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Transcendent Healing through Environmental Narratives refers to my new, proprietary method to usher trauma survivors to or further on their healing path. The client(s) and I meet for art-making sessions wherein we consciously identify and create safe spaces within their everyday life way.
A “typical” series of transcendent healing sessions includes (if possible) a walk-through of their everyday spaces in search of those which afford a deeper level of safety, comfort and trust.We would inquire into the physical, social, normative and behavior aspects of the space to discern just what is ‘safe” about it. If for some reason we are unable to physically visit these spaces together, then participants would have the opportunity to photograph and record those spaces and bring them to session, or even draft a mental map to envision and explore their everyday spaces.
Is a Transcendent Healing Session like an Art Therapy session?
No, Transcendant Healing differs in key ways. To be clear, art therapy is a respected and valuable discipline and method that is informed by traditional counseling strategies, theories of personality, personhood, and Jungian concepts of archetypal symbols. It seeks to facilitate psychological healing through the “mind” as a way to shift perceptions and behaviors. However, art therapy does not yet have the tools to consider the role and effect of space and place on individual psychology, emotionality and physical well-being.
Transcendent healing uses art to express and explore notions of safe spaces to encourage psychological readiness for healing.
Where art therapy is typically not concerned with the aesthetics and sensual-ness of the end product, artistry or aesthetics, Transcendent Healing starts with the belief that an aesthetically pleasing material representation of your physical and psychological world encourages progress toward a similarly beautiful inner state of being and recall. Where art therapy begins with interpersonal relations and psychological constructs, Transcendent healing begins first with the look, feel and features of your physical reality; then it identifies people who “live” in your personal space and facilitates a deeper understanding of your interpersonal relationships, and your physical and emotional comfort. Lastly, yet still importantly, Transcendant healing affords you an emotional and physical space in which to explore the inner you that creates your relationships and physical reality.
What do the Projects look like?
Projects can take many forms: books, digital stories, hand-made talismanic jewelry and props, dioramas, crochet (lessons for crochet would be separate), paper-making and collage, etc. This combination of creative process and self-expression and sacred listening disengages the superego enough to allow the person to deeply converse with the inner and future self as they create beautiful objects for later use and contemplation.
Clients’ needs are different; for each leg of the healing journey, clients would create a new, complementary project that informs and structures the next turn of their journey. Projects often vary in materials, mainly taking the form of a Book, although they may not always look like a traditional book. No matter the finished form or shape of the project, it will be deeply personal and legible to the participant who looks to it for a record of their expressed intent.
(pictures included with permission)
Each session typically lasts a few hours, during which time we contemplate ideas, clarify goals and to choose resources and take-home tools to support the post-session healing journey. I recommend at least three 4-hour sessions (one session per month), six 2-hour sessions (two sessions per month) or twelve 1-hour session (once a week for 3 months).
Pricing and Contact Information
Everyone has unique needs, interests and will therefore create unique projects. I provide all art materials, and if we don’t meet in your home, then I would set up the meeting space as well. I welcome you to fill out the form below, or email me at thinkfeelgrow [at] gmail [dot] com for an initial conversation / consultation and package pricing schedule.
You can also complete this form to begin the consultation process and conversation about your healing journey
