November 18th, 2016
A few days ago, I saw a post on Facebook that truly inspired me. I have these fantasies about homeschooling my girls and traveling as a family. I love their school. They have awesome teachers. I have no problems with their experience at school. If they are going to attend school, KPS is my number one choice. However, both my girls beg me to stay home on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. Why? They are both introverts. They hate crowds and loud noises. They feel drained by the end of the day, not from the physical exertion but the strain of togetherness when what they really want is some quite time to draw, read, think and be.
Here is the quote that got me thinking:
"What if... instead of worrying about whether we should give kids gold stars for participating or gold stars for being the best, we involve kids in real world activities where the end result of the activity itself is the reward? Teach them gardening, woodworking, repair skills, fibre arts, sewing, cooking, get them out hiking somewhere with a gorgeous view. Raise animals and have them learn to care about something other than themselves. Have them help out a grandparent or elderly neighbour. Our society has lost sight of what's truly important in life. It's time to find it again". (Grow Food, Not Lawns).
I am convinced that our children would benefit from applying the knowledge they need to retain rather than trying to master information long enough to pass a test. What they learn in school is so abstract. When are they going to use long division? If they spend time in nature, learning about trees, plants, insects and animals, they will naturally feel more grounded and be inclined to protect the environment because they have a relationship with nature, they'll want to preserve it.
I have witnessed the detrimental effect of the school's health curriculum on preteens. We are so focused on avoiding child obesity that we are creating a generation of young girls who count calories and compare the size of their thighs, worrying that they will become obese. Why not teach them how to grow healthy food and eat fruits and veggies? There are no labels and packaging when you shop in your garden or greenhouse. How empowering would it be for children to learn how to prepare tasty, healthy food?
Math can be applied to every day situations from having a budget and shopping for food together, clipping coupons, comparing prices to find the best deal, paying bills, donating to charity and saving up for something special. Cooking and geometry go hand in hand. The same goes for woodworking. You can create many science experiments in your home with cheap materials like baking soda, dish soap and vinegar. Children's can pursue interests such as art, karate, gymnastics during the day rather than at the end of the day when they are exhausted.
What if we taught our children to be compassionate and gave them tools to succeed socially? Identifying and expressing emotions in a constructive way would be a start, coping with stress and anxiety, communicating with peers and adults in a positive way, learning to respect the boundaries of others while creating and enforcing their own. There is so much to learn in life and much of the important skills that make our children into good citizens are not taught. Why is that?
My friend Chris, who is from BC, told me about the elementary school she went to, an agricultural school where farming was included in the curriculum. That is genius! Is anyone else feeling that need to make education hands-on? I have the vision but I have no clue where to start. I'd love to hear some suggestions.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
Friday, 18 November 2016
Thursday, 13 October 2016
Do What You Love Regardless of Outcome
October 13th, 2016
Tomorrow is my daughter's eighth birthday. Both my daughters will stay home to celebrate. I will be eating cake, playing with her new toys, going out for lunch and taking lots of photos so my next post will be on Monday.
Today's post is about perseverance. There are so many sayings like: "Jump and the net will appear" or "Follow your heart and the money will come". I have followed my heart and I jumped without hesitation. Guess what? There was no net or money. However, I get to do what I love every day. This includes taking care of my family, participating in activities that contribute to my community and developing my skills as a writer, public speaker and art therapist. I also enjoy a better work-life balance now that I am my own employer.
This post was inspired by a 100 year old artist named Carmen Herrera. She was born in Havana, Cuba but spent a great deal of her life in New York. Her father was the founder of a newspaper, El Mundo, and her mother was a journalist. Carmen was creating innovative, minimalist art in the 50s along with Frank Stella. As a matter of fact, her geometric shapes and use of colour and contrasts were unparalleled. Why haven't you heard about this artist before now? She's a woman and, in the 50s, she was not included in art shows because of her gender. I
n the documentary, The 100 Years Show, Carmen recalls a moment when she met a woman who was the curator for an art gallery. A friend assured Carmen that this curator admired her work. Carmen went to see this woman, hoping to be included in an art show. This woman explained that she did love her work but she couldn't include a female artist in her exhibits. This shocked Carmen because it was another woman who was placing limitations on her.
Carmen married a photographer who encouraged Carmen's creativity and fully believed that her work would be recognized one day. They were great friends. He passed away at the age of 100 after years of suffering from dementia, becoming dependent on Carmen for his care. Carmen has created every day, finding purpose in "putting order in a chaotic world". No one was buying her art but she created for herself. She created because she simply had to do it. That is true passion.
It turns out, her husband was right. People started to recognize her talent and she is now selling her art, included in art shows, part of the collection in a dozen art galleries and, interviewed in various magazines and newspapers. Starting in 2002, she has enjoyed being a recognized and celebrated artist. While it saddens her that her husband never got to see her efforts pay off, she is grateful for the income. It allows her to stay at home and afford the supports she needs such as an art assistant, a physiotherapist and a chef.
Her documentary is short but inspiring. For all of you who have worked hard and have yet to reap the rewards of your labour, there is hope. Just keep doing what you love. Trust that you are where you are meant to be and, perhaps, one day when you least expect it, your moment will come. Hopefully, you won't be 100 years old when it does.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Tomorrow is my daughter's eighth birthday. Both my daughters will stay home to celebrate. I will be eating cake, playing with her new toys, going out for lunch and taking lots of photos so my next post will be on Monday.
Today's post is about perseverance. There are so many sayings like: "Jump and the net will appear" or "Follow your heart and the money will come". I have followed my heart and I jumped without hesitation. Guess what? There was no net or money. However, I get to do what I love every day. This includes taking care of my family, participating in activities that contribute to my community and developing my skills as a writer, public speaker and art therapist. I also enjoy a better work-life balance now that I am my own employer.
This post was inspired by a 100 year old artist named Carmen Herrera. She was born in Havana, Cuba but spent a great deal of her life in New York. Her father was the founder of a newspaper, El Mundo, and her mother was a journalist. Carmen was creating innovative, minimalist art in the 50s along with Frank Stella. As a matter of fact, her geometric shapes and use of colour and contrasts were unparalleled. Why haven't you heard about this artist before now? She's a woman and, in the 50s, she was not included in art shows because of her gender. I
n the documentary, The 100 Years Show, Carmen recalls a moment when she met a woman who was the curator for an art gallery. A friend assured Carmen that this curator admired her work. Carmen went to see this woman, hoping to be included in an art show. This woman explained that she did love her work but she couldn't include a female artist in her exhibits. This shocked Carmen because it was another woman who was placing limitations on her.
Carmen married a photographer who encouraged Carmen's creativity and fully believed that her work would be recognized one day. They were great friends. He passed away at the age of 100 after years of suffering from dementia, becoming dependent on Carmen for his care. Carmen has created every day, finding purpose in "putting order in a chaotic world". No one was buying her art but she created for herself. She created because she simply had to do it. That is true passion.
It turns out, her husband was right. People started to recognize her talent and she is now selling her art, included in art shows, part of the collection in a dozen art galleries and, interviewed in various magazines and newspapers. Starting in 2002, she has enjoyed being a recognized and celebrated artist. While it saddens her that her husband never got to see her efforts pay off, she is grateful for the income. It allows her to stay at home and afford the supports she needs such as an art assistant, a physiotherapist and a chef.
Her documentary is short but inspiring. For all of you who have worked hard and have yet to reap the rewards of your labour, there is hope. Just keep doing what you love. Trust that you are where you are meant to be and, perhaps, one day when you least expect it, your moment will come. Hopefully, you won't be 100 years old when it does.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Preview to a bio
May 31st, 2016
My husband turns 60 on March 22nd, 2017. We are preparing a trip to the Florida Keys to celebrate. I thought it would be fun to write his story. I am always interviewing women and their stories fascinate me. My husband has lived many lives in his 59 years. We run into people who knew him when he was a dj, the owner of Scissors where he managed over 30 staff members, a technical representative for Joico, travelling through Asia or styling the hair of stars and royalty.
I recall once when we were at a friend's house, he sat at a piano and started playing. We had been dating a year and I didn't know he could play. His music was beautiful and his reply to my quizzical look was: "I just like to make stuff up". That is when I found out that his father was a musician and Vincent inherited his talent. He never took a lesson, it just comes to him.
In recent years, he started writing about his childhood in an effort to process painful experiences and put them to rest. He hands over the computer and says: "What do you think?". His writing is powerful, it elicits strong emotions and gives you the impression that you are experiencing everything along with him. His writing is very visual, like an oil painting of every scene only overlaid with potent emotions.
