My Art Therapy

[Ulrica]

I was pondering whether to put it here or in the creative corner. But I decided on here since it's a part of my recovery process. I wanted to share my art therapy pieces with you guys so you could see what we get up to here in the North of the world. This is from my second group which finished only last week.

We had different themes every week.

1st picture: "Yourself around others"

2nd picture: "An encounter that was good for you" (I've now ripped this up, long story)

3rd picture: "Rage (Anger)" - everyone in the group felt very strongly about this theme. Very emotional session.

4th picture: Disappointment

5th picture: "Strength"

6th picture: "What the group has meant to you"

[Todash]

Thank you so much for sharing all that. It seems to be a very insightful activity for you. hugs

[Pynn]

Ooh I really love that... I wish I could put my thoughts and feelings on paper like that...

Good for you to find this so helpful!

Thanks a lot for sharing this!!

xxx

Lynn

[kib0ne]

Thanks for sharing! How do you reflect on the experience of art therapy?

[Saharah Blue]

Ulrica,

I think I could benefit from art therapy. Nothing like that available here. I have heard both art and music therapy can be very healing. How did you find it helped?

Sah

[angel tears]

great work hun, i did some art therapy during my post natal illness and it really helped. Music therapy sounds interesting too, will look that up :)

[Ulrica]

Sorry for not replying sooner. I totally missed I got some replies Weird headspace and all that...

kib and Saharah (your questions tie in to each other somewhat):

Good questions, we were asked to reflect on it and draw something (last picture). I guess the main benefit for me has been to see that really, what I feel is not that different from others with other diagnoses or even from people without MH problems. It's just that my feelings are turned up either on full volume or not at all. It's also forced me to look at some of the positives that I do have (though I still profess that I don't). For example for the strength theme I choose to symbolize how I managed to kick three drug addictions on my own (not out of choice for the most part) since it was the only thing I could think of that came remotely close. The people in the group gave me such credit for kicking those habits whilst I can't see it. I saw it as something I had to do because I had no other choice, not because I was strong. I tend to down play a lot of the good things I have accomplished, as well as positives I hear from others. I managed to work out that there is an extreme gap in perception of who I think I am and who others think I am. Me: All bad, no good. Others: A lot of good, not a lot of bad. It's forcing me to look deeper into it which I am going to work on in therapy.

It's also been good for me to get better acquainted with my emotions, I'm either all feeling or all intellect and never in between. It did leave me feeling like punching things after a lot of sessions but all in all, it was so worth it. I'd recommend anyone who gets a chance to try it, should.

Pynn: I think everyone can do it! I suck at drawing but I do enjoy it It's such a release to get it all out on paper, during the anger theme all of us were pounding away at our drawings

Todash: It was very insightful in many ways. I am hoping for another group to start in the autumn.

angeltears: Glad to hear it helped you!

Ulrica

[rain]

I love your handwriting :)

[Ulrica]

I love your handwriting

Awww... thanks :blush:

[fucktheworld]

Ulrica--These are very cool. Thank you for sharing these.

Hey Saharah you can get art, music therapy with a Jungian therapist. They are all over the states.

:)

[voodoopinup]

Ulrica,

I think I could benefit from art therapy. Nothing like that available here. I have heard both art and music therapy can be very healing. How did you find it helped?

Sah

where in the US? are you from because there is art therapy available

[Evening Dew]

Very interesting. I enjoyed looking at these.

[Ocean Wolf]

I'm glad the art therapy helped. Thank you for sharing your pictures. Good luck with future therapy groups.

I agree with the people in the group, btw. I think you are a very strong and remarkable person.

[Ulrica]

I'm glad the art therapy helped. Thank you for sharing your pictures. Good luck with future therapy groups.

I agree with the people in the group, btw. I think you are a very strong and remarkable person.

Awww, thank you. Means a lot to hear that.

[GeneralDisarray]

Thank you for sharing, I know how difficult it can be... even though I do a lot of art, I RARELY share it... the really meaningful one's that is. I am a photographer and have shot many evocotive things... and it took a while to bring it in to my therapy session. My therapist is really big into creative expression as a way to cope. Maybe I will post a something I've done that's been very meaningful for me ;-)

[Ulrica]

Thank you for sharing, I know how difficult it can be... even though I do a lot of art, I RARELY share it... the really meaningful one's that is. I am a photographer and have shot many evocotive things... and it took a while to bring it in to my therapy session. My therapist is really big into creative expression as a way to cope. Maybe I will post a something I've done that's been very meaningful for me ;-)

I'd love it it :)

[GeneralDisarray]

Thank you for sharing, I know how difficult it can be... even though I do a lot of art, I RARELY share it... the really meaningful one's that is. I am a photographer and have shot many evocotive things... and it took a while to bring it in to my therapy session. My therapist is really big into creative expression as a way to cope. Maybe I will post a something I've done that's been very meaningful for me ;-)

I'd love it it

I actually started a thread a few days ago or something with one of my photos... It's somewhere in this forum... When I get up to it, I'll post some more from some more recent shots. :)