Eliminating Fear and Giving a Voice to Domestic Violence

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and as an art therapist who works with children, adolescents, and families impacted by this issue, I wanted to post some resources, newstories, and hopefully other helpful information to help educate and bring awareness about a topic that  is still often masked in silence.

At its core, domestic violence and the cycle of this abuse  is rooted in power and control. The abuse of domestic violence towards an intimate partner can be physical, emotional, economic, and sexual from batterer behaviors such as but not limited to: intimidation, isolation, shattering self-worth through humiliation and tactics to instill control, terror and fear. 

Many domestic violence agencies and programs use the Power and Control Wheel orginially developed by Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs in Duluth, Minnesota to help educate and bring awareness about the bigger picture of power and control in domestic violence.  In addition to the original Power and Control Wheel, there are also other adapted Wheels that have been created to address the specialized needs and issues of  children, elderly, people with disabilities and mental illness, as well as community responsibility, bullying, teen dating violence, and more. 

Domestic violence is an issue that affects us all.  We each have accountability towards creating communities, schools, and supporting families, homes, and our society to be based in safety, equality, and to live without hurt, pain, and suffering.

In President Obama’s Proclamation for this month, he states:

During this month, we rededicate ourselves to breaking the cycle of violence. By providing young people with education about healthy relationships, and by changing attitudes that support violence, we recognize that domestic violence can be prevented. We must build the capacity of our Nation’s victim service providers to reach and serve those in need. We urge community leaders to raise awareness and bring attention to this quiet crisis. And across America, we encourage victims and their families to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE. Together, we must ensure that, in America, no victim of domestic violence ever struggles alone.

Below are a couple of response art in the form of magazine photo collages that I previously created for my own exploration and reflection of this issue and how I can help those women and youth through my role as an art therapist and the benefits of trauma intervention and art therapy.

For more information on the power of art, art therapy, and trauma intervention in helping survivors find their voice and heal from the fear and pain of domestic violence, check out these sites. recent articles. and writings:

The Healing Power of Art: Domestic Violence Survivor Puts Abuse to Canvas

Telling Without Talking:  Breaking the Silence of Domestic Violence

The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC) Blog

Art Helps Heal Pain of Domestic Abuse

Art Therapy and Domestic Violence- International Art Therapy Organization Resources

Breaking the Silence: Art Therapy with Children from Violent Homes

 

Combat Paper Project: Liberating Uniforms into Art

Last week-end I attended the Morgan Art of Papermaking Conservatory’s Anniversary Celebration and Open House here in Cleveland, which was tons of fun– great music, good food, silent art auction, and papermaking and printing demos.  My main objective in attending the Open House was to connect with Drew Matott, one of the Founders of Combat Paper Project who was traveling to Cleveland for the celebration.  What a pleasure this was!   Check out my Facebook photos from this evening here.

I have been very interested in CPP’s work and mission- Here’s some  information from the Combat Paper website about the project:

The story of the soldier, the Marine, the men and the women and the journeys within the military service in a time of war is the basis for this project. The goal is to utilize art as a means to help veterans reconcile their personal experiences as well as broaden the traditional narrative surrounding service, honor and the military culture.

Through papermaking workshops veterans use their uniforms worn in combat to create cathartic works of art. The uniforms are cut up, beat and formed into sheets of paper. Veterans use the transformative process of papermaking to reclaim their uniform as art and begin to embrace their experiences as a soldier in war.

The Combat Paper Project is based out of Green Door Studio in Burlington, VT and has traveled throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, providing veterans’ workshops, exhibitions, performances and artists’ talks. This project is made possible by a multifaceted collaboration between artists, art collectors, academic institutions and combat veterans.

