The Healing Arts

Yes, the election has also inspired me to believe that when we put our forces together we can bring change and hope. I pray for everyone who will now have to go through the process of change that is hard and not always pleasant.

Thank you for the article.

Thanks for the post Cathy. You raise a really valuable point about hope, and the importance of the creative spirit for inspiring hope.

Cathy, thank you for your incredible, insightful writing; it is valuable personally, professionally and globally.

Hope involves a positive vision for the future that is accepted as probable or at least possible.

We artists are in the vision making business. Even if the "vision" is music that we can remember and choose to re-experience in the future.

I totally agree that the arts can be agents for change, renewal and personal growth. This is why I am an artist and author.Changing the way we actually see the world is what my work is about and for.

Thanks for the good post.

Thank you Cathy, for raising such an important topic related not only to the politcal climate right now, but also to our own belief-in-possibility as we go through personal challenges. Recently, helping with the ongoing health crises of two family members has left me depleted both emotionally and physically. I have been frustrated that my creativity has been in hiding throughout this period. In reading your blog I came to the realization that hope, or more accurately hopelessness, is really at the core of my exhaustion. It's good to be reminded of what we as art therapists know so well, that often by inviting our clients to engage in art-making we are encouraging and supporting them to take a step towards hope, which in itself is healing and empowering.

As an art therapist and creative possibilities thinker I question what hope looks like. Today I made an image radiating out desire, longing, playfulness, joy, and possibilities. In this creative space I choose to play when times are challenging. Thank you for your post as a reminder that we can create what we desire.