My husband is a stylist. He trained with Vidal Sassoon in London. My first glimpse at his magic was when he did my hair which is how we met. He explained that my hair was damaged and he would need to cut a few inches off. This would bring my hair up to my jaw. I insisted that if he cut my hair that short I would look like a mushroom. He assured me that I wouldn't. We had our wager. He was right. I had never received so many compliments. So, I decided to date him :)
I have watched him take years off of women in 90 minutes. They are smiling, their posture has changed and they seem to be floating on air. I love watching him work. His competence turns me on. I also love seeing him with older clients. He has many elderly clients who have been with him for a long time. He was very close to his grandmother and he is very sweet, gentle and respectful of his older clients. My grandmother always flirted with Vincent. Ever since he serenaded her with: Michelle, ma belle. Did I mention he sings really well? She would ask me where he was whenever I visited her while Vincent was at work. She would comment: "He's got those dreamy eyes".
Vincent loves the finer things in life. He has exposed me to travel and delicious food. He is happiest in a warm destination, with a view of the sea or the mountains, grilling steak on the BBQ with a beer or a robust red wine. He enjoys floating around the swimming pool wearing his sunglasses and a straw hat with a beer in his hands. He is great with animals. Our dog follows him everywhere. I watch him pick up our cat and do whatever he wants with him. The cat doesn't complain, he curls into his chest or lap and purrs his appreciation. When we boarded horses, Vincent would check on them, fill their water containers and have little chats, private, whispered affairs that ended in one of the horses licking his forehead.
When we had children, I worried that we would lose our connection but, thanks to our weekly dates, we have preserved our intimacy and bond as a couple. He is very silly and the girls always tell me he is much more fun than I am. I agree. He is particularly fond of toilet humour, I think that's a British thing. Vincent is very passionate. He loves to restore old cars, collect memorabilia, listen to music like David Bowie, The Beatles, Sting, get tattoos, ride his motorbike or convertible, watch documentaries about politics, nature, musicians and innovators, travel, visit historical sites like Chichen Itsza, and watch you tube videos about DIY projects. He is super handy. He likes to build furniture out of barn board and fix things around the house. Last year, he McGivered a heating system for our pool by stapling black hoses to the tin roof of his shed. See what I mean?
His creativity extends to his cooking as well. We always joke that we are a match made in heaven because he loves to cook and I love to eat. Vincent cooks on his days off. We eat salads, stews, steaks, pasta, always tasty and beautifully plated. The rest of the week, I cook. Generally, that means a one pot meal like shepherd's pie, chicken fried rice, lasagna or spaghetti carbonara.
So, that was my intro. I meant to write his story today, the one he shared during our weekly "interviews" over lunch at our favourite Vietnamese restaurant. However, I have run out of time and space just writing my own observations. I will have to jump right in tomorrow and share the story of Vincent Walsh with you.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
My husband turns 60 on March 22nd, 2017. We are preparing a trip to the Florida Keys to celebrate. I thought it would be fun to write his story. I am always interviewing women and their stories fascinate me. My husband has lived many lives in his 59 years. We run into people who knew him when he was a dj, the owner of Scissors where he managed over 30 staff members, a technical representative for Joico, travelling through Asia or styling the hair of stars and royalty.
I recall once when we were at a friend's house, he sat at a piano and started playing. We had been dating a year and I didn't know he could play. His music was beautiful and his reply to my quizzical look was: "I just like to make stuff up". That is when I found out that his father was a musician and Vincent inherited his talent. He never took a lesson, it just comes to him.
In recent years, he started writing about his childhood in an effort to process painful experiences and put them to rest. He hands over the computer and says: "What do you think?". His writing is powerful, it elicits strong emotions and gives you the impression that you are experiencing everything along with him. His writing is very visual, like an oil painting of every scene only overlaid with potent emotions.
My husband is a stylist. He trained with Vidal Sassoon in London. My first glimpse at his magic was when he did my hair which is how we met. He explained that my hair was damaged and he would need to cut a few inches off. This would bring my hair up to my jaw. I insisted that if he cut my hair that short I would look like a mushroom. He assured me that I wouldn't. We had our wager. He was right. I had never received so many compliments. So, I decided to date him :)
I have watched him take years off of women in 90 minutes. They are smiling, their posture has changed and they seem to be floating on air. I love watching him work. His competence turns me on. I also love seeing him with older clients. He has many elderly clients who have been with him for a long time. He was very close to his grandmother and he is very sweet, gentle and respectful of his older clients. My grandmother always flirted with Vincent. Ever since he serenaded her with: Michelle, ma belle. Did I mention he sings really well? She would ask me where he was whenever I visited her while Vincent was at work. She would comment: "He's got those dreamy eyes".
Vincent loves the finer things in life. He has exposed me to travel and delicious food. He is happiest in a warm destination, with a view of the sea or the mountains, grilling steak on the BBQ with a beer or a robust red wine. He enjoys floating around the swimming pool wearing his sunglasses and a straw hat with a beer in his hands. He is great with animals. Our dog follows him everywhere. I watch him pick up our cat and do whatever he wants with him. The cat doesn't complain, he curls into his chest or lap and purrs his appreciation. When we boarded horses, Vincent would check on them, fill their water containers and have little chats, private, whispered affairs that ended in one of the horses licking his forehead.
When we had children, I worried that we would lose our connection but, thanks to our weekly dates, we have preserved our intimacy and bond as a couple. He is very silly and the girls always tell me he is much more fun than I am. I agree. He is particularly fond of toilet humour, I think that's a British thing. Vincent is very passionate. He loves to restore old cars, collect memorabilia, listen to music like David Bowie, The Beatles, Sting, get tattoos, ride his motorbike or convertible, watch documentaries about politics, nature, musicians and innovators, travel, visit historical sites like Chichen Itsza, and watch you tube videos about DIY projects. He is super handy. He likes to build furniture out of barn board and fix things around the house. Last year, he McGivered a heating system for our pool by stapling black hoses to the tin roof of his shed. See what I mean?
His creativity extends to his cooking as well. We always joke that we are a match made in heaven because he loves to cook and I love to eat. Vincent cooks on his days off. We eat salads, stews, steaks, pasta, always tasty and beautifully plated. The rest of the week, I cook. Generally, that means a one pot meal like shepherd's pie, chicken fried rice, lasagna or spaghetti carbonara.
So, that was my intro. I meant to write his story today, the one he shared during our weekly "interviews" over lunch at our favourite Vietnamese restaurant. However, I have run out of time and space just writing my own observations. I will have to jump right in tomorrow and share the story of Vincent Walsh with you.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Thursday, 26 May 2016
Hay House Withdrawal
May 26th, 2016
Today was the last day of podcasts on the Hay House World Summit. What a gift these interviews have been. Every day, while organizing the art materials in my shop, driving to and from various destinations and cleaning the house, I soaked in the wisdom of best selling self-help authors on the online summit, a series of audio podcasts. I believe there were four series totallIng 100 authors.
My dream is to publish with Hay House some day and join the summit. They have a Writer's Workshop where you can present your manuscript and win a publishing package or, better yet, they take you on as one of their authors. I can feel the book stirring within me and I am working towards it without pushing, all in good time.
Over the last couple of weeks, I have been guided through various meditations and visualizations, I have learned about my self-worth, my brain, my body, my soul and my relationships. I am so excited by what I have learned. It comes down to this: we all come from love and our essence is love, we have come here for a reason, we each have something to contribute and it's our responsibility to find our purpose by following what gives us joy and exploring how our experiences and our unique skills can be used to serve others.
Each author helps us on this quest to reach our highest selves and achieve our mission. We are taught to love ourselves through mirror work, affirmations and healthy nutrition by the master herself, Louise Hay.
We learn about meditation through various authors who talk about the clarity they gain when they slow down, get centred and connect with their wise mind. Others have us connect with our bodies to help us heal. There is so much hope about healing through nutrition, visualization, exploration of our emotional blockages and rituals led and witnessed by shamans.
There are so many interesting interviews about self-expression and creativity through storytelling, writing, journaling, dancing and chanting. I have recognized the importance of a sisterhood as a mother, writer, soul, entrepreneur and spouse. I am inspired to speak my truth, to share my journey with other women, to seek out a mentor, embrace my sexuality and wildness, to nourish my body, centre my mind and be gentle with myself. I see these successful women and I strive to stay on my path.
I was really drawn to the visualizations. In one, you shrink yourself, visit the inside of your body and notice any anomalies. You inhale healing light and exhale what you no longer need. You physically change the look of your cells, clean them up and breathe love into them. Then you exit and go back to your usual size. Such a powerful meditation.