Through ongoing participation in the papermaking process, combat papermakers are attempting to progress from creating works specific to their military experiences to expressing a broader vision on militarism and society. The work reflects both the anger of the past and hope for the future. Through this collaboration between civilians and veterans, a much-needed conversation is generated regarding our responsibilities to the returned veteran and an understanding of the dehumanizing effects of warfare.  ~ From About Combat Paper Project

Combat Paper Project

Art from destruction, resistance, pain, and opposition that is then altered and re-constructed into something that is freeing, healing, and with a new life and meaning  has always interested me in my work as an art therapist. With many of the traumatized and grieving youth I have worked with,  I have witnessed what the process of tearing, ripping, destroying, and breaking down a material (paper, clay, wood, fabric, etc.) and the emotions, memories this can surface… then guiding the same de-constructed material into re-constructed art that can be experienced at a different perspective, as well as tell or show a new story rooted in hope and resiliency.

The highlight of the MPC Open House was meeting Donna– a veteran who participated in CPP workshops this summer in Cleveland @ MPC and had some of this art included in the silent art auction. Donna was able to share with me her experience  about being a Combat Papermaker and the transforming power the process had for herself and the group of veterans who participated in the workshop.  To listen to  her testimony and memories while  looking through and holding a book completely made of paper from her  military uniform was humbling and an honor.   

You can hear other testimonials of veterans who have been involved in this process by pre-viewing the film Iraq Paper Scissors by Sara Nesson below. This film currently in production tells the story of Combat Paper Project and the Combat Papermakers who have found healing and reconciliation through this incredible process:

If you are interested in following the updates, travels, and work of the Combat Paper Project, you can find them here on Facebook or visit their website http://www.combatpaper.org – which includes information about the artists, exhibits, residencies, upcoming events and workshops, sponsorship opportunities, and how to donate to the cause.

Be the Change

 

“When we are no longer to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves…”  ~ Victor Frankl

Making Meaning: Be the Change

This week I spent time reflecting on change; thinking about efforts to make change outside of myself and how these efforts have influenced  change within myself.  Outer and inner change is not an easy process, comes with many challenges and for me,  an increased commitment to make meaningful decisions. The above quote from Victor Frankl inspired me to create a mini-altered book focused on change and meaning, as well as to identify key principles that have been important in my growth and being the change I want to be.   

Be the Change: Think / Energy

Be the Change: Think and Energy- I have learned about giving more thought to what I put my energy towards,what supports my authentic self, and my intentions.  What opportunities and experiences will best utilize my strengths, ideas, spirit, and dedication?   

Be the Change: Relationships / Choices

Be the Change: Relationships and Choices-  The relationships I nurture and the decisions I make also influence my ability to make meaning and take a stand to be the change I want to be.  Collaboration, choices, responsibility, and commitment all fall under these principles.   We reap what we sow.

Be the Change: Meaning / Empower

Be the Change: Meaning and Empower- These principles are most important to me and my path to purpose. How and where do I want to make meaning?  Enstilling hope, trust, and having the courage to keep moving forward helps me create empowerment and resiliency. 

Be the Change: Action / Truth

Be the Change: Action and Truth- To create change within or outside ourselves requires action coming from a belief rooted in truth and vision.

I’m sure there will more art and thoughts around this topic on my end, as meaning and change are important to the work I do and my every day life experience. Until then, the video and song below by Kat Edmonson also captures many of the reflections mentioned in this posting, as well as adds new ones to think more about.  How do you create meaning to be the change you want to be?

 

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The Art of Resiliency

This past week I was in Detroit, Michigan attending the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC) Childhood Trauma Practitioner’s Assembly to work towards my next level of trauma certification.  This year’s Assembly theme was about fostering resiliency and the effects of childhood trauma in today’s world. Each day included a lot of valuable information and practical tools focused on sensory-based interventions when working with traumatized children and adolescents that I found energizing, validating, and inspiring for my own practice.

