My favorite part of art therapy (this week!) is The Metaphor, the way the process and the product contain the meaning or the message from the unconscious. Apart from the plan or the actual subject matter of the art even. Well, The Metaphor blasted me this week! Read on. This is a non invasive, fun, get-to-know-you art therapy directive. It’s great for first sessions, icebreakers, name learning – that kind of thing. It’s impossible to mess up and requires no talent or training. I made this … [Read more...] about The Metaphor
eating disorders
Boundaries
BOUNDARIES At the most basic level, boundaries describe an individual’s “close comfort” zone. Where “I” end and “you” begin. Personal space, skin, energy field, mind your own business. A healthy person’s boundaries are flexible and vary from intimate friend to casual acquaintance to total stranger. Boundaries are for protection and esteem and individuation. Healthy boundaries are empowering and encourage self-reliance and responsibility. Healthy parenting looks a lot like a good Al Anon – … [Read more...] about Boundaries
Ready for Treatment
The Inside/Outside Box is a typical art therapy project. Fun to make, it is a self-portrait in metaphor and an un-self conscious look into things like persona, boundaries, containment, congruency and secrets. This particular box was made by a woman waiting for a bed in a treatment center. Lots of times people with eating disorders try to “pretty up” their outsides; more concerned with how others see them than they are with their own insides. I usually see a difference between the outsides and … [Read more...] about Ready for Treatment
Right Brain Spine Tingler
Life line oil pastel on paper by "E" age 17 This young restrictor drew her life from left to right – happy childhood, lots of moves around the world, the friendship of her popular sister, and a loss of self in early adolescence. Food and weight became the one thing she could control until she became ill, messed up and sought help. She has wisely chosen to open a new door to recovery. She draws a life founded on love. Above that her right brain sent … [Read more...] about Right Brain Spine Tingler
Denial
Denial oil pastel self portrait by "F" This oil pastel self-portrait was inspired by an introduction to Freda Kahlo, a Mexican artist who lived with daily pain and sorrow. The part of Freda’s story that impressed this patient is the way Freda includes her emotional and psychological self in her portraits. Freda painted more than what she looks like; she regularly shares what’s on her heart and what’s on her mind. This includes chronic physical pain and painful relationship … [Read more...] about Denial
Red light/Green light
Hungry/Starving (hunger) oil pastel on paper Dieting, binging, purging, numbing, over exercising and otherwise ignoring the body’s perfectly installed hunger signals creates a huge disconnect between mind and body. We see evidence of this disconnect in men and women with disordered eating. F. drew the above as part of the directive “Draw what hunger is for you. Draw what starving is for you.” She was trying to draw a green light! As you can see she reflexively draws “Stop” even though she … [Read more...] about Red light/Green light
Codependency
Codependency is modeled everywhere we look in our culture. From the alcoholic family-next- door to the silver screen to the lyrics of pop music to Catholic marriage vows. I don’t know how I could have grown up any different; both my parents were raised by codependent parents who were, guess what, also raised by codependents. Alcoholism, green thumbs and relationship addiction are in my lineage just like being short and prone to spending freely. What motivates codependence is the idea that we are … [Read more...] about Codependency
Dreamcatchers
A few words about "cute" and "craft" from a former gold frame art snob. Native American Dreamcatcher As an artist and former fine arts student I have a bad attitude about “kits,” crafts and vacationbibleschool-ie art. This goes for most product-centered art therapy projects. I brought this conceit to art therapy and vowed to avoid “cute” like the plague. I use good paper and archival media as much as possible. So when some women in art therapy asked to make dream catchers I thought long and … [Read more...] about Dreamcatchers