In another meditation, you remove the energy hooks that are holding you back. You reclaim your energy from the various sources that are draining you whether it's a person or a belief. You then welcome the energy back into your body. Feels awesome.
So much soul searching and I owe it all to this free, online series. Thank you Hay House!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Today was the last day of podcasts on the Hay House World Summit. What a gift these interviews have been. Every day, while organizing the art materials in my shop, driving to and from various destinations and cleaning the house, I soaked in the wisdom of best selling self-help authors on the online summit, a series of audio podcasts. I believe there were four series totallIng 100 authors.
My dream is to publish with Hay House some day and join the summit. They have a Writer's Workshop where you can present your manuscript and win a publishing package or, better yet, they take you on as one of their authors. I can feel the book stirring within me and I am working towards it without pushing, all in good time.
Over the last couple of weeks, I have been guided through various meditations and visualizations, I have learned about my self-worth, my brain, my body, my soul and my relationships. I am so excited by what I have learned. It comes down to this: we all come from love and our essence is love, we have come here for a reason, we each have something to contribute and it's our responsibility to find our purpose by following what gives us joy and exploring how our experiences and our unique skills can be used to serve others.
Each author helps us on this quest to reach our highest selves and achieve our mission. We are taught to love ourselves through mirror work, affirmations and healthy nutrition by the master herself, Louise Hay.
We learn about meditation through various authors who talk about the clarity they gain when they slow down, get centred and connect with their wise mind. Others have us connect with our bodies to help us heal. There is so much hope about healing through nutrition, visualization, exploration of our emotional blockages and rituals led and witnessed by shamans.
There are so many interesting interviews about self-expression and creativity through storytelling, writing, journaling, dancing and chanting. I have recognized the importance of a sisterhood as a mother, writer, soul, entrepreneur and spouse. I am inspired to speak my truth, to share my journey with other women, to seek out a mentor, embrace my sexuality and wildness, to nourish my body, centre my mind and be gentle with myself. I see these successful women and I strive to stay on my path.
I was really drawn to the visualizations. In one, you shrink yourself, visit the inside of your body and notice any anomalies. You inhale healing light and exhale what you no longer need. You physically change the look of your cells, clean them up and breathe love into them. Then you exit and go back to your usual size. Such a powerful meditation.
In another meditation, you remove the energy hooks that are holding you back. You reclaim your energy from the various sources that are draining you whether it's a person or a belief. You then welcome the energy back into your body. Feels awesome.
So much soul searching and I owe it all to this free, online series. Thank you Hay House!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Tuesday, 17 May 2016
Quiet Time
May 17th, 2016
Yesterday was a great day! At approximately 2:45pm, a Fed Ex man came to my door and dropped off two boxes. The boxes were filled with my books, Have You Hugged Your Alien? and The Story of Poobum and Pompom. My first book was out last year and I used it for my workshops in elementary schools. I had sold out of the book. The second one had never been published and I was very excited to hold it in my hands.
As if things couldn't get better, my husband told me he was taking the girls to gymnastics so I would have 3 hours to myself! This is a rare thing. He took the girls to gymnastics last week but my eldest threw up as soon as they arrived so he didn't get to see them enjoy the class. This week, they stayed for the entire 2 hour class.
My mind raced with how to best use this precious time. I made myself a delicious salad and listened to more Hay House interviews. I journaled and created art about my vision for our future as a family while sipping a hot coffee. I took an epsom bath with lavender drops. I buffed away the dry skin from my heels and clipped my toe nails. I changed the payment information on my amazon.ca account so I could order two books I have been wanting. I created a yummy probiotic yogurt, granola and berries dessert and savoured each bite.
As you read this you probably think, BORING! The thing is, as hum drum as my evening may sound to you, I loved it. That is what is important. We all need some down time to recharge our batteries. What would fill you up is different from what works for me. It doesn't matter what others think.
By the time my husband returned with our two sleepy daughters, I was feeling calm and replenished. I had prepared the girls' bedrooms (humidifiers filled, stuffies ready for cuddles and diffusers spreading a warm scent throughout the room). I took some time to hear about their classes and give them a quick snack. I wasn't rushed or tired because I was able to look after my needs earlier that evening. Having some quiet time isn't just great for our mental health, it also makes us better moms and partners.
When was the last time you had quiet time? Start now by picking a day and time frame like Saturday morning from 10am-noon. Then brainstorm what would fill your batteries. You may want to walk through an art gallery (bring a sketch book, why not?). You may prefer to sit at a coffee shop and read a good book. No? What about a brisk walk with the dog on a nearby trail? Going to see a chick flick ?
Once you have found your bliss, let others know you will be unavailable at the set time and turn off your phone. If you hear a text, don't peek, actually it's better if you leave your phone in the car. Just enjoy your activity. Feel how special it is to have this time to spend by yourself. You will reach a point when you feel full. That is when you know you are replenished. You may want to share this experience with others, tell them what you did and how it felt. This is your signal that you are ready to head back to your loved ones, replenished and grateful for your respite. Try it, you'll like it.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Yesterday was a great day! At approximately 2:45pm, a Fed Ex man came to my door and dropped off two boxes. The boxes were filled with my books, Have You Hugged Your Alien? and The Story of Poobum and Pompom. My first book was out last year and I used it for my workshops in elementary schools. I had sold out of the book. The second one had never been published and I was very excited to hold it in my hands.
As if things couldn't get better, my husband told me he was taking the girls to gymnastics so I would have 3 hours to myself! This is a rare thing. He took the girls to gymnastics last week but my eldest threw up as soon as they arrived so he didn't get to see them enjoy the class. This week, they stayed for the entire 2 hour class.
My mind raced with how to best use this precious time. I made myself a delicious salad and listened to more Hay House interviews. I journaled and created art about my vision for our future as a family while sipping a hot coffee. I took an epsom bath with lavender drops. I buffed away the dry skin from my heels and clipped my toe nails. I changed the payment information on my amazon.ca account so I could order two books I have been wanting. I created a yummy probiotic yogurt, granola and berries dessert and savoured each bite.
As you read this you probably think, BORING! The thing is, as hum drum as my evening may sound to you, I loved it. That is what is important. We all need some down time to recharge our batteries. What would fill you up is different from what works for me. It doesn't matter what others think.
By the time my husband returned with our two sleepy daughters, I was feeling calm and replenished. I had prepared the girls' bedrooms (humidifiers filled, stuffies ready for cuddles and diffusers spreading a warm scent throughout the room). I took some time to hear about their classes and give them a quick snack. I wasn't rushed or tired because I was able to look after my needs earlier that evening. Having some quiet time isn't just great for our mental health, it also makes us better moms and partners.
When was the last time you had quiet time? Start now by picking a day and time frame like Saturday morning from 10am-noon. Then brainstorm what would fill your batteries. You may want to walk through an art gallery (bring a sketch book, why not?). You may prefer to sit at a coffee shop and read a good book. No? What about a brisk walk with the dog on a nearby trail? Going to see a chick flick ?
Once you have found your bliss, let others know you will be unavailable at the set time and turn off your phone. If you hear a text, don't peek, actually it's better if you leave your phone in the car. Just enjoy your activity. Feel how special it is to have this time to spend by yourself. You will reach a point when you feel full. That is when you know you are replenished. You may want to share this experience with others, tell them what you did and how it felt. This is your signal that you are ready to head back to your loved ones, replenished and grateful for your respite. Try it, you'll like it.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Women
February 20th, 2016
On Saturday, I had my Divorce Diva workshop. We have been meeting monthly for over a year now. We did not meet in January so the last time the participants had seen one another was in December 2015. There was so much joy in the room, it was palpable.
I offer art therapy workshops to various groups of women. I love this work!!!! Just like I read about in Girls on the Edge, girls and women need to connect. There simply isn't anything that replaces that sense of connection for us. In each of my groups, the women are very different from one another. Sometimes I worry that they will fail to connect. However, in every case, no matter who shows up, we all have the same intention, to get together, create, communicate, grow and heal.
The women in the group all share a common experience, whether they work in the same place and I am offering a team building workshop or they are all survivors of abuse, divorced, stressed, at a crossroads in their career or, simply stuck. However, they are at different points in their journey and they have all had very busy lives. What amazes me is the capacity that we have as women for seeing the best in others and feeling compassion for them. Women share their stories to connect with one another and to encourage each other along the way. As the group grows together, they become each other's cheerleaders, reflecting on the progress that each person has achieved.
Unfortunately, women often underestimate their own brilliance and progress. Everyone one else is brave and special but not them. That is another reason group work is powerful. If I as a therapist tell a client that I am blown away with her progress, she may think I am just trying to encourage her. If an entire group of women are mirroring the same message, it lends more credibility.
