My system is working on a very cool art project for therapy Tuesday. They are building a replica of a safe room we have inside. They are using a wooden box and doll furniture, with lots of paint. It's something we will use while doing memory work in a rice bin where it's trauma related, and then transfer the stuff to the 'safe room'.

I was wondering if others on the board have done really cool projects or crafts specifically for psychotherapy and if you're willing to share them on the boards?

[childofyen]

I haven't done anything like this, but I wanted to say that this is the most awesome thing I have heard all day long. Thank you for sharing.

[crazycanbegood]

i second COY. i only sit on the couch without doing activities. i also have no bone of artistic creativity within me. i wish i could craft my feelings and memories.

[Wren_]

No never done anything like that; it sounds wonderful though

[3velniai]

wow, the safe room sounds like a very good idea Do you do it at home or during appts?
I draw or paint something sometimes, but that's about it. T wanted to me to make something out of clay once, but I freaked out and the rest of the appt was focused on getting me back to normal.

[WePow]

(((Stormy))))

When we were in our trauma healing work last year, each alter had their own "art therapy" book. One alter loved watercolor. Another liked pencil. Another wanted to do collage. By letting each alter have their own book, I was able to see how each one related to their part of the trauma - and to see which part contained the trauma.

We also did some mental imagry work around the house. I used the Sims game on the PC to build our internal house room by room. That was interesting to have it brought forward in a conscious way. After we built the rooms, we decided as a house to tear down the walls so everyone could share with everyone else. It was tough work for some alters, but we managed to make it through the process.

Visualizing things this was is very effective for DID therapy. It allows the brain to consciously start to link the memories between the divided sections.

What you are doing sounds very neat and very healing!

[geez]

I made a painting that showed my feelings inside of being fragmented. She said she wanted to see another painting down the road and I never did one. I guess that's something I need to do before my last appt. I want her to see how I feel inside compared to how the first painting looked.

[rainbow8]

I've done simpler art stuff like collages, fingerpainting, and of course scribbling all over pieces of paper! I'd like to do more because artwork frees me. Maybe my singing in therapy is a creative "craft" too.

Good luck with your project, Stormy! I really like what you're doing.
Just wondering. Do you encourage YOUR clients to be creative in therapy?

[Butterflies Are Free]

I love your idea. I once held a sacred sexuality ceremony in session once - burned incense, wore white, painted a butterfly on my face, made ankle bracelets for my T and myself that said, "Celebrate", danced to Native American music, and drew pictures.
Your idea is great!

Originally Posted by rainbow8

Just wondering. Do you encourage YOUR clients to be creative in therapy?

I do try to encourage them a lot to do whatever they feel is necessary for their healing. I do think art is healing so I try to encourage my clients to do specific art projects between sessions. Usually collages, a visual journal, feelings (specific colors are feelings and you can draw/scribble as you wish throughout the week), work with clay in session, I ask they bring me in a CD that reflects their thoughts/feelings, etc.

I did collages of my parts once for T. And I draw a LOT in session.

I think art brings things out that words don't.

[skysblue]

Originally Posted by treehouse

I think art brings things out that words don't.

I would hate to try to do crafts because I'm the least artistic or creative person alive on Earth. So, too bad that that avenue of expression is not available to me. Words are all I have.

Originally Posted by skysblue

I would hate to try to do crafts because I'm the least artistic or creative person alive on Earth. So, too bad that that avenue of expression is not available to me. Words are all I have.

I don't think you need to be artistic to do art. If it's doodling, or scribbling, or splashing different color paint - sometimes that works out things we can't say. Like finger paint, just splatting black everywhere to represent nothingness, and having flecks of other paint underneath to show what it's covering (sad, angry, happy, love, etc) can be art.

[skysblue]

Originally Posted by stormyangels

I don't think you need to be artistic to do art. If it's doodling, or scribbling, or splashing different color paint - sometimes that works out things we can't say. Like finger paint, just splatting black everywhere to represent nothingness, and having flecks of other paint underneath to show what it's covering (sad, angry, happy, love, etc) can be art.

hmmmmmm... I think I would find it frustrating trying to communicate my feelings through a medium that I am not proficient in. I would not be able to represent myself well or accurately and would feel really bad about that. Nah, I think I'll have to stick to words. T has had me do sand tray though and that has been enlightening.

I have done lots of different art projects for T. Done the boxes with the little furniture and stuff-- we ended up with about 8 boxes--that was really fun. Also do lots of collages, paintings, drawings, etc. Oh and we have done art journals... made dolls out of clay.hmmm... I am trying to think of what else... we also did a really big art book about ALL of us, using a lot of drawings and magazine pictures. Everyone got a page or two, and we did things about what it was like to live inside and stuff.

[skeksi]

I do art in T, and often we go over art I've done in my journal. When I was struggling with lots of trauma memories, he looked at pictures of black crayon over and over again for weeks. He always had something to say about them, LOL, and it really validated my feelings. Some things are just beyond words.

[rainbow_rose]

once, in order not to shut down in session, I brought some colored pencils and mandela coloring pages. I completed it in session. It was pretty when it was done.

[skeksi]

I've always done art in therapy in relation to trauma--showing the trauma, expressing my (dark) feelings about it, etc. I'd be interested in hearing how people have used art in positive ways, if that makes sense? Like, not related to bad feelings or bad stuff that has happened. Does that make sense?

[rainbow_rose]

inspired by stormyangels and this thread, I was inspired to buy a sketchbook, pencils and such and I already have pages to show my therapist at my next session.