It’s difficult to call for “Gratitude” practices when we have such critical things happening in the world right now. But it is also important that we not give in to hopelessness and overwhelm when things are so bad. The negativity bias, our unconscious tendency to notice negative things over positive ones, will make it seem like there is nothing but disaster going on. It is true, really bad things are happening and they are important.

Rebecca—who is back East because of a complicated dental implant that isn’t healing well—was bemoaning to her husband KC that she felt overwhelmed and couldn’t think straight.  She’s been surfing between her mother and her sister’s couches and torn between wanting to spend time with them and wanting to be home with KC and the cats.

We just taught a class on “Art Therapy and Positive Psychology” with graduate art therapy students so we are warmed up to the topic.  One of the assignments we give the students is to notice their strengths in action for a week.

In the “Art for Self Discovery” workshops we’ve been running recently, we’ve seem people come for many different reasons.  Most are just “regular” folks who are curious about what their art is saying.  Some have heard about art therapy and want to learn more about it.  Some are artists who are stuck and want to jump start their creativity.  Others are art therapists who just want a place to do their own artwork in the company of others.

Family Dynamics Triggered
While Rebecca was back East last month, she went to visit her friend Annu, an artist whose work we’ve featured in our newsletters before.  Annu was also back East, having come from Montana to stay with her mother and sister for several weeks and, much as she loves the two, Annu was feeling triggered by old family dynamics. 

Last month we paid tribute to Irvo Otieno, Joshua McLemore, and Jordan Neely who died essentially because their mental illness was not understood by others.