Developing your Creative Practice.

Introduction

Why have a Creative Practice?

Before you can take A Creative Approach to counselling and psychotherapy, you must develop your own Creative Practice. This will show you the unique way the creative process works with your own psychology. Art making of any kind has the capacity to bridge the gap between feelings and expression, the past and present and the conscious and unconscious mind. In doing so, your own Creative Practice nurtures and enhances your wellbeing and cultivates your emotional and spiritual intelligence.

What is a Creative Practice?

It is Mindfulness in Motion

The images you make in your Creative Practice are an objective expression of a subjective experience. That objectivity provides a space between the picture and the page, making it safe enough to explore and reflect upon. Reflection offers insight and possible new pathways for change and is an integral part of having a Creative Practice.

A Creative practice increases our ability to dis-identify, and separates content from context so we can be become more open to seeing experiences from a new perspective.

Through our Creative Practice we can learn to self-soothe and to self-validate, connecting us with parts of ourselves that are often ignored or dismissed.

A Creative Practice gives us access to creative solutions that can enhance our sense of the personal will.  Awareness and Will can finally work together, helping us create the life we want to live rather than wishing it could be different.

 Because a Creative Practice is also a Reflective Practice it deepens our reflective and reflexive capability in situations giving us a sense of competence and contentment in life.

A Creative Practice is a reflective practice

Creative Practice gives a structure for reflection, guiding step by step the journey inward first, then back out where make marking brings with it the message and meaning of what needs attention.  It offers us a way to reflect upon a lived experience from more than just the facts of a situation or relationship. It gives us other ways of knowing, by listening to the sensate experience of the body, feeling sense of emotional impact and our intuitive knowing that in the moment may be overshadowed by the others.

As a practice it offers us the opportunity to reflect IN time, as well as Over time, as we look back through our Creative Practice journal. It becomes possible to see images, symbols or colours that may emerge to reveal patterns and stories that speak to something deeper.

A Creative Practice Improves Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence is the capacity to know what you or another person is feeling and the ability to use that information to inform the decision-making process. The skills needed for emotional intelligence are all augmented by having a Creative Practice. Given the importance of emotional intelligence for us as therapists, we can look at these skills individually below.

•      Identify Emotions – All emotions are embodied and during art making the body’s response to emotion is noticed more easily as the process is slowed down. You can name emotions as they arise by including them as a side note on the image or in a journal nearby. Identifying emotions in your self is the first step towards recognising them in others.

•      Express the feeling appropriately – Difficult feeling can be expressed safely through an image, making them feel easier to explore as a picture because there is a distance between you and the page. It becomes possible to explore what might lie beneath the image.

•      Reflect on the expression of emotion – a Creative Practice is also a reflective practice, and it is this reflective step of asking what is trying to make itself known in this image, that awakens curiosity and the possibility for there to be another way of looking at things.

•      Recognise emotion in others - Image making allows you explore relationship safely by allowing you the opportunity to see a situation from two different perspectives. It is a safe way to challenges assumptions and certainties about a situation or relationship in a slow and reflective manner.

•      Broadens the capacity to reflect- As your Creative Practice develops, you begin to automatically include more situations. The practice of considering all the information gathered from the image and reflecting on it promotes better, more creative choices.

•      Competence with reflexivity – Becoming more able to include information through reflection, develops being able to respond to situations reflexively and pivot when needed to stay with a client where they are.

Creative Practice teaches differentiation between Content and Context

Cultivating two aspects of mind; one that can hold the context, while the other concentrates on content, enhances your skills as a therapist and a Creative Practice is an effective way to build capacity for that kind of bi-focal vision.

•      Becoming mindful of how you feel before, during and after making an image, gives you the practice to do so in everyday life.

•      The content is the image components; what is there on the page and the story you tell yourself about this situation. What you include and leave out, can tell you something about your perception of the experience, or give you an indication of the lens through which you see the situation.

•      The context is the intention you hold for exploration behind making the image in the first place; your willingness to see it from a different perspective.

•      Holding the context of seeing yourself or another through kindly eyes, while allowing the content flow freely on to the page comes with practice. This empathetic practice then flows into your life situations more easily.

