Creative Mythology
This weekend I had the pleasure of running two arts based workshops where the focus was on self-exploration through creative process. In both the question came up- as often it does at these workshops: how are you able to keep your creative practice going? I must admit one of the reasons I began doing these […]
Self-Care Through Elemental Art
This week is children’s mental health week here in Canada. With many events promoting awareness about children’s mental health and the importance of supporting services. As an art therapists who primarily works with children and youth I see the need for more understanding and compassion towards children who often become labeled as “difficult” due to […]
Creative Process: the Underbelly of Self-Care
When we step into our own creative voice we step into our Self; who we are becomes strengthened by our creative connection through art making. Experimentation, letting go of outcome, and play are all aspects that allow us to come into our own creative voice. This voice is the underbelly of our authentic Self. […]
Letting Go into Creative Flow
In February I ran my Painting with Your Muse intuitive painting workshop with another wonderful group of muses. It has been five years since I began running this workshop and for more than 20 years that I have been following an intuitive process myself when painting. There is a flow state that happens when one follows their intuition this […]
Challenging Your Creative Norm
I decided to challenge my creative practice, try something I don’t normally do. Usually I like to work more intuitively, painting, drawing, making art about whatever needs to come out in that moment. This is my comfort zone, to work without a directive or plan. For some that is daunting, for me it is freedom. […]
Create Creative BEing
On Friday I had a relaxing afternoon with colleagues at the Spa. A social worker, psychotherapist, psychiatrist and another art therapist and I went to a Spa for water therapies; relaxing in the sauna, hot tub and salt pool before going for a much-needed and deserved massage. This is the second time we have done this […]
Reflective Practice Via Creative Connection
As the days get colder and the days are darker, a different kind of light needs to shine through. This time of year finds me doing a lot more reflecting: writing, art journaling, and inner visioning. It’s a process that I engage in every year to set a tone for the year ahead. In previous […]
Tapping into Creativity
When I was much younger, less cares, or so it seems in retrospect (but its all relative really) I use to just naturally gravitate toward activities which I enjoyed. I never carved out time for self-care, I just did it. Yes, I scheduled in massage appointments (even more than I do now) and went to […]
The Journey of Art
December is here and my Doodle Journey e-course has finished. As I worked through the course myself, my inner critic tried to interfere with my doodle journey discouraging my loose and somewhat “messy” style. It was a practice in letting go of judgement, though even as I write this post and prepare to upload some of […]
Making Creativity a Priority
In my last blog post I shared ways to make sure you have time for your creative self-care practice. We looked at some of the practical solutions to barriers that block creative practice. Without setting up your external environment properly it is too easy to fall back into old patterns of neglecting your creativity. Today […]