Southwestern College Santa Fe, NM
Meltdown!
No matter where one lands in terms of politics in our country right now, the stress of what we see and hear in the news can melt one’s sense of hope and resiliency.
A book on Positive Art Therapy that I’ve been reading, reminds me of what I deeply know about art making and art therapy. Authors Wilkinson and Chilton remind us of the centering, calming, venting and positive coping, that art making offers. They remind us that art making can both contain strong emotions, offer the possibilities of release, and the creation of order from chaos.
And all of that seems much more appealing than something I saw on a news show last week. Because of everyone’s high stress levels, a company has created something called “Pause Pods” to put up at work. Basically, they seem to be little black tents for people to relax in, in the middle of the work space. Yikes.
In terms of actively dealing with stress, I do find it important to work for positive change when I can in life. I also know that what I see and hear on the news requires that I just sit in my own discomfort sometimes. No immediate fix to the situation is possible. Tuning into what I need in those moments seems more important than ever.
Today I need to honor all the resources present: spiritual, mind, body, relationships and communities. I can use art making to be present and alive to those resources. And art therapists can help clients find hope and strength in this time of meltdown.
Deborah Schroder, M.S., ATR-BC, LPAT
Program Chair for Art Therapy/Counseling Program
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