•      Non-judgemental reflection on the content of your picture will offer the potential for insights that can bring about creative, loving solutions.

•      All daily practices that invite connection with the deeper Self, brings ease to the whole person, be that a Creative Practice, a Yoga or a Meditation/Prayer practice.

Chapter One

Creating a safe Container

To start your Creative Practice, here are some guidelines for you to follow, whether you are doing your own practice or working with a client. They are designed to keep the process safe within the practice, and there is one word that says it all: Containment. Containment. Containment

·         Journal

Keeping a blank page journal that is just for you Creative Practice, not only keeps all your images together, but acknowledges that these images are an expression of your inner process and therefore not like other pictures you might make. The containment a journal also offers is that you may also review the viewed your images IN time and look back OVER time. This sometime shows how much you have changed around a particular issue and it also give you the opportunity to see patterns emerge that may seem unrelated at the time.

·         Timeframe

The constraint of a set time frame for the Creative Practice, will prevent you getting lost in the creative process. Allowing a certain amount of time for each the stage of the process will keep you in the here and now. Working with unconscious material means the conscious mind needs resourcing to help the person stay present. A timeframe can offer that containment so that insight may be gained.

Respect the process

A Creative Practice is about coming into relationship with yourself and that requires you to act respectfully towards the part of yourself that is asking for attention. Integrating those abandoned parts becomes possible as your creative Practice forms a pathway of communication and a way for the lost aspects of ourselves to come home. What matters is that you stay interested, non-judgemental and respectful towards the efforts of the part to communicate their needs through the image. Looking upon your images with positive open regard will help you weave the thread of compassion back into your life story.

·         Preparation

Planning beforehand means making sure there are no interruptions; have the materials you need ready, designate a space in your home where you intend to do your Creative Practice, and be willing to approach yourself as you would a client.

When to use your Creative Practice

·         Just to check-in with yourself.

You can use your Creative Practice every day or once a week; the more you use it the easier it gets to do. You might try a few different prompts at the beginning such as a meditation or visualisation to start you off and help you get into a relaxed receptive state. You might then pose a specific question into that receptive space, i.e. how am I right now? What was my dream trying to tell me? What part of me is ready for change?

·         When something is bothering you.

You can use your Creative Practice when you have a troubling relationship or a situation where you feel a bit stuck. Questions you might ask are What do I need to see in this situation? What is this relationship showing me about myself? What do I need to understand here?

·         When you want to improve a particular aspect of your life.

This could be about your work situation, your relationship with money, your appearance or social status, a characteristic you’re not at ease with in yourself or if you just want to get to know yourself a little better in a gentle and creative way. It could be an old issue that you have already addressed many time and would like a new perspective on, or a closer examination of your relationship with your life purpose.

These are guidelines rather than rules so begin by using your Creative Practice in a way that works for you. Creative Practice is a reflective practice, as such is incomplete if you only make the art, it must have both elements present. Otherwise, it becomes art AS therapy, which serves does have a place and serves a purpose to soothe the body and calm the mind, but it is not a Creative Practice, and no new insights will be found. Creative Practice is the combination of creating and then reflecting on that artwork that allows a listening to the deeper message of the image. That’s what brings something from the unconscious into consciousness and integration into the whole.

This guideline is an invitation to make the practice your own by using it often, the repetition or the practice matters. The benefit of having a practice is the practice. Trust your intuition as well as the process itself. The structure offered here, will help to get you started, but you will get from your practice what you put into it. As long as you keep to the parameters  outlined here they will become stepping stones towards your own Creative Practice and remember, the more you practice, the more it becomes your own.

Boundaries

Before embarking on your Creative Practice, I encourage you to set good boundaries for the work that will take place. Art making facilitates a sacred connection with the deepest part of yourself and deserves your reverence and respect.

·         Set a timeframe i.e., alarm on your phone, an egg timer, anything that allows you relax and forget about time keeping.

·         If you live with others, ask for your time in the art space to be respected, no interruptions.

·         Have what you need to hand before starting, art materials, journals, pens, etc.

·          Make sure you are comfortable, warm enough, have a drink of water, tissues, have been to the bathroom, have enough light etc.

