Compassionate Creativity

By Pamela Mueggenberg LMHP, MA 
Art Therapy Counseling
 
“Be confused, it’s where you begin to learn new things. Be broken, it’s where you begin to heal. Be frustrated, it’s where you start to make more authentic decisions. Be sad, because if we are brave enough we can hear our heart’s wisdom through it. Be whatever you are right now. No more hiding. You are worthy, always.” -S.C. Lourie
 
The act of creative expression is a strong tool for psychological healing from trauma. Music, movement, art, poetry, writing, drama are all vital to our work as mortals navigating difficult times. Unfortunately, creativity is often rife with judgement - from ourselves, mainly, but also others who attempt to signal their own virtue through self-righteous proclamations: “if you aren’t learning a new language/lifting weights/making original art in quarantine you never wanted to!” 

That statement, from a clinical perspective, is utter hogwash. Sometimes we can make time for ourselves and our creative needs. Other times we have succeeded in our day by just getting out of bed in the morning. Take inventory of yourself, with compassion, and if you find a desire to do something a little more reflective that particular day, here are some ideas. 

Utilize your Visual Voice. To name an experience is to claim some solace. We could use our spoken language to make sense of some of the feelings we have, but that can be too immediate, glib, or accidentally hyperbolic.

If we instead use creative expression to safely contain and create separation from our pain, we have a moment in our work to view the sensation as a discernible object that we can name, describe or contextualize.

• Dig out some of your favorite songs and create a playlist for your last month. Get a nice, small canvas and use those oil pastels to make an album cover, perhaps titled “November 2020, this crap is still happening.”

Create a bit of safety. Using our imagination to describe moments of peace can be an oasis of safety during stressful times. Gretchen Miller calls this process “an essential foundation to start stabilizing terror into manageable states of contentment and security.”

• What is your favorite season of the year? What colors or symbols remind you of that season? What would it look like if you made an homage to spring, using that nice flat piece of cardboard from your latest amazon box that you saved, and some paint?

Structured, Sensory Intervention. Stress and trauma invade the body, causing a disconnection between our inner and outer worlds. It is difficult to feel those warm sheets just out of the dryer, or smell that fifth loaf of bread you just baked, if your head is swimming with unknowns and must-dos. Taking time to engage your senses in pleasant experiences can help our nervous system calm, which in turn slows your thoughts.

• I’m going to say it. PLAY-DOH. Get yourself some play-doh. The smell alone is divine. You’ll thank me later.

Empower your own resilience. You may not be able to control when your boss will give you your hours back, but you can choose what color you’re going to paint that wall, damn it. Miller reminds us, creating art gives you chances to “make choices, problem solve, make meaning,” and safely navigate options for success in a low-risk setting.

• Do you have dominos at home? When is the last time you made a dominos maze? If you are feeling extra clever see if you can incorporate other elements: toy cars, cue balls, cooperative family members. It is just as satisfying as you remember.

Remember, you can do things to help you feel better but you are not obligated to do them all the time. Be gentle with yourself and those around you, and we’ll get through this.

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