Expressive Moments
Even when a therapist and a client are well-matched and find a lot to discuss, there are still times when talk therapy may have limitations. I enjoy talking through problems and finding solutions using language and concepts, but at times, expressive art can help us communicate when words fall short. It can uncover insights that come from deep within, when we aren’t always conscious of feeling a certain way.
The process of creating can also be very grounding, especially when the senses are involved in one or more ways. The grounding sensation can regulate our nervous system, and the action of expressing ourselves in a sensory way can also provide great release. It can move us through frustration, challenge, and overwhelm into a new emotional space.
When you work with me, we can schedule regular expressive activities, or you can propose them as the impulse arises. We will get to know one another, and follow your lead as to what feels appropriate. Which expression your art takes may vary from moment to moment depending on your inspiration and your choices from many suitable prompts or activities. I have many ideas to offer. You also have endless ideas that we can tap into.
For example, we might:
Paint (a portrait, an abstract feeling, a timeline, a meaningful object, a memory…)
Sculpt (your greatest wish, a childhood memory, a symbol of how you feel, a simple source of pleasure, a frustration…)
Make a collage (a vision board, old and new hopes and dreams, images of power, images of comfort…)
Write prose (how something happened, what you wish had happened, how life would look if your wishes came true, what would happen if you tried something new…)Compose a song (blues, a wistful ballad, a playground chant, a rage anthem…)
Script a short film or play (potential exchanges with a significant other, dialogue with your inner child, a re-writing of important moments, an interaction with an emotion…)Cooking, gardening, wood or metalworking, home decorating, fashion design (shopping!) and creating FX and computer graphics are other great avenues of self-expression that we can utilize… and these activities are still not an exhaustive list of everything we could do.
You might want to display or release your creation to an audience later (or eat it, in the case of cooking or baking). Or, you might choose to destroy it in a safe way. Honor your emotion about the process and the product when you decide what to ultimately do with it.
The product, when working with me, is less critical than the process of creation. During the process I will help you attend to emotions that arise. It’s not uncommon to go through the creation in a matter-of-fact way and then be stunned by the results. It’s also not uncommon to begin the process and experience a block, hesitation, or a feeling of discomfort. It’s not uncommon either to laugh or cry. All emotions are okay during this process as in life. I can be with you to observe and hold space for whatever comes up. We can talk about what you observe. If you would like to know what I observed, I will share that with you as well. We can reflect on the experience and what value it may hold for you as you move through your present emotions and look toward future creations.