·          If you like listening to music while you work, have it ready to turn on with your selections already made.

·         When you feel ready to start, PAUSE.

·         Take a moment to invite your observing self to be present; this is the part of yourself that notices how you are in your body, what feelings you might be experiencing and what stories you are telling yourself about life right now. Your observing self is the part of you that will hold the context or reason for doing the practice today, leaving the rest of your mind free to engage with the content as it emerges.

•      Give yourself permission to draw whatever flows from the pen, suspending all understanding until after the drawing is finished.

•      Pay close attention to body sensations while you are drawing. Notice your breathing and if it changes throughout the practice, noticing where and when those changes occurred. You can make a note of this if you wish

•      Notice what emotions arise for you as you draw, making a side note for yourself to reflect upon later. If you become attached to any one feeling, simply bring your attention back to the breath and continue making your image.

•      Allow your thoughts to wander as you draw and make note of keywords or memories that might pop into your head as you draw. If you become distracted by a memory or story bring your attention back to the breath.

•      Give yourself permission to draw like you were a child and if the inner critic nudges its way into the space, ask it politely to wait outside the door until you have finished.

•      The image you make is the first step of the practice and is the unconscious mind coming into form. Giving your image a title is the beginning of the conversation between unconscious and conscious mind. Your reflections of the process as well as the image itself is the dialogue that ensues.

The imagination

Images come from the imagination; a place often thought to be of fantasy rather than fact. Creative Practice sees the function of imagination as a bridge between the conscious and unconscious mind, a link to a deeper sense of knowing.  This context will help let go of the idea that you are just ‘making stuff all up’. The unconscious mind uses the language of image, symbol, colour and myth and establishing your Creative Practice will facilitate your own meaning making process helping you to access a deeper wisdom we all have but don’t always have a way of hearing.

When imagination is seen as a function of personality, we can come into relationship with it and start using it on purpose.  Imagining worst case scenarios can send the body into fight or flight, flooding the system with cortisol and adrenalin. Better to do so intentionally, allowing positive images to bring the flood of oxytocin and dopamine when imagining the best possible result. Ironically, those of us who think they have no control over their imagination, are often those who who use it most trying to prepare for disaster.

Having a Creative Practice let you relate to your imagination as a conduit to the parts of yourselves that need attention, validation, care, or love.  It’s a gentle but profound practice that honours a deeper Self giving us access to self-compassion and empowerment.

Chapter three

Step One: Grounding through the body

Art making can take us to deeper levels of ourselves so it’s important to stay grounded in the here and now. You might use an anchor like paying attention to the breath to help you do that. This activates the ‘observing self’ that notices how you are while you are making art. The observing self is the part that pays attention to how you are responding to the images as they come forward and what emotions arise throughout. Grounding yourself first helps you remember you can stop at any time.

To begin:

•       Sit in a comfortable position with your body relaxed (not collapsed) and well supported. Both feet on the floor, belly soft, neck long at the back. Shoulders drop, Eyes closed and muscles around the lower jaw become loosen.

•       Bring your attention to the breath. Without changing it in any way, notice how the breath moves the body as it flows in and out. Cool as it passes the nostrils going in and warm as it goes out. Allow the breath to deepen naturally. The breath will become your anchor to come back to anytime you become distracted.

•       Ask yourself how you are in your body today. Take time to listen as the body speaks. Accept it as it is and make any necessary adjustment to be more comfortable and present.

•       Now include in your awareness all the emotions that might be there today and accept what is present in you right now. Perhaps there are fears around what you might discover, or perhaps there is excitement at doing the practice, or impatience to get on with it. Without judgment, simply allow whatever feelings are there rather than pushing them away.

•       Include now, your thoughts as you embrace the busyness of your own mind. Look at the thoughts rather than getting lost in them. Allow them to pass before the screen of your awareness like clouds floating in the sky. There could be concerns about getting it right. If you notice a thought pulling at your attention, gently bring your awareness back to the breath. Be at ease with what is.

•       At this point present yourself with the visualisations or question you wish to explore in your Creative Practice today.

•       Notice what part of your body is activated by this issue and bring all your attention to the sensations that arise there.

