| oliday season can be a challenging time for most | | | | promotion of feelings of joy, peacefulness, and calm |
| anyone as the stresses of finances, increased | | | | come about because of the release of the pleasure |
| demands of time and tasks, and unrealistic | | | | inducing chemicals called endorphins, the mood |
| expectations show themselves in a grand way. | | | | enhancing neurotransmitter serotonin, along with the |
| Furthermore, if you are a person that is working | | | | lowering of heart rate and respiration. Alpha |
| through feelings of grief at this time, everything can | | | | brainwave patterns are also initiated which are the |
| become compounded. | | | | patterns that present themselves during moments of |
| The holidays can create feelings of depression, | | | | prayer and meditation. The process of making art |
| loneliness, and anxiety for the bereaved as they | | | | also provides a kinesthetic release that enables a |
| remember past events. Holidays by nature are filled | | | | person to channel her emotions and physical energy |
| with nostalgia, tradition and ritual, but for those | | | | outward rather than suppressing and tightening within. |
| grieving, this can bring up conflicted feelings of both | | | | There are a variety of ways to use art and |
| comfort and distress as the absence of the | | | | imagination as a tonic in the recovery from loss and |
| deceased becomes more apparent. As the rest of | | | | grief. One of the ways that is helpful is by keeping a |
| the world is celebrating, it’s important for | | | | feelings art journal. This can be an excellent way to |
| grieving individuals to acknowledge their emotional | | | | track what is happening within on a daily basis. |
| pain and get through the season with a minimum | | | | Experiment with color, lines and shape to follow |
| amount of stress. Being able to express ones grief | | | | emotions, being aware of body sensations rather |
| verbally can be difficult. Art expression, as a | | | | than focusing on thoughts about the current |
| non-verbal modality, can be an effective way of | | | | emotional state. For example, if you are feeling sad, |
| working through and containing grief when words fall | | | | try to sense where that sadness lies in your body |
| short. | | | | and express this sensation as spontaneously as |
| Throughout history, art making has been a means by | | | | possible. |
| which humans have expressed their grief. Whether | | | | Another way that is helpful in containing grief is by |
| through burial ceremonies, shrines, or memorials, the | | | | using imagery to soothe and restore the spirit. Gather |
| symbols that represent loss have been important for | | | | objects and images (photos, magazines, calendar |
| coping and relieving emotional distress. | | | | photos) that bring forth feelings of appreciation, |
| Creativity can be a way to feel the sadness, anger | | | | pleasure, compassion and gratitude and use these as |
| and loss as well as the remembrance of times past in | | | | inspiration for your own art. While this art making is |
| all their imperfections and grace, while taking time to | | | | meant to be enlivening in the moment of making it, it |
| understand oneself in the context of the whole. | | | | is also meant to remind and inspire you when times |
| Overwhelming thoughts and feelings can be captured | | | | feel challenging in the future. |
| in the images thereby creating a new sense of | | | | Art as therapy is medicine for the soul. And while |
| control, organization, and containment. Focusing on | | | | creativity can be a wonderful companion on ones |
| the images or symbols enables a person to express | | | | healing journey, know your limits. It may be |
| stressful emotions without having to refer directly to | | | | important to seek out a professional therapist, |
| details surrounding the loss. | | | | support group or pastoral counselor that can help you |
| Art making as a healing process allows for many | | | | further with the trauma or loss and can be the |
| positive effects to happen physiologically. The | | | | witness to your art expressions and emotions. |