Monthly Archives: February 2022

Mindfulness, Art Therapy Virtual Conference!

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I needed this today! Started out stressful but eventually smoothed out. Yes, art therapy can be done virtual! I attended this conference with other art therapists around the world, (not just professionals, a few followers as well). We had mindfulness, art making, breakout rooms with assigned buddies to individually process and then group process at the end. The conductor was kind enough to stay after for a small group of us to finish processing as we hit the end time before everyone was able to speak. (We had about 55 attendees).

a person drawing on brown paper
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Led by Dr. Isis, who also hosts weekly drop-in sessions if you would like to experience this yourself. She is the author of “mindful doodle book” which I love and suggest to everyone! Has approximately 75 doodle directives for self-care. Her website is www.miamiarttherapy.com, her book can be found on Pesi amazon or her website.

It was amazing to hear from her and go through our guided directive. It was four parts- those who know me know I love “part one and part two and sometimes part three” in our sessions (please don’t comment here for your confidentiality if you are reading this). I will show you my work and a few from the conference to show and yes this can be done virtual!  For confidentiality of the attendees, I have blacked out faces and names. My image and Dr. Isis’ are the only ones viewable, top left!  check facebook for more close up views of the process and let me know in the comments if you’d be interested in joining a mindful art therapy directive group.

How ive grown!

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Picture for effect all, this is so amazing. I’ve reached worldwide viewers this month!!!!! Up to almost 700 views in my website’s stats. I have blog followers, likes, it blows my mind. My FB business page has nearly doubled since I went on my own a year in a half ago, my insta is growing, I’m learning TikTok, twitter, it’s just all so cool. I’ve worked so hard to get here so the fact it’s going well does make me worry about when the other shoe will drop.

Let me give some background, and I apologize in advance but I’m going to just go with a giant run on paragraph- you’ve been warned- was a sick child, medicine did not work for me due to receiving so much when young. Then high school had double bunion removal, extra teeth pulled, thought I was getting jaw surgery due to the angle and length it was growing, braces late in life to prepare. Sick every time someone coughed, in and out of chiropractor, college came with emergency laparoscopic procedure for endometriosis, college ended with cancer diagnoses and treatment. Masters/higher ed was stressful but no significant events besides starting anxiety medication and thyroid meds. Then I had a few years of finding work, the joys that come with working with others, then found a good job and my apartment burned down, spent summer in a hotel before finding current home. Then had flooding in the new home but was fixable. Then had my normal “I feel like death” mystery illness throughout those four years (several doctors with no results besides I need to go to the gym but that’s a whole other blog). Then the pandemic came, and I went out on my own.

Thus, brings us back to current day. I have been fitting in therapy appointments (yes. The therapist has a therapist). And I have gotten my meds under control, finding out I have attention deficit has been an eye opener (another blog another day). I have an awesome support system helping me, friends, family, a biller/credentialer who’s amazing at what she does, understanding clients and constant stream of incoming with different directories. So, I know I will be ok. Sometimes that voice gets loud, so I find ways to take care of myself. The one take away today for you, self-care. Get sleep, eat right for you, socialize enough with those you care about, have your Netflix binges, take up a hobby, join one of my support groups, find a therapist, meditate, just take care of you and meet your needs. So important. For me, today I’m excited to have viewers around the world, and I’m super excited to continue sharing with you!!!

Group updates!

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I have updated my Facebook events here, as well as my online directories on Psychology today and Therapy den! At this time there is no waitlist for these groups, and the support groups do have a minimum requirement to run.  For the virtual attendees I can send an art kit to you that we would be using in person so you may create with us from home.

These events include:

Community Open studio

Relaxed environment to come create – first and third Friday of the month $7 to cover supplies, under 12 requires an adult to stay. How does it work? I turn on relaxing music and bring my supplies down to the conference room, you can create alone or engage with others. Please contact me for more info or check here

(for those who previously showed interest in this Facebook event- I accidentally deleted the whole series when trying to cancel one date due to weather, so I apologize, you won’t need to redo any form, but you should go back in and click going or interested to receive notifications)

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Adolescent Inclusivity Support Group

$50 to attend, private pay / no insurance – 6-10 spots-preregistration required here; Virtual attendance is accepted. Please contact me for more info or check here

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Pandemic Stress Support for Adults.

50$ to attend, private pay / no insurance – 6-10 spots-preregistration required here; Virtual attendance is accepted Please contact me for more info or check here

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#Therapythursday #anxiety #counselingnearme #depression #stress #bpd #mooddisorders #womenissues #menshealth #teenhealth #craftnight #openstudio #create #arttherapy #arttherapyrocks #supportgroup #stupidcancer

Mindfulness, Meditation

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“Case of the mondays….”  I am feeling this today! I was looking at a new app over the weekend I found in one of my therapy forums, called “insight timer”.  As some of you might see already on my business page, I did a “Facebook live” recently with two guided mindfulness scripts.  “Leaves on a stream, and eye of the hurricane”.  I am not sure how to connect that live with this blog, but you can access it here.   In these scripts I read out loud and you, as the reader can close your eyes and imagine being in the “story”, for example, sitting by the stream, seeing thoughts float by as leaves, or the chaos of all the thoughts and feelings rushing around you, while you are safe in the middle of the eye of the storm. 

close up photography of leaves with droplets
Photo by sohail nachiti on Pexels.com

With Insight timer, it has probably about a million meditations, nature sounds, white noise, drumming sessions, and much, much more for free to experience on your own time.  I highly recommend looking into it, especially as it’s a free app.  Mindfulness and meditation can be as short as 30 seconds, or as long as you need it – some half hour. I recommend starting small, fitting it in while you are eating or preparing for bed, or waking in the morning.  For some it can be uncomfortable due to the busyness of our lives and suddenly sitting and listening, not “doing something”.  That sitting—–> is self-care, and it’s important to remember that. ” Take time to smell the flowers” or listen to a meditation, or nature sounds. Comment here what is helpful for you!

Groups- virtual or not?

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Poll time! This month I have anxiety depression support groups starting for both teens and adults. Currently I have no one signed up (could be multiple reasons, winter, covid, life). Due to the uncertainty of the world around us, would you prefer the group to be virtual? Pre-registration is required, and I can mail out small supply kits or list of supplies (that you may already have) so we can still do the art portion (if wanted/not required). Let me know in the comments!