arttherapist – Rachel's Heart Therapy

“Just Like Us” Mural Painting Art Therapy Professional Research Project

The image above shows the mural I painted and left behind for the children at the end of my research project. The finished mural we painted over the course of 8 months is not shown as it is a confidential piece of art that lives in an emergency domestic violence shelter at a protected location in the Bay Area, CA where the research was facilitated. I received a grant from the non-profit agency I was working for at the time, and this enabled me to do a lengthier study: atypical for my graduate program. It also helped that I had a supervisor who believed in my work and was tremendously supportive of my deep passion for the field I am in! As you can see from the above image, “home” was a big theme within my research project! The goal or hypothesis for my mural painting project (which was accumulative over the course of 8 months, children coming and going from the shelter, and leaving their “mark” or message on the mural) was: to increase feelings of home and belongingness and decrease feelings of isolation. The results of my project supported tremendous success in my goal, hypothesis, and intention of this very special research so close to my heart! Through the research I conducted, I also discovered other amazing therapeutic benefits proven by the results of my project. This was so fun and insightful to learn. This is one of the best things I have ever done in my life, and I am so excited to write more and facilitate more research throughout my life. After 8 months, of writing over 200 pages, and tons of reading, and editing; I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I love this work with all my heart. The thesis won an award! A proud moment and so proud of all the children (who truly were the ones who won this award) – who all are the biggest heroes in this world. I was blown away by their tremendous courage and resilience. I learned the most from them upon sharing their story with me. 2012-13 Presented with “Outstanding Thesis Award” by the Art Therapy Department NDNU, SF Bay, CA for valuable research contribution in the field of Art Therapy. “The Art Therapy department has voted to award you for your outstanding thesis! You made a unique contribution with your work at the shelter and your mural work is significant to the field of Art Therapy.” -NDNU Art Therapy Department It was so nice to reflect, and I am excited to finish writing my proposal and planning for my next research project! You can read the abstract to my research thesis on my Publication and Media page and it has also been archived here. My original abstract has a repeated sentence error, how embarrassing! My professors and I are still not sure how we did not catch this in all our edits. This goes to show that we are all human! Something I learned about myself as a writer and researcher: it is not my strength to edit my own work. I often depend on professors and peer readers. I like to edit the work of my peers, however, not my own. I think this is very common, as the artist. It is always great to have multiple eyes on a project for a critique of professionals in which their feedback and opinion you find of value. Excited to share more soon! Thanks for tuning in, Rachel Howard, LMFT, ATR-BC, RYT All images © Rachel Howard Friendly reminder (disclaimer): The information in this entry is not therapy and cannot be a substitute for work with a licensed therapist. The information in the entry is only intended for educational purposes around the topic of Art Therapy research.

Individuation, Art Therapy & Astrology

In my studies in Astrology and Spirituality, I love the belief that although we are born pure and as a blank canvas as little human babies (awaiting the excitement of natural human development) we are also born with innate gifts: each one of us. These are not talents or skills, but effortless gifts; it is what makes us so special – it is typically what we came here to share with the world! I believe these gifts are embedded in our souls. The goal of Esoteric Astrology is to integrate our soul with our personality. I love that. A soulful personality, one that breaths authenticity, meaning, wisdom, and depth. I like to use the metaphor of your favorite jacket (the jacket is your personality/ego) it does not just look “cool”, is your style or suits you well; it also truly feels “cool” it feels good on you, it breathes the essence of you. This is a way one can conceptualize a personality that has a soul. (I’m open to new analogies, too!) It requires an effort, interest, and level of maturity of our caregivers to nurture their child(ren) and their child(ren)’s gifts and true Self in an emotionally safe environment early on which is the only kind of environment where one can grow in a healthy way. We need the freedom to color (outside the lines), explore, and just be. This nurturing or holding space is an environment where basic concepts of love are not enough: being an extension of your parents/caregivers or a fusion of sorts due to the biological fact that we depended on them to survive. It requires deeper forms of love and intelligence (the job of a parent requires a level of self-mastery): differentiation as a form of respect. This kind of respect is the basis of a very safe and grounding love that gives children the potential to be their own person while still having the healthy attachment and fusion a child needs in their development. Differentiation is key to happiness. Respect is differentiation: you belong to yourself, and you’re an extension of no one. Barbara Sher How can we expect so much from our children if we cannot differentiate and allow them to individuate guilt/shame-free into their own person? This is the root of so much distress and suffering. Through travel and study, I find that the structure of the Self is as simple or complex as we make it. For example, I love the ancient language of the stars which derives from ancient civilizations such as the Aztec Mayans and Egyptians: Astrology helps me see that we have many different facets! For example, the personality (sun), the emotional body (moon), the spirit (rising/ascendant), the mind/intellect (mercury), and so much more! I believe the stars have a lot to teach us. I had so much fun doing a personal Art Therapy project with some acrylic paint and a set of wooden Russian Nesting Dolls. Studying my natal chart helps me to understand myself and this Art Therapy project truly helped me to integrate parts of myself into who I am as a whole person. With healthy differentiation (even if we must break away from unhealthy attachments ourselves); we then can truly individuate! It is common to struggle with this process growing up or as an adult which is often linked naturally to our role models (our own parents/caregivers) and their personal Self process struggle. As a therapist, I see how the anxieties of our parent’s undeveloped personalities and overall Self often subconsciously become the unrealistic responsibility of their children. Often, in therapy, this reality becomes conscious which is the first step in reclaiming the identity: individuation (becoming an individual) should be FUN! This is the fun part of becoming who you want to be, learning, growing, evolving, and healing. In Jungian Psychology, individuation is the creation of Self which is the process in which the various aspects of personality are integrated. So, now we talk about integration. This whole being a human thing… has layers depending on how we look at it. I hold the belief as a therapist and person that we are all trying to move toward wholeness, especially when we hold the belief that we are already whole. We truly are; it is just that sometimes we need help, guidance, or support in getting there due to a lack of support, guidance, or help in the past. If we are all naturally moving toward wholeness; we are also all naturally integrating. We integrate every day. Through our dreams and sleep, through feeling safe, grounded, and secure; through learning new things that resonate with us specifically and applying those new learnings to our lives, through movement, breath, meditation, spending time in nature, talking to someone to process what we think, feel, and know… writing, making art, and so much more. When we integrate; we make information, wisdom, knowledge, healing… all part of who we are: coming into wholeness. All parts of Self become One! I love this Russian Nesting Doll metaphor or symbol of the Self. As an Art Therapist, I find making art to be supportive in therapy, especially because it becomes a transitional object during a specific time in our process. The art becomes a meaningful visual that speaks to us deeply and something that we can see every day in our environment which can help us to integrate. I love Object Relational Theory and with this theory, transitional objects are innate in our development and are very supportive. One of mine was a light teal glow worm stuffed animal when I was a child! It could be a special blanket, a pet, a toy, or something you formed a supportive healthy attachment to. In Art Therapy, we are practicing forming healthy attachments to our art as well. How neat is that?! For example, this art object, at the time I made it, was so meaningful and supportive to me. I placed it near me in my home and…
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Mindfulness + Nature Practice

