Art and Healing - Can Art be Medicine?

Foundation for Art & Healing - Can Art Be Medicine? from Jason Schuler on Vimeo.

Art & Healing - Can Art Be Medicine? by Jason Schuler

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I hope you enjoy this video by Jason Schuler, I think it is an excellent example of how art can be used in such a variety of settings and with a wide range of cases. I started painting around twenty years ago now, and over the last few years I've become increasingly interested in the role of art in the therapeutic process, and have taken part in many courses in expressive arts. From the role of art in the counsellor's process to art therapy classes. Right now I am waiting on a class on the role of Art in Trauma Recovery with Cathy Malchiodi to start - so looking forward to learning with Cathy. How lucky we are as therapists to be able to access the top trainers in the world from the comfort of our own studios!

In my practice I offer expressive art / counselling / mindfulness sessions, as I believe the combination of talking, meditation and making art helps to heal us on deep level while being a very comforting and peaceful healing process.

Seize Your Moments

A recent art prompt from a class I've been participating in, asked us to contemplate special moments that have happened during our lives as therapists, and then to create little art tags, where we record those moments. It occurred to me that this would be a lovely exercise to do at the end of each day, to journal about the special moments throughout the day, special moments that sometimes we forget over the course of the weeks and years. I thought that if we were to collect these, it would help us realise how many wonderful moments there really are in our lives - how special the 'small stuff' can be. To train our brains to go over and over the lovelies - rather than the worries.

Like the butterfly I noticed on the flower that was exactly the same colour... or the bird running up and down and turning somersaults on a flowering branch of my neighbours' camelia plant... the little stone that was shaped like a heart on the beach... the dog that ran up wet and soggy from it's swim to say hi, and the feeling of it's surf fresh body from the waves as it rested on my leg. I know when I go house sitting I am more in tune with the little everyday wonders in my life as I blog, so that pet owners can see what their pet is up to, so I tend to notice more in my walks, awake to little delights to photograph and mention.

Art Tags for Art Journaling

Some art tags I created for journaling processes - you can collect old tags from clothes and paint or collage over them, or use old cereal boxes, cut the tags out in any shape and size you'd like to. The class I am participating in has used old laminate samples - they are strong and you can link them together with key ring clip. Easy to flip and read once you've made them, as well as being a great self care heart warmer.

Visit Gretchen Miller for some wonderful ideas

I was having a browse around google - as you do - for images relating to art tags and discovered something related to tags (I thought anyway) Janne Williem's art cards. Janne is working her way around the world collecting art cards done by peope she meets on her travels... here's a video of her time in Nepal.

Visit Janne's site Seize Your Moments

Finding my art on other sites... a request - let's give each other credit where credit is due...

It is quite flattering to discover my art and photography on various sites - there's just one little thing that bothers me about this sometimes, and that is when there is a lack of acknowledgement that it is my art. You see art takes time, emotional and financial commitment, going to classes, experimenting with technique, more classes, love and attention - to develop, to create. It's kind of like sending your baby out to the world when you finally complete a canvas. Can you see why I'm big on giving credit where credit is due?

I recently discovered my Hawaiian Angel Art on Pinterest, linked to another site, hmmmm... anyhows... this artwork was actually a christening present that I made for my little neice Ashleigh a few years ago... on it has a bible verse 'Behold I send you an angel to guard you on your way'.

So if you'd like your own angel - do drop me a line - and you're most welcome to share my art, and I just ask please give credit where credit is due. Mahalo

Outside my window today

You just never know what is going to pass by - here's a little delight from my world.

Is love all you need?

This Valentines Day I invite you to consider all the ways that you take care for yourself. Art journaling is one of the ways that I take time out for myself, to reflect on, and appreciate, the things that I hold dear. I think it's so important for us to have a creative practice that nurtures us, and then to carve out time in the day to do a little of that. Maybe even just 10 minutes. It would be lovely to think that love is all we need, but in reality we need quite a few things to keep us healthy... what are those things for you?

Artful exchanges

Some art exchange mail on it's way to the USA at present.

Years ago I had a pen pal Kyoko who lived in Kyoto in Japan. I delighted in receiving her mail, and she would include in the letter, a piece of her beautiful origami. Little creatures made of folded paper would fall from the envelope as I opened it, and for a young girl in Australia, who had no contact with another culture at that time, it was magical.

Art exchange mail received from the USA and Canada, turned into a journal page.

The same feeling still happens when I open an envelope from one of my art exchange friends across the world. Art exchange is a bit like having a pen pal, but included in the envelope may be little pieces of ribbon, papers, an art work, or an Artist Trading Card.

If you'd like to participate in a fun art mail swap... just drop me a line.

New Year New Art... Up Up and Away...