When I have activities in pairs within groups of women who don't know one another, the women who pair up always have some kind of connection. One of them is trying to leave an abusive husband, the other has left after she was beaten so badly she ended up in hospital. Both women have had miscarriages or they are from the same hometown. I can't explain how they do it, but the women who need to learn from each other, end up together.
Provided they feel safe and accepted, women will discuss anything and everything so we get to know each other intimately. Outside of environments where they are burdened with responsibilities, women will immediately look for ways to enjoy life. They feel light and joyful, the noise level goes up, they are thoroughly enjoying themselves. I love being a part of this.
I will always create opportunities for women to connect, communicate and create together. It is an important aspect of mental health and life satisfaction for them and for me.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
On Saturday, I had my Divorce Diva workshop. We have been meeting monthly for over a year now. We did not meet in January so the last time the participants had seen one another was in December 2015. There was so much joy in the room, it was palpable.
I offer art therapy workshops to various groups of women. I love this work!!!! Just like I read about in Girls on the Edge, girls and women need to connect. There simply isn't anything that replaces that sense of connection for us. In each of my groups, the women are very different from one another. Sometimes I worry that they will fail to connect. However, in every case, no matter who shows up, we all have the same intention, to get together, create, communicate, grow and heal.
The women in the group all share a common experience, whether they work in the same place and I am offering a team building workshop or they are all survivors of abuse, divorced, stressed, at a crossroads in their career or, simply stuck. However, they are at different points in their journey and they have all had very busy lives. What amazes me is the capacity that we have as women for seeing the best in others and feeling compassion for them. Women share their stories to connect with one another and to encourage each other along the way. As the group grows together, they become each other's cheerleaders, reflecting on the progress that each person has achieved.
Unfortunately, women often underestimate their own brilliance and progress. Everyone one else is brave and special but not them. That is another reason group work is powerful. If I as a therapist tell a client that I am blown away with her progress, she may think I am just trying to encourage her. If an entire group of women are mirroring the same message, it lends more credibility.
When I have activities in pairs within groups of women who don't know one another, the women who pair up always have some kind of connection. One of them is trying to leave an abusive husband, the other has left after she was beaten so badly she ended up in hospital. Both women have had miscarriages or they are from the same hometown. I can't explain how they do it, but the women who need to learn from each other, end up together.
Provided they feel safe and accepted, women will discuss anything and everything so we get to know each other intimately. Outside of environments where they are burdened with responsibilities, women will immediately look for ways to enjoy life. They feel light and joyful, the noise level goes up, they are thoroughly enjoying themselves. I love being a part of this.
I will always create opportunities for women to connect, communicate and create together. It is an important aspect of mental health and life satisfaction for them and for me.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Monday, 1 February 2016
Creativity
February 1st, 2016
I can't believe it's been a month already. Thank you to all of you who read this blog. It's encouraging to see that I am getting some views every day.
When I decided to become an art therapist, I thought I should get some basic art skills. I signed up for the Fine Arts Portfolio program at The Ottawa School of Art for the following Fall. Over the summer, I visited an uncle of mine who is an artist. He was a bit lonely so I went over once a week. We drove to a nearby restaurant for breakfast then he showed me some art techniques.
There are two types of brains, he was the kind of artist who can look at a block of marble, imagine the shape of the sculpture he wants to make and nip away at it until the shape is revealed. Not me. So, initially, he was showing me how to mix plaster to create plaster tablets. Then he would pick an image from an art magazine and we would carve out the layers of details and perspective to create a landscape or a scene. You had to remove the plaster from the farthest points in the image and work outward. This process frustrated me at the time. It was the first project he showed me and I thought I had made a terrible mistake. Seeing my lack of enthusiasm (and talent), my uncle moved on to another medium.
He collected egg cartons, tore them up into bits, threw them in the blender with water and whizzed the mixture until it was like porridge. We would then strain the mix and use it like paper-mache to sculpt masks. He had a styrofoam head coated with vaseline and he encouraged me to pile on the paper pulp. I did as I was told and then I realized that 30 minutes had gone by without me noticing. He stood back and smoked his cigarette. I turned around, stunned, looking at the clock. He said: "You've done good work". I had. He suggested I step back to admire the mask I had created. The process of adding lumps of paste and shaping it with my fingers was so much fun. I enjoyed the texture of it, the immediacy of the experience and the fact that I never needed to ask him what to do next. It was a very intuitive process and I was hooked.
Oddly enough, what I remember from my time at the art school, is how much I enjoyed the other students. We would head out to the coffee shop between classes and have superb conversations. They were really interesting people. I find you learn more from artists than from structured classes or at least I did.
Recently, I've been looking for exciting new art projects. I contacted a local artist after I saw photos of her felt hats. This intrigued me. I asked her if she would teach me or allow me to observe her process. She suggested I look for tips on You Tube. I found an amazing video tutorial done by a young girl named Olivia. I am excited to try creating felt hats with my daughters. I also found a cool tutorial about using alcohol ink with stamps and images. Thirdly, I saw a really interesting video, teaching how to create stencils with a glue gun and using spray paint to add colours.
Needless to say, I will be busy getting messy over the coming month. I just know my daughters will enjoy learning with me. It's never too late to learn. Google art techniques and see what inspires you. Then jump in and enjoy!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
I can't believe it's been a month already. Thank you to all of you who read this blog. It's encouraging to see that I am getting some views every day.
When I decided to become an art therapist, I thought I should get some basic art skills. I signed up for the Fine Arts Portfolio program at The Ottawa School of Art for the following Fall. Over the summer, I visited an uncle of mine who is an artist. He was a bit lonely so I went over once a week. We drove to a nearby restaurant for breakfast then he showed me some art techniques.
There are two types of brains, he was the kind of artist who can look at a block of marble, imagine the shape of the sculpture he wants to make and nip away at it until the shape is revealed. Not me. So, initially, he was showing me how to mix plaster to create plaster tablets. Then he would pick an image from an art magazine and we would carve out the layers of details and perspective to create a landscape or a scene. You had to remove the plaster from the farthest points in the image and work outward. This process frustrated me at the time. It was the first project he showed me and I thought I had made a terrible mistake. Seeing my lack of enthusiasm (and talent), my uncle moved on to another medium.
He collected egg cartons, tore them up into bits, threw them in the blender with water and whizzed the mixture until it was like porridge. We would then strain the mix and use it like paper-mache to sculpt masks. He had a styrofoam head coated with vaseline and he encouraged me to pile on the paper pulp. I did as I was told and then I realized that 30 minutes had gone by without me noticing. He stood back and smoked his cigarette. I turned around, stunned, looking at the clock. He said: "You've done good work". I had. He suggested I step back to admire the mask I had created. The process of adding lumps of paste and shaping it with my fingers was so much fun. I enjoyed the texture of it, the immediacy of the experience and the fact that I never needed to ask him what to do next. It was a very intuitive process and I was hooked.
Oddly enough, what I remember from my time at the art school, is how much I enjoyed the other students. We would head out to the coffee shop between classes and have superb conversations. They were really interesting people. I find you learn more from artists than from structured classes or at least I did.
Recently, I've been looking for exciting new art projects. I contacted a local artist after I saw photos of her felt hats. This intrigued me. I asked her if she would teach me or allow me to observe her process. She suggested I look for tips on You Tube. I found an amazing video tutorial done by a young girl named Olivia. I am excited to try creating felt hats with my daughters. I also found a cool tutorial about using alcohol ink with stamps and images. Thirdly, I saw a really interesting video, teaching how to create stencils with a glue gun and using spray paint to add colours.
Needless to say, I will be busy getting messy over the coming month. I just know my daughters will enjoy learning with me. It's never too late to learn. Google art techniques and see what inspires you. Then jump in and enjoy!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Saturday, 23 January 2016
Creativity-We all have it.
January 23rd, 2016
We are all creative. Some of us excel at conjuring up new concepts, others can spew out one idea after another. Then there are the countless people who need something to get them started but they are geniuses at connecting ideas, adding and improving on the original concept. As children, this creativity is a given, we say whatever comes to mind and blur the lines between fantasy and reality on a daily basis. We "think outside the box", never question our ability to do things and, remain open to all possibilities.
At some point, we begin to equate creativity with artistic skill and we learn to think of ourselves as either artistic or not. This is unfortunate because creativity is like a muscle that gets stronger with practice. Let's try to stir up creativity in your life.
1) Grab an object from your environment and try to list as many uses for it as possible. Robin Williams did this during one of his stand up routines. He grabbed a woman's scarf and proceeded to transform it into a skirt, a veil, car wash curtains, hair, a hat, a bullfighter's cape etc.