Offerings I took throughout the week ranged from learning more about resiliency approaches and relational strategies when working with traumatic stress in children and adolescents from invited speaker John Micsak, hearing more about research connected to trauma’s impact on the brain, nervous system, and the body’s response in managing and regulating activation from TLC faculty David Grill, as well as the use of art and play when working with traumatized youth from Cathy Malchiodi, one of TLC’s co-founders and faculty. If you are interested in reading more about the conference, Cathy wrote earlier in the week from the Assembly on topics such as Resilience Matters in Traumatized Children’s Lives–and Sensory Activities Make the Difference and Helping Children Draw Out Their Traumas as seen on her Healing Arts blog for Psychology Today.

On Thursday I spent all day in Cathy’s TLC class about using drawing, art, and play with traumatized children which of course connected well and reinforced my work with youth impacted by domestic violence, grief, and loss.  The day explored the importance and value of art and creative interventions in helping provide a voice and make meaning of the child’s trauma,  research connected to art, the brain, and memory, as well as art activities that reinforced different stages of intervention related to establishing safety, empowering self-soothing behaviors, relaxation, re-connection, and resiliency.

Below is a drawing that I did from this day connected to an intervention helping to honor, celebrate, and recognize the survivor self and support posttraumatic growth.  The task was to create a tree that represented ourself and within the roots of the tree label positive self-characteristics and around the branches, identify our achievements. I thought of qualities that have helped me through challenging and difficult life changing events in my own life and some of the positive outcomes that I have been able to achieve.

"Me Tree"

We were then introduced to a list developed by Dean of Research and Professor of Psychiatry at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, Dennis Charney M.D., Ph.D., of 10 psychological characteristics that people can work toward to increase resilience and encouraged to compare if any of these 10 qualities were included on our tree.   Resilient characteristics such as optimism and altruism seen in the form of passion, active coping through creative problem solving and skill, and connecting to others through cultivating community, despite my independent nature were some of the qualities identifed on Charney’s list that emerged from my tree.

The last session I attended before leaving the Assembly was completely focused on resiliency and the helper facilitated by Roger Klein– tools and tips to help manage the difficult work that comes with working with trauma.  Topics around stress responses, burnout, and interventions were presented with practical applications and solution-based interventions.  A key component to this session was reminding us (“the helpers” ) that our thinking impacts how our body responds– that there’s a reaction in our bodies to every thought that we have (positive and negative!).  Important information that we use with those we work with, but can have trouble practicing ourselves. 

Some tips from this workshop that I found helpful to remember and supports/produces CD4 cells (Helper T cells that mediate immune response):

1. Our thoughts are very powerful and practice an awareness of what you are thinking –> directly influences our body response

2. We have the power to change our thinking

3. Attitude: life is how you take it, not so much what you make it

4. Avoid negative words and watching, listening, and reading negative stories broadcasted and published from the media (Produces CD 8 cells, which are Suppressor T cells and contribute to a higher reaction level of stress)

5. Visualize success

6. Relaxation through guided imagery, focusing on an object, listening to music, doing art, relaxation CDs

7. Humor-  laughing, using humor to help cope

I am looking forward to hopefully attending the TLC Assembly again next year, as I always find the information, instructors, and applications offered helpful and the interventions presented are so effective to use with the children and adolescents that I work with.  I enjoyed the theme of resiliency and how each offering I attended explored this topic in a unique and different way, whether it was through neurophysiological considerations, mind/body connections, art expression, or how to manage our own responses as professionals. 

For more about TLC, their training and certification program, on-line courses, resource articles and much more, visit: http://www.starrtraining.org/tlc.

In This Instant There Are No Obstacles

 

This is one of my favorite collages and a mantra that I often try to remember: In this instant there are no obstacles.  It is important for me to keep moving forward, even in moments or times in my life where the reality I thought would be, became completely out of my control.  This is where my own creative energy and resilience launches into action to help cope and problem solve on next steps and where to go next.  Making art helps with this process- becoming a blueprint or map for me to find my way.

Check out this meditation article about Creativity and Obstacles.