•       From that sensation or part of your body allow an image to emerge accepting the first thing you see.
If you notice that you are frowning, or your hands are tense, then you are trying too hard, breathe deeply and relax into the sensation or body part. If your mind wanders into thoughts about doing it right, bring your attention back to the breath.

•       Be as receptive and open as possible and if you are still telling yourself, you are making it up, that’s fine, just go with the image you want to make up for now.

•       Allow the image to become clearer, colours more vivid, edges more defined.

•       When the image is strong, bring your attention back into the room and select the art materials you want to use to make your image.

•       Remember the objective expression will not be the same as the subjective experience so don’t expect it to be so.

 Step Two: Making your image

•       You are moving from an internal experience to an external expression so the image will alter accordingly. Let the image flow onto the paper with no filter or instruction that art must be representational. It might be a scribble, a colour, a shape or a whole story board Whatever way it wants to present, let it come lightly.

•      When the inner critic comes in, ask them to give you space to complete the image by waiting outside until you have finished.

•      Stay engaged with the observing self as you work, noticing how you are, as much as what you are doing. What feelings are there as you work, what thoughts are going through your mind. How are you relating to the emerging image, what attitude do you have towards it.

•      Focus on the process not the product.   

Step Three: Reflections on the image

Learning to listen to the image

For your reflections you will write either on or beside your image, so they stay connected. This is the part of the process that brings awareness to the dialogue between conscious and unconscious mind. Write your answers to the following questions.

·         After you’ve made an image and feel satisfied that it’s complete, give the image a title. This can sometimes take time but don’t overthink it.

·         What’s your first impression of the image?

·         Are you surprised by what you have drawn, if so, why?

·         What might you think of this image if someone else had drawn it.

·         The image you’ve made will be different from your inner experience. The image you’ve made gives you an opportunity to see the way you have edited your experience; what you have included and what you have left out. Does this tell you anything about your perception of the situation?

·         Reflection means you’ve begun to move away from the inner experience and the emotions connected with that. The image may evoke different feelings. Include both in your notes and consider the change in emotions.

·         If the image before you could speak, what do you think it would say?
Take time to listen. This might come in the form of a statement or an impression i.e. the image seems sad or lonely etc.
Allow the image to speak for itself rather than putting the known story on it.

·         If you were to guess, what would you say the image needs? Just accept the first thing that pops into your mind when you ask the question.  Are you willing to give the image what it needs or make a second image that would show the image after it gets its needs met.

·         With the answer to the last question in mind, consider the same need applied to the topic under review when you sat down to do your practice. Consider ways you might begin to apply this creative solution.

·         What quality would you say this image has or is looking for? Qualities are attributes or characteristics of the image that can give you insights into whatever the image was about. Take time to consider these qualities and their presence or lack thereof in your life right now.

·         What is the feeling you are left with?

·         What insight about yourself have you gained from this image?

A Creative Practice over time, allows whatever your experience of working with images to be what it is on the day and gradually you will learn to trust the process. The meaning and message of an image may not be clear straight away but rather come to you later or on second review. This is why it’s so important to keep your images together and it’s an interesting experience to look back over older images as they have the power to take you right back into the moment and how you felt when you made them.

Developing you Creative Practice is foundational to taking a creative approach to counselling and psychotherapy. It is from this platform of repeated experience that you learn to automatically set the boundaries, ground through the body so an image may emerge. Making a safe enough space for the image to emerge, and being able to reflect on its meaning and message, will assist you in facilitating that for your clients. It is your Creative Practice that teaches you how to let the image speak and keeps you from the temptation of interpreting your client’s artwork. Your Creative Practice will have shown you that images reveal insights that widen your field of awareness about yourself, the situation or the relationship you sought clarity about. The language of colour, symbol and shape becomes more fluent for you and allowing your client to find their own way of doing the same is a rare privilege.

When you feel competent in your Creative Practice it will be a natural progression to bring it into your therapy room. By then you will have experienced the reverence and respect due to the image making process. Your clients will absorb this from your attitude and when they see what a resource it can be for self-reflection, it will be a life skill they use long after they have left therapy.

I hope you enjoy developing your Creative Practice