2) Change the order that you do things every day; eat breakfast for supper or read your paper at the end of the day.
3) Eat different foods, whatever you would normally avoid.
4) Ask "what if" questions such as..."What if I didn't need money?", "What if I was a man/woman?", "What if children made all the decisions?", "What if no one would know?".
5) Write down a problem and ask five individuals to read your description and suggest solutions in writing. They may see the problem more objectively and propose very different perceptions.
6) Expose yourself to new ideas by reading different kinds of books, travelling or studying other cultures, visiting museums and art galleries, hanging out with a new crowd, taking the bus (instead of your car), listening to a type of music you never explored before or pursuing activities that are not in your comfort zone.
7) Challenge people around you to come up with crazy stories like the "Two truths and a lie" game where people lie about themselves but include a bit of truth. Listeners need to find which part of the story is true."So there I was"....
These seven activities can help you rekindle your creativity. This is important because the business world is now realizing the value of creative thinking especially when it comes to problem-solving. Brainstorming has been well-established as an effective tool for generating solutions to existing problems. In brainstorming, you withhold judgment and share as many ideas as possible while someone writes all of the ideas down onto a piece of paper. Then you pick through the information and attempt to build on some of the ideas that have the most potential, sometimes connecting the strongest ones and creating something new.
Similar to Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) where you manipulate experiences on the screen of your mind, it can be useful to play with problems.
What does the problem look like? Draw it or create a maquette of it.
What is the opposite of this problem?
How would a five year old deal with this?
Trace a map and see how you can get from point A, "You are here" to point B, where you want to be. Explore all possibilities.
Describe the problem from the point of view of each person involved. What do they have in common?
Walk backwards through the problem from the outcome to the beginning. Where could we make changes to avoid the outcome?
Where does this problem fit into the big picture of this relationship, family or business?
Compare it to another industry. How would they deal with it? If you're struggling with student retention in a college program. Think about somewhere everyone wants to go like Walt Disney World. What do people enjoy about this environment? How can we make our college program more like Walt Disney World?
You may need to see a problem from a different angle. How would this look from a bird's eye view? What if there was another point of entry?
Whether you are brainstorming at work, trying to motivate your children or simply looking for ways to spice up your life, creativity can help you expand your horizons, see issues from different perspectives and come up with original solutions to everyday problems.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
We are all creative. Some of us excel at conjuring up new concepts, others can spew out one idea after another. Then there are the countless people who need something to get them started but they are geniuses at connecting ideas, adding and improving on the original concept. As children, this creativity is a given, we say whatever comes to mind and blur the lines between fantasy and reality on a daily basis. We "think outside the box", never question our ability to do things and, remain open to all possibilities.
At some point, we begin to equate creativity with artistic skill and we learn to think of ourselves as either artistic or not. This is unfortunate because creativity is like a muscle that gets stronger with practice. Let's try to stir up creativity in your life.
1) Grab an object from your environment and try to list as many uses for it as possible. Robin Williams did this during one of his stand up routines. He grabbed a woman's scarf and proceeded to transform it into a skirt, a veil, car wash curtains, hair, a hat, a bullfighter's cape etc.
2) Change the order that you do things every day; eat breakfast for supper or read your paper at the end of the day.
3) Eat different foods, whatever you would normally avoid.
4) Ask "what if" questions such as..."What if I didn't need money?", "What if I was a man/woman?", "What if children made all the decisions?", "What if no one would know?".
5) Write down a problem and ask five individuals to read your description and suggest solutions in writing. They may see the problem more objectively and propose very different perceptions.
6) Expose yourself to new ideas by reading different kinds of books, travelling or studying other cultures, visiting museums and art galleries, hanging out with a new crowd, taking the bus (instead of your car), listening to a type of music you never explored before or pursuing activities that are not in your comfort zone.
7) Challenge people around you to come up with crazy stories like the "Two truths and a lie" game where people lie about themselves but include a bit of truth. Listeners need to find which part of the story is true."So there I was"....
These seven activities can help you rekindle your creativity. This is important because the business world is now realizing the value of creative thinking especially when it comes to problem-solving. Brainstorming has been well-established as an effective tool for generating solutions to existing problems. In brainstorming, you withhold judgment and share as many ideas as possible while someone writes all of the ideas down onto a piece of paper. Then you pick through the information and attempt to build on some of the ideas that have the most potential, sometimes connecting the strongest ones and creating something new.
Similar to Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) where you manipulate experiences on the screen of your mind, it can be useful to play with problems.
What does the problem look like? Draw it or create a maquette of it.
What is the opposite of this problem?
How would a five year old deal with this?
Trace a map and see how you can get from point A, "You are here" to point B, where you want to be. Explore all possibilities.
Describe the problem from the point of view of each person involved. What do they have in common?
Walk backwards through the problem from the outcome to the beginning. Where could we make changes to avoid the outcome?
Where does this problem fit into the big picture of this relationship, family or business?
Compare it to another industry. How would they deal with it? If you're struggling with student retention in a college program. Think about somewhere everyone wants to go like Walt Disney World. What do people enjoy about this environment? How can we make our college program more like Walt Disney World?
You may need to see a problem from a different angle. How would this look from a bird's eye view? What if there was another point of entry?
Whether you are brainstorming at work, trying to motivate your children or simply looking for ways to spice up your life, creativity can help you expand your horizons, see issues from different perspectives and come up with original solutions to everyday problems.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Friday, 15 January 2016
Book of the Week-Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
January 15th, 2016
Big Magic was on my wish list this Christmas. However, there was some confusion and I ended up with, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto which is not usually my type of book but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is beautifully written and I couldn't put it down until it was done. It made me want to pick up a guitar and learn to play Flamenco. Then I started reading Diana Leeson Fisher's new book, The Accidental Farmwife and, just like that, the urge to devote myself to Flamenco music died. I had moved on. Diana's book revived my dream of owning chickens, a goat and a vegetable garden.
Last week, I went to Indigo Books in Barrhaven with my girls and bought Big Magic. I was eager to read it and gain some new wisdom or tips I could integrate into my workshops. The book wasn't what I expected. I read it in its entirety and many parts made me laugh but it's an unusual book. It feels like a pep talk or motivational speech for writers. Basically, the author explains that we all have a treasure buried deep within us that we can choose to unearth. She encourages the reader to write for the pleasure of it and not take it so seriously. She describes the way a creative calling or idea comes your way and waits for your collaboration. If you ignore it, it will keep going until someone else produces the exact same thing and you think: "That was my idea". The author, Elizabeth Gilbert, warns the reader to avoid the common mistake of believing that you must suffer for your art. She assures us that it is possible to enjoy, and surrender to, the process. She also instructs artists to follow their curiosity rather than wait for a deep passion to emerge. The goal is to stay busy and keep moving. When she feels stuck, she may pursue a new interest and find that her creative flow has returned.
The section that was most inspirational to me was devoted to an artist's work ethic. Elizabeth has pledged that she will write throughout her life no matter what: success, failure, lack of inspiration, no motivation etc. She doesn't "burden" her art with the expectation to make a living. Therefore she worked other jobs for money while she continued to write until the success of Eat, Pray, Love. This was a new way of perceiving my passion. Much of what I do: write and publish children's books, offer workshops to children or to women in their 40s, 50s and 60s, interview people for the local paper and write this blog, feeds my soul. I thoroughly enjoy all of it. I become conflicted when I try to earn a certain amount of money from my work. Then, the success of the work is determined by my pay as opposed to my sense of purpose. It may be worthwhile to work for money during the day at a stress-free job and enjoy my calling in the evenings and weekends, unconcerned with the financial aspect of these endeavours. Food for thought!
Big Magic was on my wish list this Christmas. However, there was some confusion and I ended up with, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto which is not usually my type of book but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is beautifully written and I couldn't put it down until it was done. It made me want to pick up a guitar and learn to play Flamenco. Then I started reading Diana Leeson Fisher's new book, The Accidental Farmwife and, just like that, the urge to devote myself to Flamenco music died. I had moved on. Diana's book revived my dream of owning chickens, a goat and a vegetable garden.
Last week, I went to Indigo Books in Barrhaven with my girls and bought Big Magic. I was eager to read it and gain some new wisdom or tips I could integrate into my workshops. The book wasn't what I expected. I read it in its entirety and many parts made me laugh but it's an unusual book. It feels like a pep talk or motivational speech for writers. Basically, the author explains that we all have a treasure buried deep within us that we can choose to unearth. She encourages the reader to write for the pleasure of it and not take it so seriously. She describes the way a creative calling or idea comes your way and waits for your collaboration. If you ignore it, it will keep going until someone else produces the exact same thing and you think: "That was my idea". The author, Elizabeth Gilbert, warns the reader to avoid the common mistake of believing that you must suffer for your art. She assures us that it is possible to enjoy, and surrender to, the process. She also instructs artists to follow their curiosity rather than wait for a deep passion to emerge. The goal is to stay busy and keep moving. When she feels stuck, she may pursue a new interest and find that her creative flow has returned.
