[Merope]

Would you ever/have you ever shared with your T any sort of art you did? I write, so I'm wondering if it would be acceptable to show him something that I've written (sort of therapy-related, not just for the sake of it).

[LostOnTheTrail]

I have benefited greatly from sharing art with my therapist. Sharing visual art allows me to express things that I cannot quite put into words, and when I can't say it outright, I tend to turn to poetry. If you have a good rapport with your T - and it sounds like you do - then I can't see any issue with sharing artwork with them.

I write poetry and yes, I share it with her. I have written several poems to/for her, as well as just sharing just for the sake of it. It's been helpful for me in getting my feelings across to her better than I can speak them. I think it should be fine to share your writing with your t.

I have shown my therapist some writing I did. Not because I was proud of it or anything like that, but to show them how my mind gets during really strong depersonalization. It had been written during one of those moments so I thought it could be useful for them to take a look at.

It was really embarrassing to hand it over, but their response made that worth it. They were able to see what I had been experiencing when I wrote it, and I think it helped them to better understand the depths of my anxiety since they never have the opportunity to see me outside their office when they aren't there to help stabilize me.

I'm betting they would appreciate your taking the risk and showing it to them. Especially if it is therapy-related.

[junkDNA]

I have. He used to do art with me... Make collages... Color... Draw. He doodles these days. He was the one who suggested it in the beginning and I found it helpful to do something while talking. We use my collages as a part of my therapy... I make collages of my adult, parent, and child parts and talk about their traits and how to integrate them more

[Carmina]

I do art therapy so not only share my paintings, poetry and music with her but create during sessions, sometimes with her assisting.

[CharlieStarDust]

I bring her my writings every session. In the past I also brought some paintings I had done.

[BonnieJean]

I've shared art and writing,

[velcro003]

Yep, I've shared art in session, which she always was very enthusiastic about. I guess I share writing as I e-mail her, and she always tells me that I am a good writer.

I often share stories that I have written with present and past therapists, even one group therapist. The stories have nothing to do with therapy per say, but they have always been read and comments emailed back to me. a few months ago, I did share an illustration for a book I was trying to make commentary on. I first showed her a photo then she saw it at my house. She had a longer critique which was all positive.

[annielovesbacon]

This may be a bit embarrasing to admit, but oh well! Over the summer she had me keep a journal of (at least) one thing that made me happy each day. I could have bought a new journal, or even written it on a piece of paper, but instead I chose to write it in a little sketchbook I used to practice my water color skills. (Not actual paintings, just techniques and what not)... I guess I wanted her to see/compliment my art without me directly showing it to her

T1 ever gave me art homework and we discussed what I painted the next time. Current T once asked me to draw on a postcard. A friend has done art therapy with an art therapist and I'm interested and curious but find it too vulnerable.

[Merope]

Originally Posted by annielovesbacon

This may be a bit embarrasing to admit, but oh well! Over the summer she had me keep a journal of (at least) one thing that made me happy each day. I could have bought a new journal, or even written it on a piece of paper, but instead I chose to write it in a little sketchbook I used to practice my water color skills. (Not actual paintings, just techniques and what not)... I guess I wanted her to see/compliment my art without me directly showing it to her

I don’t think that’s embarrassing to admit at all! I think it’s perfectly natural to want the approval of someone you hold in high esteem. I would totally do the same thing haha (and I’ve done far worse in the past >.<).

[Merope]

Originally Posted by QuietMind

T1 ever gave me art homework and we discussed what I painted the next time. Current T once asked me to draw on a postcard. A friend has done art therapy with an art therapist and I'm interested and curious but find it too vulnerable.

I get the vulnerability aspect of it. I want to share my writing with my T but it’s super personal and makes me feel very exposed. I think it’s a good thing to be able to trust someone enough to share that sort of thing with them. I hope one day I’ll be able to do it.

[seeker33]

Yes, I've shared both my drawings and a couple of poems. I think it's extremely helpful for both of us. It helps me process my feelings and she gets to know and understand me better. Each time I shared my creations our talk therapy improved, too.

[nicoleflynn]

I wrote a poetry book and gave it to my t; he was delighted.

[starfishing]

A former therapist once looked up a piece I'd published--without asking me first--and brought it up in session out of nowhere, which really pissed me off. He liked it, but I wasn't paying the guy to praise or otherwise comment on my artistic skill, and it ended up being one of a long list of examples of my feeling he was more interested in picking my brain about my work for his own gratification than in focusing on my therapy and treatment needs. Which ultimately led to my firing him.

My current therapist said he'd be open to/expressed interest in looking at some artwork I've done over the years that touches on some of the major things we've been discussing. I haven't actually shown him anything though... I feel like it would be useful, but also nervewracking beyond belief to watch him looking at my work and have to deal with his possibly judging its artistic merit aside from its therapy-relevant content. So I'm still undecided and feel like we have to discuss it more first.

[katydid777]

I would have shared my poems with her, but I wasn't expecting her to move like she did. She had a family emergency, and had to move, and I found out a couple days before my last session. but I would have shared with her.

[Salmon77]

I talk about various aspects of my works and what they mean to me or how they connect with my life, but I don't usually share the actual work because I don't want to worry about whether T thinks it's good or not.

Yes, my therapist has seen a lot of my artwork/ writing/ graphic designs/ photography/ etc. She says she likes seeing it.