Beauty is there if you look for it. During my graduate studies, I became inspired by an artist from Australia named Hailey Bartholomew and her 365 grateful project. She has such a beautiful way of making a gratitude practice so much fun, creative, and playful! Hailey helped me in my self-care practice. I fell in love with Hailey’s “Finding LOVE” heart-finding practice where she simply finds heart shapes on walks in nature. Hailey holds the belief while doing this that we are always finding what we are looking for. In other words, we look for what we end up finding! What a fulfilling belief. Hailey says, “when we look in the mirror, with the intention of seeing our beauty, this is what we will find: our beauty! If we look in the mirror to see the things we do not like, that is exactly what we will find. “I do not like this about my nose or my blemishes” for example. She says, “It seems to me that if we choose to look for something beautiful in our lives and the people around us, we will find it.” Y O U A R E B E A U T I F U L There are simple and mindful ways to practice this new outlook/attitude each day. Slowing down and finding heart shapes in nature is not only uplifting for the heart; it is also grounding because you are becoming more aware of the environment around you! This uplifting yet grounding combo allows one to access a sense of balance and overall sense of wellbeing over time. The more experience I obtain as a therapist; I still come back to my roots. Nature and that less is more. We do not have to do so much to obtain a sense of well-being, as sometimes this can feel like a never-ending battle. Although it requires effort and work, we can start with a simple change in attitude. Sometimes, just planting the seed is all that is needed for the new attitude to naturally grow roots within us. An attitude that is much more friendly and helps foster, promote, and develop more love for oneself… more ease. Mindfulness is simply an attitude. It takes practice to learn a new attitude, just like learning a new skill. And, with that learning requires us to make a conscious (mindful) decision in each moment to embark on that learning and often unlearning or letting go of an old way. I notice in my work as a therapist, that the ´letting go´ part can often be supported in therapy with a lot of care and understanding. Some people may adopt new attitudes or outlooks in a time of high stress, adversity, or trauma as a form of survival, innate resiliency, or inner resource with the attitude: “it’s what I had to do to get by” oftentimes bringing us back to times in our childhood where we felt powerless. I have learned that one of the most empowering things we can do for ourselves is to come back to ourselves; with the use of a simple practice like this one: to sustain a new attitude about ourselves for the long term, even after the height of trauma or stressor. This is truly empowering and where the depth of growth lies because trauma as well as stress, can offer us a deeper connection with self and new levels of resiliency and love. This new way takes time, it’s a process, and going slow is okay and often resorts to a more rooted and sustainable connection and resiliency over time where healing naturally unfolds. It is because we start to feel safe again. Just like the leaves in the fall season, they naturally fall from the tree. There is no need to pluck them out or shake the tree so they fall… they will fall naturally as you grow to love yourself more, you will simply no longer need those older attitudes or outlooks you once had that helped you as much as they could at that time. Just like an old friend, parent, substance, or other, we heal and evolve in healthier ways to outgrow our relationship with them. Oftentimes these attitudes or outlooks are modeled for us as children or engrained in us by how we were treated as a child. Now, you: taking over and being the responsible one in all facets of your wellbeing; this is your forever superpower. There might be a need to be gentle with ourselves: to say those old outlooks or attitudes we once had were wrong or bad is like saying the leaves that fall from the tree in the fall season are wrong or bad. They are leaves that naturally fall away, nature does not think so much, nature naturally and fully breathes each expression of life effortlessly. Lessen your load, lessen your efforts. Allow things to unfold in time. Finding just one heart at a time; with each new heart, a new love for yourself is discovered and nurtured. Happy new discoveries of love, Rachel Howard, LMFT, ATR-BC, RYT All images © Rachel Howard Friendly reminder (disclaimer): The information in this entry is not therapy and cannot be a substitute for work with a licensed therapist. The information in the entry is only intended for educational purposes around the topic of mindfulness, a different perspective, or ideas for self-care/wellbeing and food for thought.

Tag: arttherapist

“Just Like Us” Mural Painting Art Therapy Professional Research Project

Individuation, Art Therapy & Astrology

Mindfulness + Nature Practice