Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Support Group

Hi,

I'm using art as part of my therapy. I do a lot of drawing, writing, and playing piano.

I think they are really helpful, and getting whatever is going on outside of me. My therapist told me, "If I have anger, I have to put it somewhere." so that generally does into my art. I also do art based on my dreams.

I think it's also very good helpful for healing the brain. When they take images of people's brain's writing, a lot of the brain is working. I also think learning a new instrument is good for that as well.

I think I discovered it by accident. I was drawn naturally to it when I got rid of all the crappy people in my life and had time to myself.

I'm 35 and I've used art as "therapy" since I was a child. That said, I didn't know there was such a thing as "art therapy" until a couple of years ago.

I've always had trouble expressing my feelings and emotions. When I did express emotion it was usually happiness, weather it was real or not. I just decided to be "happy" externally, because I learned very young that, that's what people wanted from me.

I started sculpting (clay & stone) in high school and college. Prior to that I enjoyed taking and developing my own B&W photos, painting & drawing, writing poetry and playing music. I could be brooding and lost and angry and sad in my art ... and people were okay with it. They called it "artistic" and it gave me an outlet.

Regarding my sculptures, I think I like those works the best because I know what I was feeling and meaning to create but others can look at a piece and develop their own take on it. They apply their own thoughts and emotions to my sculpture and I'm usually surprised by what others see & feel from my work.

I've seen two therapists in my life, over the past two years. The first guy suggested art as therapy and I tried to force my feelings into my work ... but found that unsuccessful. My art has to come naturally and flow. When I was at the height of my PTSD, nothing flowed and I created very little. I couldn't work and most of all, I didn't really want to.

Last year, after starting with my current (and awesome) therapist, I found myself drawn to sculpture, photography and writing again, even though she didn't push me in that direction. It's all helped in my healing and I'm doing so much better now.

I recommend that people try anything that sounds interesting or fun to them ... and then don't be critical of yourself. I've got everything from a 150lb stone to coloring books. I don't judge my artistic desires ... I just follow them and I hope you'll do the same. It's the one area that I allow myself complete freedom.

For anyone thinking about trying art as therapy, or just for fun, I say go for it. You can start with a $2.00 set of children's water colors or spend $200.00 at the local art store. It's not about the method, it's about the expression. Don't try to create a preconceived picture in your head ... just do what comes naturally and see what your mind and body create.

I don't know how much more healing I have to do. I think though, that at some point healing transitions into life, regular every-day life and regardless of where I am in the process art will always be part of my existance.

Art has been a part of my life, has been there during my healing and will continue as a form of expression into my wellness too.

Hi, I started using art therapy while in the hospital. I never considered myself very artistic, but have grown to love the chance for self-expression. As Imorin99 said getting what's going on out.

I photograph wild life on my hikes.

I really enjoy Chalk Pastels. You can use your hands and get very involved.

But my greatest love right now is designing my own quilts. I make picture quilts. They require hundreds of pieces and end up like a picture. Landscapes, portraits and scenes from old photos. One took 2000 pieces and a year to do. I have to plan, draw , cut out the pieces, sew, correct mistakes and then quilt everything together. I've never kept a single one, they are always gifts, with a certain person in mind.

Art is one way to express what your heart wants to say. It helps me to comunicate with myself and others what I can't say out loud. Mostly it is a time to shut out the world, put worries on hold and focus on myself in a healthy and healing way.

i use art all the time ,HUGS MINNIE

I am in an art group once a week, it's a mental health art group,i also am a wood carver/whittler, it has become my passion. I don't know what i would do without my art, it helps me so much, it helps bring me down to a calm level where i can function, the time disappears and it gets me through another day.

Definitely art is helpful. It brings out what is inside of you that even you may not be aware of. My problem has been time to do this. But at least I am writing again. Even if it is just a paragraph about a certain thing. Also I met an older lady who does oil painting. Evidentally this is the easiest type as you can add and remove the paint if it looks wrong. She says to start with a 5X5 canvas from Hobby Lobby. I'm l looking into this. One thing I know about art: do not judge if it looks at first like what you want it too. You have to learn patience with yourself. Also if it is drawing erasing is natural. No one puts a normal looking thing the first few times down on paper, lots of erasing is o.k. But do what comes easiest. Good Luck!!!

Yeah I took up folk art and other sorts of craft work to get me out of the house and socialising, it did the trick, but I have lost interest in all these things now and am back to struggling again.

I still do some cake decorating to keep me engaged in creativity when I can though. I have a 21st cake to do for this weekend coming up. Not looking forward to it now, it means stress to complete the task and I don't cope well with stress so I shall be quite sick throughout this week I am sure. How positive is that eh?

Hi,

I started initially with drawing on recommendation of my therapist. I had a hard time expressing some of the things that were done to me, and the nightmares that resulted from it. So she asked me if I would try drawing what I could not express in words. It was hard. I cried while drawing and scribbled through the drawing sometimes and tore them up. But in the end it got me able to talk little by little about what happened.

More than a year later I started writing poems (some of them are in my journal here). It was a personal decision to write them, not on advice by anyone, but it made huge changes in my life as by writing these poems I finally managed to let out very deep emotions and it changed the way I looked at the past and the people in it and allowed me to start working on the rest of my life rather than living in the past.

greets
Mirniy

I do , I paint for stress relief

I never thought of myself being creative until I sobered up 25 yrs ago. My spirituality started to bloom and I connected to my roots. I got into creating spider webs and woven them into a grapevine wreaths. I work with stones, feathers, beads, animal beads, shells,medicine bags, herbs whatever Mother Earth provides. Its called Healing Shield. Everything has the meaning for the person I am creating for. All pieces on the shield teaches alot about ourselves.

I do them on request only. They are not to be massed produce. My guides would not be happy.

By doing this does heal me ways.

I also work with drift wood from Lake Superior and I create talking sticks.

Each piece is a healing journey ...