June is PTSD Awareness Month
                                                              Try art as a management tool for PTSD.
PTSD triggers can unravel emotions and the path of a functioning life. These triggers can alter perceptions of time and throw the individual into a spiral of historical trauma response. This can lead to disassociation, fear, flight, shutting down, anxiety, depression and destructive behaviors. Learning how to manage these triggered moments is essential for a successful and functional life.
Art is an option for helping PTSD and an incredible tool that, not only can repair brokenness but provide enjoyment from the process and outcome. Art touches the senses and expression buried under trauma response to identify and convey the experience of struggle deep within. Through color, texture, symbol and image, one can witness the authentic self without needing words to make meaning. This freedom to express provides validation of what is ‘really going on’ in order to see the truth and support the internal strife that triggers cause.

Art is a map to hear, see and invent a path forward to find ground when PTSD triggers cause a free fall of emotions that can sabotage a sense of safety.

Just try! Many online groups, podcasts, and books are available to consider this path of healing, check them out and again, just try, you will be amazed at the benefits of the art process to heal PTSD.

 
Finished! Eco Art for mental health processing.

CHICA/ mixed media
palm husk, dried date palm flower, paper, seed pod, glass, beads, shell, cholla, leather,wire.

Inspired by my friends Amazon parrot, Chica came together slowly but surely. Most objects were found on my morning walks and garage sales.
The head was formed with newspaper and masking tape using a big seed pod for the beak, then painted with gesso and lined with torn paper.
The palm husk became the body and wing with the date palm frond becoming the tail.
Feet are leather covered wire attached to Cholla.

Decorating started with paper feathers down the torso but then I got stuck. I couldn’t figure where to go from there so took a break for a bit. Finally the paper and beads on the wings came next, then I got stuck AGAIN!
I had broken glass left from my turtle project so hesitantly tried attaching it and was pleased with the effect and went for it!
I love the way the feet and perch came together and the festive tail!

What did I learn from this art process?
Managing frustration, patience, mistake resolution, the wonderful world of materials just waiting outside to be found, reusing/recycling, invention.

As reflected in our lives, frustration and patience were challenging, but the process always brought peace and harmony within.

Try creating something the next time you are filled with anxiety or frustration…you will be surprised how well it works to reduce them.
Art heals!!!
Art on ya’ll

 
June is PTSD awareness month, share art healing with all those struggling!

When bad things happen, our body initially records these impressions in the senses. Once we try to make meaning of the event, it already has become a secondary layer of the experience. Mental health actually starts with the senses, not the mind.

Pain is generally avoided and covered up in self sabotaging behaviors such as addiction, violence and destructive behaviors. This not only doesn’t heal anything but causes more pain.
So, where does one start?
One starts at the beginning, the senses.

Art is a powerful tool to hear and express the depths of pain, confusion & whatever else lost in the mire of PTSD.
Texture, color ,symbol and image can express emotions safely and accurately. Often, words are just not able to ’paint the picture’ within leading to a feeling of being an outcast and misunderstood.

Our angst needs to be seen and recognized. The art process provides this experience providing a map of what’s going on within, thus allowing clarity and expression of our deepest truths. Once we feel validation from witnessing what’s really going on, one can make forward progress towards true healing.

The art process also allows us to make the pain beautiful and create a way to carry it differently, less destructive and still honor that which has made us who we have become from our traumatic experience.

Remember…
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE AN ARTIST TO HEAL!!!!