

Bracelets

Summer Wish Lists

Bags

Books for friends

Declaration of You

I challenged my artwork

Learned to draw owls and new things

Fleece Shawls

Art through decorating

Challenged myself to do a Halloween print

Made fun paper bag owls

Toilet Paper People

and even an Advent

This year I decided to stop swallowing whole the idea that I could nto draw, that I could not draw people and that I could not draw faces...when given the time to hone my skills, the results are now staggering to even or especially me.

 Remember the mind can play tricks on you and the last image is the truest. Just go, do, be. Do any form of art that moves you. Allow it to Heal you. Allow it to be a part of you. Don't swallow whole that you a re not Creative. You are. As you see I did many things in a form of "ART". You can too.

Healing through Art has been an eye opener for me in more ways than one and even more so astounding lately.  You just do whatever Artistic thing you need to do to help you heal and I guarantee you will start feeling better in no time...

I am...and you can too.

Air Kisses,

Trisha