At the beginning of each year I join a creative group or two, to share art and dialogue with other artists. I've met friends from all over the world this way, and learned so many new things. Up Up and Away is a prompt from Journal52 - you can join in at facebook or visit Journal52.com here .

Practicing Random Acts of Kindess this Christmas

What this world needs is a new kind of army - the army of the kind. ~Cleveland Amory

We can get so busy running around at Christmas that we may forget to stop and enjoy the process. I want to invite you today, to find time to stop and start to become aware of the ways that love is shared in the world around us. With the way that we are bombarded by all the news on TV, we can forget that each day love is all around us if we take time to listen and watch.

It's in a hand that is held, it's in a call from a loved one, in the wag of a dog's tail, when someone offers to push the shopping trolley for us. It's when a neighbour gives you a thank you card, when someone smiles at you for no reason. All those thoughtful, kindful moments, are forms of love and gosh we all so need it in our lives.

The truth is that we can get drained if we aren't doing things from love and become a human doing, instead of a human being. On an airplane, if there is trouble, the oxygen masks come down. You are instructed to put on your own first, before helping another. It's a great metaphor for life. We need to take care of ourselves before we can truly be there for another. Otherwise most of the time our attention is focussed on other things, sometimes simply how worn out we are.

I want to invite you to join me in caring for yourself first. As you wake up to the day - and this can be anytime of day - think about yourself, and what you need. What about doing something for yourself today, and I don't mean buying yourself something - I mean, going for a walk on the beach, or getting up at sunrise and watching the beauty as the day starts. What about stopping for 5 minutes and just being, focussing on your breath, and just being, in the present moment.

How often do you do something that you love to do, so that you feel fulfilled? What is it that you love, that would make you feel more loved, that you can do today for you? With Christmas so close now, there will be many stressors that start to impact on your wellbeing.... so I encourage you to join me in checking in with yourself, and asking yourself what you need.

One of my favourite things is to go to an ocean pool early before anyone else and swim, while watching the sunrise. Then go home and have breakfast. It's so important to look after ourselves, it's not a selfish thing... it will help you to cope so much better with all the little everyday stress that happens in your life, and it's a wonderful skill to teach your children or grandchildren if you have them.

When our self care levels are high, we are in a much better position, to be able to help other beings...

Christmassing

Can you believe it's Christmas again? Scary really how quickly these years are going by. Or is that just a sign of me being older now? Either way, I thought I'd have all my shopping done by now... not the case... and be all organised... not the case either. However, I've been having a bit of fun with some Christmas art - got to get the priorities right - here's a little fun canvas under way using some art journaling techniques.

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. Norman Vincent Peale

Gratitude journal page

Do not take anything for granted — not one smile or one person or one rainbow or one breath, or one night in your cozy bed. - Terri Guillemets

I often wish we had Thanksgiving here in Australia, it seems like such a lovely practice to have with your family and friends. I think we really are the lucky country, still, no matter what we grumble and moan about and we have so much to be grateful for.

We have so much freedom and beauty here. Where we live, the kangaroos play, feed, and rest, at our back fence and the koalas climb the trees. At present we have a couple of nesting crows who are visiting our house. They fly in to our back deck, and take the marbles that I have on the top of one of my pot plants and fly off again. I'd love to be able to see their nest, I imagine it looks beautiful with all the colours mixed in with the bits of branches.

I'm grateful for so many of the everyday things around our home, the gardens, the animals and the cup of coffee shared at our garden table. What about you... what are some of the things that you notice everyday that you are grateful for? I recently did a gratitude journal page even though I wasn't feeling all that grateful at the time, just practicing gratitude had me back in a grateful spirit again... I guess that is the beauty of gratitude.

First flower of the season

Day of the Dead 2013

Day of the Dead - images from left Catrinas from Wikipedia - headstone I found in Macquarie Park recently - marigolds photo from Anony Mouse's photobucket

I think that one of the things I love most about our society is the traditions that I learn from other cultures. I've only become aware of Day of the Dead over the last couple of years. I find myself so drawn to how people honour their dead, while connecting with family and friends on this day to remember those gone before.

From Wikipedia... "People go to cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and build private altars containing the favorite foods and beverages, as well as photos and memorabilia, of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the souls, so the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed to them. Celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed."

This painting by Mel Rudgley grabbed my attention when we visited The Deck Cafe in Dee Why a few weeks ago.

I'm about to attempt a painting based on Day of The Dead - one that each year can be a focus for honouring those that have gone before. Death is never an easy topic to talk about, yet it will happen to each of us one day, and along the way we will have to say a final goodbye to those we care about. Creating an artwork or having someone along side you to help you to create your honouring artwork is one way to help with the grieving process.

On this day of the dead 2013... remembering and sending my love to all those who have gone before.