The section that was most inspirational to me was devoted to an artist's work ethic. Elizabeth has pledged that she will write throughout her life no matter what: success, failure, lack of inspiration, no motivation etc. She doesn't "burden" her art with the expectation to make a living. Therefore she worked other jobs for money while she continued to write until the success of Eat, Pray, Love. This was a new way of perceiving my passion. Much of what I do: write and publish children's books, offer workshops to children or to women in their 40s, 50s and 60s, interview people for the local paper and write this blog, feeds my soul. I thoroughly enjoy all of it. I become conflicted when I try to earn a certain amount of money from my work. Then, the success of the work is determined by my pay as opposed to my sense of purpose. It may be worthwhile to work for money during the day at a stress-free job and enjoy my calling in the evenings and weekends, unconcerned with the financial aspect of these endeavours. Food for thought!
Tuesday, 12 January 2016
Creativity-Art Therapy
January 12th 2016
I've received a few e-mails asking me to define art therapy. I wrote about residents with dementia yesterday and people were asking what this work is all about. Art therapy is a professional counselling service, using various forms of creativity to help people heal through self-expression, insight and self-awareness, self-exploration, intuition, experimentation and the externalization of painful life experiences for which there are no words.
I initially trained as a verbal therapist at Ottawa University. I was fascinated by the way people process experiences and develop coping strategies. You can listen to someone's story and pinpoint the moment when they adopted behaviours that now define them. There is a reason for everything we do. The problem is we are not always aware of the things we do that get in our own way. Our friends and family who can observe us objectively have more insight into our behaviours and patterns. However, in order to protect us from this harsh truth, they often do not point them out to us. We keep repeating the same patterns with different people, frustrated and confused. We go to see a verbal therapist and try to sort it all out.
As a verbal therapist, I witnessed how often clients would walk in, tell me a myriad of stories which I would dutifully write down and respond to my questions as we progressed, putting together the various pieces of the puzzle. I felt quite satisfied with our work and my supervisor was pleased. By the third session, I would see the same pattern repeating itself. I would think, "We've already talked about this. She had that breakthrough last week. I thought she wasn't going to do that anymore". I talked to my supervisor who didn't share my concern. I realized I could not do this for a living. I need to see progress, not temporary progress but permanent change.
I read about art therapy and was immediately smitten with the connection it creates in people. Women who came in to talk about their painful issues could repeat their stories, without emotion, word for word. They had seen many therapists before and they knew their story like the back of their hand. Listening to the stories may have helped temporarily as I expressed compassion and responded to what they were saying, they were being heard. However, I expected more from therapy. Art therapy uses creative expression as well as verbal communication. The client is active from the very start. Clients choose the art materials, what to draw or paint, how much talking they want to engage in and, whether they want to talk as they create or only talk or only create or create then talk.
The art contains emotions. When working with my Survivors of Sexual Abuse group, I may start with a clay activity. I ask the participants to create a container, a receptacle to hold the overwhelming fears, emotions and memories for them. The art can be a mirror, showing me how a person responds to situations or how clients perceive themselves. An example of this would be the gentleman who'd suffered a stroke and struggled to create a portrait of a beautiful woman. He couldn't get her features right, they were not symmetrical and looked stretched. This clearly reflected his own frustrations about his face, he had lost control over one side of his body, the same side that was "not looking right" in the portrait. Lots of women criticize their work. As they paint or draw or sculpt, their inner monologue is externalized. "This looks dumb, I suck at this, a child could have done better". This allows me to question them about this monologue, to wonder where this voice came from and how much more fun this would be without the interruptions and judgements of this voice, It is the same voice that is interfering in other aspects of their lives.
Creative expression is very intimate and emotional. It cuts through the story to the core. The story about how many men have mistreated them turns into an image of a child crouching in the corner. Who is this child? The client recognizes herself as a child, hiding from her abusive father. There is a direct emotional connection, emotions are released. We get curious about what that child needs. Safety. We explore all the possible ways the client can provide safety for her inner child. There is a lot of guilt associated with the various ways this child has been neglected by her adult self, placed in dangerous situations, repeating the trauma. The client signs a contract, vowing to keep herself safe and eliminate people and behaviours that put her at risk. This is powerful work.
Creativity can also empower clients by serving as a tool for communication. When a couple comes in because they are ready to throw in the towel and I ask them to draw the problem, as they see it and, write down five adjectives to describe what they want for their relationship, they are both working together. They can "see" each other's point of view. They become aware of ways they have each hurt the other. They are surprised to see they want the same things: more time together, laughing, sex and less fighting. It's way easier to move forward when everyone is literally "on the same page".
Creative expression is cathartic. A young boy, diagnosed with ADHD, who is overwhelmed by his mother's anxiety, his father's anger and his brother's physical disabilities can pound the clay until it becomes soft and, relieved and relaxed, sculpt it into something beautiful. A 65 year old woman suffering from chronic pain can fill a body outline with various colours and textures and come face to face with the abortion she had 40 years ago. She cries and writes a letter to her unborn child and burns the outline, releasing her trauma. She leaves feeling lighter and "looser" in her body.
Creativity can help a group bond in a short amount of time. I see this in my groups. There is mutual support and compassion as they share how each person deals with the same issue. Feeling compassion for someone else with the same challenges engenders compassion for yourself as well. The art is also a safe place to plant the seeds of dreams for the future. Occasionally, I'll ask groups to create a collage of their ideal life in five years from now. They cut out images from magazines, write colourful words all around the images or affirmations. I then ask them to think of a song that represents the feeling state of this image. There is much giggling as they come up with quirky or sexy songs. The song helps them tap into this feeling state in the future, reminding them that they are on a path and they have already selected a destination.
Art therapy is the interaction between a compassionate professional, a brave, willing client and art materials. The materials have their own energy and appeal to different people. My role is to offer a safe place for people to connect with their own wisdom through non-verbal, creative expression. Their wisdom and intuition will lead them in the right direction. I get to witness their courage, their beauty and, ultimately, their healing.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
I've received a few e-mails asking me to define art therapy. I wrote about residents with dementia yesterday and people were asking what this work is all about. Art therapy is a professional counselling service, using various forms of creativity to help people heal through self-expression, insight and self-awareness, self-exploration, intuition, experimentation and the externalization of painful life experiences for which there are no words.
I initially trained as a verbal therapist at Ottawa University. I was fascinated by the way people process experiences and develop coping strategies. You can listen to someone's story and pinpoint the moment when they adopted behaviours that now define them. There is a reason for everything we do. The problem is we are not always aware of the things we do that get in our own way. Our friends and family who can observe us objectively have more insight into our behaviours and patterns. However, in order to protect us from this harsh truth, they often do not point them out to us. We keep repeating the same patterns with different people, frustrated and confused. We go to see a verbal therapist and try to sort it all out.
As a verbal therapist, I witnessed how often clients would walk in, tell me a myriad of stories which I would dutifully write down and respond to my questions as we progressed, putting together the various pieces of the puzzle. I felt quite satisfied with our work and my supervisor was pleased. By the third session, I would see the same pattern repeating itself. I would think, "We've already talked about this. She had that breakthrough last week. I thought she wasn't going to do that anymore". I talked to my supervisor who didn't share my concern. I realized I could not do this for a living. I need to see progress, not temporary progress but permanent change.
I read about art therapy and was immediately smitten with the connection it creates in people. Women who came in to talk about their painful issues could repeat their stories, without emotion, word for word. They had seen many therapists before and they knew their story like the back of their hand. Listening to the stories may have helped temporarily as I expressed compassion and responded to what they were saying, they were being heard. However, I expected more from therapy. Art therapy uses creative expression as well as verbal communication. The client is active from the very start. Clients choose the art materials, what to draw or paint, how much talking they want to engage in and, whether they want to talk as they create or only talk or only create or create then talk.
