“I believe that telling our stories first to ourselves and then to one another and the world is a revolutionary act.” This quote by Janet Mock illustrates the importance of sharing our narratives in order to better process, express, develop compassion for ourselves and others, and heal. Cultivating visibility through perspective-taking is especially important for […]
Category Archives: art trauma
art and healing, Art Therapy, art trauma, arts and health, creative arts, creativity, expressive arts, mindfulness, social justice, storytelling
Finding Your “Why” Through the Expressive Arts
12
May
May
Finding Your “Why” Through the Expressive Arts How creativity reconnects us to meaning, presence, and purpose What if the true meaning of life was found in the question itself, rather than in the answer? In this fast-paced world, we are programmed to live on autopilot. Rarely do we stop to analyze what we are doing—or […]
art and healing, Art Therapy, art trauma, arts and health, compassion fatigue, creative arts, creative process, creativity, expressive arts, expressive arts therapy, expressive arts training, Internal Family Systems, narrative, professional training, therapist burnout
Celebrating Creative Arts Therapy
20
Mar
Mar
“Art can permeate the very deepest part of us, where no words exist.” This quote by Eileen Miller illustrates the power of expressive arts to discover latent parts of ourselves and the world around us. When words are not accessible, the creative arts allow us to speak in new ways. In order to […]
art and healing, Art Therapy, art trauma, arts and health, creative arts, creative process, creativity, drama therapy, expressive arts therapy, inner critic, journal writing, narrative, stress
Meeting Your Inner Critic with Creativity & Curiosity
30
Sep
Sep
“They’re all going to know I’m incompetent. They’re going to find out I’m a fraud. I’m not good enough to be in this position; I should just give up.” Negative thoughts about yourself and your capabilities flood your mind as you try to remember the important points of the presentation you’ve prepared to give […]
art and healing, Art Therapy, art trauma, arts and health, creative arts, creative process, creativity, expressive arts therapy, expressive arts training
Walking the Talk: An Interview with Training Program Alumna, Jessica Johnson
17
Apr
Apr
It was a joy to get to know clinical social worker and training program alumna, Jessica Johnson. She shared how she has been applying her learning experiences in the Professional Expressive Arts Therapy Training Program in her work as a therapist, and in her own life. Suzan: So when did you graduate from the training […]
art and healing, Art Therapy, art trauma, arts and health, creative arts, creative process, creativity, expressive arts therapy, expressive arts training
The Journey to Becoming an Expressive Arts Therapist: An Interview with Cleopatra Bertelsen
16
Apr
Apr
I recently had the privilege of interviewing Cleopatra Bertelsen as my first of a series of interviews with current cohorts, or graduates of the NW Creative & Expressive Arts Professional Training Program. Here is what I learned from this vibrant, compassionate force in the field. By Suzan Alparslan Suzan: First I’d like to just get […]
Art Therapy, art trauma, creative arts, creative process, creativity, drama therapy, expressive arts therapy, journal writing
To Make Art is Human, To Create Divine.
01
Oct
Oct
I am privileged to work with so many wonderful people who come to the institute for workshops and trainings. They come because they are drawn to the concept and practice of using the expressive arts for healing, but not everyone starts out being comfortable engaging in the arts experiences. Offering a safe space to explore […]