T suggested making a collage in session

I remember a thread about doing other things in therapy besides talking. Today Kt suggested making a collage about my mother, maybe next week. We're both artistic, so I thought that sounded interesting. I have to bring a photo of my Mom and she will supply everything else. If anyone has done this during a session, how did it work out? Thanks.

I've never made art inside of session (actually that isn't true, once when I was a teen I drew my depression). But I have done art outside of session and brought it in for T to see. I think doing some art inside of session would be cool.

T and I draw together in session sometimes... I will draw a line, and he will draw a line, and we'll keep taking turns until we see what picture we make. Sometimes we'll each have our own paper and draw our own pictures. I really REALLY like drawing with T when I'm in the mood. He offered today, but I didn't feel like it.

My little parts draw with T a lot.

I made a multi-page collage for T once (at home). It was really eye-opening for both of us, I think. That was a really big session.

I think for me, art accesses a different part of my brain than just talking. The most closure I have EVER had in therapy has been through the use of art (one session where T drew a picture for me, and one session where I drew a picture and we finished it together).

I will be really interested to hear how it goes, Rainbow.

I'm getting excited (in a good way) thinking about doing the collage. EMDR accessed a different part of my brain, and I think art will too. In fact, when I used to draw and paint more than I do now, I'd be "in another world" then. I'd be absorbed in my work. So I think doing this with Kt might be really helpful for me.

rainbow, I did a collage of stuff that made me want to self harm. That was rough work and took me 2 days to do it. But T loved it.... although I went through it too fast with him. But if you make it while in session, that would be awesome!! If you have certain words from old magazines or images that you think fit your emotions, clip those out and take them in with you. Also, you may want to bring in material if you have some that fits. I did that and put my mom in a dress on the collage... kinda cool how that released some emotions. It can really be very freeing to show your feelings in that way!

i have heard that different types of therapy like art and dance are excellent for healing. i knew one lady who had adopted children from foster care and the kids were really messed up....the only way they could initially be reached in the healing process was through dance therapy.

also, creative arts require a different aspect of your brain and that alone is healing.

go for it rainbow! and accept whatever is created...it is a part of you and your expression.

The collage sounds like fun, rainbow, and like it has a lot of potential. I would be excited too! My daughter has done at least one collage with her T, who is a trained art therapist. They each contribute different images to it. They cut them out of magazines, and they use words they cut out too. They talk about why they chose the images they did for the collage, and that helps them have a conversation. My daughter supplied some of the magazines for cutting, and her T supplied some too. I don't think their collage had a theme like yours will (mother). On the other hand, if my daughter was making a collage themed around me, she probably wouldn't tell me, LOL. (Although she and her T did show me the finished collage, and it was very cool.) I will be interested to hear how this activity goes, rainbow.

Rainbow,

It sounds like a blast to me! I wish my t would do art therapy with me!

I had to email T to schedule my next appointment so I asked her more about the collage. She told me that she will supply all the materials except the photo of my Mom that I need to glue down. She does not want me to talk while making it. She said she will draw something too, though she won't be making a collage, so she won't be staring at me while I do it!

I can get engrossed in my artwork so that sounds fine. I love collages! I know I will be nervous, though, before I start. I am always anxious until I start talking to her in my session, and we will talk some first.

I had written a long email about the session, but she wants to talk about that before we do the collage. I didn't expect her to answer me; I even told her not to as per our agreement. I told her I was glad I found her, and that this therapy seems right for me. I told her some other embarrassing stuff and insights, but I'm not going to write it all here.

So, again--I wish it were Tuesday already!!! I don't want anything to make the session not take place. My negative thinking at work.

I can't find a good photo of my Mom! They are all too small or she's looking down. I have to look some more. Also, I get so sad when I look at my kids when they were little. We have 100's of pictures. Anyone with little kids, just know that the time really does fly by and soon they will be grown-up. The passage of time makes me sad.

hey rainbow-

this sounds so cool. my T does art therapy too and has lots of "stuff" in her office to use.

even if you dont have a big picture, remember you could do other creative things to indicate that "the area" on the collage is your mom. for example, you could glue the little picture on another sheet of colored paper and then write your mom's favorite things around the picture or you could write characteristics of your mom around the picture....this way the space is still "your mom."

See?.. something like that.

good luck. don't stress -- it is supposed to be "freeing"

That sounds super exciting. Hope you find a good picture of your Mom.

http://mysharingspaceonline.com/collage.jpg

That's my stepmom on the bottom left.

(((((((((((Rainbow)))))))))))))

Try not to get too hung up on finding the "perfect" picture. Whatever picture you find can be good enough.

When my H's grandma died (I was very close to her), I made a book of pictures of her and my kids for her memorial service. I remember taking it into show T and just crying and crying because I didn't think it was very good. T told me that what I did was good enough. It wasn't about making a perfect book - it was about honoring the memory of someone that I loved very much. He was right.

It will be okay.