The art contains emotions. When working with my Survivors of Sexual Abuse group, I may start with a clay activity. I ask the participants to create a container, a receptacle to hold the overwhelming fears, emotions and memories for them. The art can be a mirror, showing me how a person responds to situations or how clients perceive themselves. An example of this would be the gentleman who'd suffered a stroke and struggled to create a portrait of a beautiful woman. He couldn't get her features right, they were not symmetrical and looked stretched. This clearly reflected his own frustrations about his face, he had lost control over one side of his body, the same side that was "not looking right" in the portrait. Lots of women criticize their work. As they paint or draw or sculpt, their inner monologue is externalized. "This looks dumb, I suck at this, a child could have done better". This allows me to question them about this monologue, to wonder where this voice came from and how much more fun this would be without the interruptions and judgements of this voice, It is the same voice that is interfering in other aspects of their lives.
Creative expression is very intimate and emotional. It cuts through the story to the core. The story about how many men have mistreated them turns into an image of a child crouching in the corner. Who is this child? The client recognizes herself as a child, hiding from her abusive father. There is a direct emotional connection, emotions are released. We get curious about what that child needs. Safety. We explore all the possible ways the client can provide safety for her inner child. There is a lot of guilt associated with the various ways this child has been neglected by her adult self, placed in dangerous situations, repeating the trauma. The client signs a contract, vowing to keep herself safe and eliminate people and behaviours that put her at risk. This is powerful work.
Creativity can also empower clients by serving as a tool for communication. When a couple comes in because they are ready to throw in the towel and I ask them to draw the problem, as they see it and, write down five adjectives to describe what they want for their relationship, they are both working together. They can "see" each other's point of view. They become aware of ways they have each hurt the other. They are surprised to see they want the same things: more time together, laughing, sex and less fighting. It's way easier to move forward when everyone is literally "on the same page".
Creative expression is cathartic. A young boy, diagnosed with ADHD, who is overwhelmed by his mother's anxiety, his father's anger and his brother's physical disabilities can pound the clay until it becomes soft and, relieved and relaxed, sculpt it into something beautiful. A 65 year old woman suffering from chronic pain can fill a body outline with various colours and textures and come face to face with the abortion she had 40 years ago. She cries and writes a letter to her unborn child and burns the outline, releasing her trauma. She leaves feeling lighter and "looser" in her body.
Creativity can help a group bond in a short amount of time. I see this in my groups. There is mutual support and compassion as they share how each person deals with the same issue. Feeling compassion for someone else with the same challenges engenders compassion for yourself as well. The art is also a safe place to plant the seeds of dreams for the future. Occasionally, I'll ask groups to create a collage of their ideal life in five years from now. They cut out images from magazines, write colourful words all around the images or affirmations. I then ask them to think of a song that represents the feeling state of this image. There is much giggling as they come up with quirky or sexy songs. The song helps them tap into this feeling state in the future, reminding them that they are on a path and they have already selected a destination.
Art therapy is the interaction between a compassionate professional, a brave, willing client and art materials. The materials have their own energy and appeal to different people. My role is to offer a safe place for people to connect with their own wisdom through non-verbal, creative expression. Their wisdom and intuition will lead them in the right direction. I get to witness their courage, their beauty and, ultimately, their healing.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Saturday, 9 January 2016
Technology, A Decidedly Love-Hate Relationship
January 9th, 2016
You may or may not have noticed that I missed a post on my blog for the first time yesterday. It wasn't because I was at a loss for things to say and, it had nothing to do with the seven 9 year olds partying at my home, celebrating my daughter's birthday. The problem was technology. My husband was contacted by a Bell representative and decided to upgrade our router. What we didn't know was that they disconnect your existing router and mail out a new one. We received our updated router yesterday but none of our devices worked despite the fact that all of them displayed full bars. My husband called Bell after work to complete the set up. They were progressing really well until they got disconnected. He looked at me and announced: "I've been disconnected from Bell", to which I replied: "Bell is the connector, how can they lose their own connection?" When my husband tried calling back, a recording informed him that the office was now closed. He was cut off because Bell's office was closed whether he was in the middle of a conversation or not.
We eventually got things sorted out and now I am able to post today's blog. What is ironic is that my post was about technology. It struck me yesterday, as I hosted a group of 9 year olds, how technology changes the way we live and interact. Most of the children showed up with an iPhone, usually their parent's old but still functional model. They used them to take photos. They pulled them out each time their was a few moments of free time (as I cleared off the table for art or prepared the cake). When I asked who would like to call their parents to say good night, some of them opted to text instead. When I said it was lights out, much to their chagrin, they were looking for outlets to plug in their phones. They also used their devices as a source of light so they could read or chat. They all noticed that we had no WiFi.
I have been lobbying to get into schools in order to offer art therapy workshops which promote pro-social behaviours. Our children learn to read, write and add but there are so many skills involved in living a full life that are taken for granted until you realize that they are lacking or underdeveloped in the next generation. I will give you a few examples. Looking at someone when they are talking to you is a given, right? Yet, you see so many couples out for supper, each checking their messages or texting. I even saw some of my college students texting each other at the library, they are sitting next to each other. Spelling is a skill that has been lost in an age of abbreviations and spell check. I once met with a student who wanted to discuss her assignment. She brought her computer and typed in ideas as we spoke. She would type in what she thought the word would look like and highlight it for spell check. She did this automatically and for most of the words.
Critical thinking and creativity are at risk. When assigning work as a college professor, I asked my students to pick a cause they were passionate about and answer a list of questions. I wanted their opinion. This assignment was not complicated but they needed to come up with the information on their own. You can't google your opinion. What I found was people would ask each other what they had picked for their topic and they would ask others for ideas.
Now I want to clarify, I am not anti-technology. I used my iPad when I was tutoring at-risk children who were struggling with the alphabet. They hated reading and the first time I called them over for tutoring, they dragged their feet. However, I played "Endless Alphabet"with them on my iPad and they were hooked. They got to recognize letters, hear how they sound, learn what the word meant, see a short animation about the word and watch monsters destroy the word on the screen. I use Facebook to connect with friends and relatives who live far away and to promote my business. I love that someone in Australia can read this blog and that I can offer a Skype art therapy workshop for women in a shelter at an undisclosed location.
What worries me is seeing young children who don't know what to do when they feel stressed, who try to think and act like everyone else, who stand at a regular sink and wait for the water to start automatically, stymied, who feel bored if they are not entertained even for a few minutes. They have lost their imagination, the concept that they can make things happen in the world around them, not just on Minecraft. What is frightening is witnessing this transition, as I have through volunteering in my children's classes. In Grade 1 students are excited by a box of art materials and can't wait to jump in and create. By Grade 4, students examine what others are making, venture a few ideas to check if others approve and ask for more assistance than they need.
I'd love to teach stress management, healthy emotional expression, boundaries, positive communication, creativity, community involvement and self-care, just to name a few. These skills will foster a generation of children who are self-aware, creative, confident and involved in the community. That sounds good to me! What do you think?
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
You may or may not have noticed that I missed a post on my blog for the first time yesterday. It wasn't because I was at a loss for things to say and, it had nothing to do with the seven 9 year olds partying at my home, celebrating my daughter's birthday. The problem was technology. My husband was contacted by a Bell representative and decided to upgrade our router. What we didn't know was that they disconnect your existing router and mail out a new one. We received our updated router yesterday but none of our devices worked despite the fact that all of them displayed full bars. My husband called Bell after work to complete the set up. They were progressing really well until they got disconnected. He looked at me and announced: "I've been disconnected from Bell", to which I replied: "Bell is the connector, how can they lose their own connection?" When my husband tried calling back, a recording informed him that the office was now closed. He was cut off because Bell's office was closed whether he was in the middle of a conversation or not.
We eventually got things sorted out and now I am able to post today's blog. What is ironic is that my post was about technology. It struck me yesterday, as I hosted a group of 9 year olds, how technology changes the way we live and interact. Most of the children showed up with an iPhone, usually their parent's old but still functional model. They used them to take photos. They pulled them out each time their was a few moments of free time (as I cleared off the table for art or prepared the cake). When I asked who would like to call their parents to say good night, some of them opted to text instead. When I said it was lights out, much to their chagrin, they were looking for outlets to plug in their phones. They also used their devices as a source of light so they could read or chat. They all noticed that we had no WiFi.
I have been lobbying to get into schools in order to offer art therapy workshops which promote pro-social behaviours. Our children learn to read, write and add but there are so many skills involved in living a full life that are taken for granted until you realize that they are lacking or underdeveloped in the next generation. I will give you a few examples. Looking at someone when they are talking to you is a given, right? Yet, you see so many couples out for supper, each checking their messages or texting. I even saw some of my college students texting each other at the library, they are sitting next to each other. Spelling is a skill that has been lost in an age of abbreviations and spell check. I once met with a student who wanted to discuss her assignment. She brought her computer and typed in ideas as we spoke. She would type in what she thought the word would look like and highlight it for spell check. She did this automatically and for most of the words.
Critical thinking and creativity are at risk. When assigning work as a college professor, I asked my students to pick a cause they were passionate about and answer a list of questions. I wanted their opinion. This assignment was not complicated but they needed to come up with the information on their own. You can't google your opinion. What I found was people would ask each other what they had picked for their topic and they would ask others for ideas.
Now I want to clarify, I am not anti-technology. I used my iPad when I was tutoring at-risk children who were struggling with the alphabet. They hated reading and the first time I called them over for tutoring, they dragged their feet. However, I played "Endless Alphabet"with them on my iPad and they were hooked. They got to recognize letters, hear how they sound, learn what the word meant, see a short animation about the word and watch monsters destroy the word on the screen. I use Facebook to connect with friends and relatives who live far away and to promote my business. I love that someone in Australia can read this blog and that I can offer a Skype art therapy workshop for women in a shelter at an undisclosed location.
What worries me is seeing young children who don't know what to do when they feel stressed, who try to think and act like everyone else, who stand at a regular sink and wait for the water to start automatically, stymied, who feel bored if they are not entertained even for a few minutes. They have lost their imagination, the concept that they can make things happen in the world around them, not just on Minecraft. What is frightening is witnessing this transition, as I have through volunteering in my children's classes. In Grade 1 students are excited by a box of art materials and can't wait to jump in and create. By Grade 4, students examine what others are making, venture a few ideas to check if others approve and ask for more assistance than they need.
I'd love to teach stress management, healthy emotional expression, boundaries, positive communication, creativity, community involvement and self-care, just to name a few. These skills will foster a generation of children who are self-aware, creative, confident and involved in the community. That sounds good to me! What do you think?
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Friday, 1 January 2016
The Compass
January 1st, 2016
This is an exciting day for me. I have decided to start a new blog. My goal is to blog every day on a variety of topics: motherhood, mental health, physical health, "greening" trends, creativity, a book of the week and, interviews with 40+ year old women. Every week, there will be a post on each of these topics.
Why? I love to write, I do it every day. Also, I love to learn and share what I find out with others. This blog will allow me to accomplish both.
The Compass-I noticed, prior to turning 40, that many of the women around me who had just "celebrated" their 40th birthday were getting divorced, feeling depressed about their age or wanting to run away, to escape, to start over. I was puzzled and a little frightened about what lay ahead for me.
Since my 40th birthday, I have left my 12 year career as a full-time college professor to work from home. This allowed me to put my daughters on the school bus every morning and be present for them at the end of their school day. In theory, I would work from home while they were in school. Sounds ideal doesn't it? However, many clients work during the week so I had to add clients on Saturdays. I offer workshops and meet with individual art therapy clients on Saturdays. I published two children's books and participated in a variety of community projects, wrote meaningful articles for our local newspaper, all good stuff.
What I noticed though was a deep desire for my work to be lucrative. My husband was not exactly on board when I left my position at the college. He recognized that it was a toxic environment, that the commute was stressful and that it cost a lot of money when I worked: babysitting, gas, parking, coffee on campus etc. However, he was not ready to become the main provider for our family. Coming from a low income family, the threat of poverty was very real and scary for him. He runs a successful business and we could survive quite well on his salary alone but I felt that I needed to make money, asap, to reassure him that this was the right decision. I had no doubt that being more present for my children was the right thing to do and that moving away from the stress of my work environment would lead to a better quality of life.
What I didn't anticipate was the blow to my self-esteem when I earned less money. I love my work as an art therapist. When I watch group members grow, change, gain valuable insight and feel supported, I know I am on the right path. When I have a client walk into my studio in pain and leave feeling lighter with a bounce in their step, I feel so grateful for this work. When I bring my workshops to a hospice, the local youth center, the military family resource centre or in schools, I am so happy I could explode! While I am working, I feel fantastic but the gaps between clients create self-doubt. Should I just get a full-time job as a receptionist and do what I love on the weekend? If I get a 9-5 job, who will be here for our children? The need to compensate for the gap in income impacts every aspect of my life and self-concept.
What I am examining in my own life, I see in the lives of many 40+ women. We have lost our compass. At each stage of our life, we have a specific task. We are adding an element to our lives: a career, our own home, a partner, maybe a child or a pet, climbing the ladder at work etc. We are great at caring for our loved ones. Then we reach a point when every category competes for our time, energy and attention. We have a demanding job during the day, plans with our partner after work and a sick child at home. We do our best to be the best employee, mother, spouse, daughter, friend we can be. Our children grow and become more independent, our partner's business is thriving, our workplace changes as do the expectations on us and our parents age.
We wake up during our 40s and realize that we have neglected our own needs. We look in the mirror and notice how much weight we've gained. We read old journal entries and recall our aspirations. We examine our relationships and do some pruning. This is where all the changes happen for women in this age group. There is an awakening. It might make you sad, angry, satisfied, excited, either way, you are motivated to take action.
I have many interests that I wish to explore and share with you. That is what this blog is all about. This is an opportunity for me to expand my horizons, satisfy my curiosity and connect with others. Reading about and, reporting on various topics will restore the equilibrium in my life. If you would like to read my other blog or learn more about my services, please visit my website: www.artnsoul.org
This is an exciting day for me. I have decided to start a new blog. My goal is to blog every day on a variety of topics: motherhood, mental health, physical health, "greening" trends, creativity, a book of the week and, interviews with 40+ year old women. Every week, there will be a post on each of these topics.
Why? I love to write, I do it every day. Also, I love to learn and share what I find out with others. This blog will allow me to accomplish both.
The Compass-I noticed, prior to turning 40, that many of the women around me who had just "celebrated" their 40th birthday were getting divorced, feeling depressed about their age or wanting to run away, to escape, to start over. I was puzzled and a little frightened about what lay ahead for me.
Since my 40th birthday, I have left my 12 year career as a full-time college professor to work from home. This allowed me to put my daughters on the school bus every morning and be present for them at the end of their school day. In theory, I would work from home while they were in school. Sounds ideal doesn't it? However, many clients work during the week so I had to add clients on Saturdays. I offer workshops and meet with individual art therapy clients on Saturdays. I published two children's books and participated in a variety of community projects, wrote meaningful articles for our local newspaper, all good stuff.
What I noticed though was a deep desire for my work to be lucrative. My husband was not exactly on board when I left my position at the college. He recognized that it was a toxic environment, that the commute was stressful and that it cost a lot of money when I worked: babysitting, gas, parking, coffee on campus etc. However, he was not ready to become the main provider for our family. Coming from a low income family, the threat of poverty was very real and scary for him. He runs a successful business and we could survive quite well on his salary alone but I felt that I needed to make money, asap, to reassure him that this was the right decision. I had no doubt that being more present for my children was the right thing to do and that moving away from the stress of my work environment would lead to a better quality of life.
What I didn't anticipate was the blow to my self-esteem when I earned less money. I love my work as an art therapist. When I watch group members grow, change, gain valuable insight and feel supported, I know I am on the right path. When I have a client walk into my studio in pain and leave feeling lighter with a bounce in their step, I feel so grateful for this work. When I bring my workshops to a hospice, the local youth center, the military family resource centre or in schools, I am so happy I could explode! While I am working, I feel fantastic but the gaps between clients create self-doubt. Should I just get a full-time job as a receptionist and do what I love on the weekend? If I get a 9-5 job, who will be here for our children? The need to compensate for the gap in income impacts every aspect of my life and self-concept.
What I am examining in my own life, I see in the lives of many 40+ women. We have lost our compass. At each stage of our life, we have a specific task. We are adding an element to our lives: a career, our own home, a partner, maybe a child or a pet, climbing the ladder at work etc. We are great at caring for our loved ones. Then we reach a point when every category competes for our time, energy and attention. We have a demanding job during the day, plans with our partner after work and a sick child at home. We do our best to be the best employee, mother, spouse, daughter, friend we can be. Our children grow and become more independent, our partner's business is thriving, our workplace changes as do the expectations on us and our parents age.
We wake up during our 40s and realize that we have neglected our own needs. We look in the mirror and notice how much weight we've gained. We read old journal entries and recall our aspirations. We examine our relationships and do some pruning. This is where all the changes happen for women in this age group. There is an awakening. It might make you sad, angry, satisfied, excited, either way, you are motivated to take action.
I have many interests that I wish to explore and share with you. That is what this blog is all about. This is an opportunity for me to expand my horizons, satisfy my curiosity and connect with others. Reading about and, reporting on various topics will restore the equilibrium in my life. If you would like to read my other blog or learn more about my services, please visit my website: www.artnsoul.org
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