A theme that has been coming up for me the past few months is the notion that language isn’t always enough to convey complex feelings or sensations, sometimes we need artistic expression, sometimes we need a howl, a scream, a growl to express what’s going on inside of us.
Art, whatever form it may take, whether it’s metal work, dance, poetry, mask making, card making – it’s your soul expressing what it needs to. This expression might be painful, as you release what has been held on to for so long; it can also be beautiful, exhilarating, scary. It is the release of emotions from within, whether you let it go entirely, or the artwork itself now carries that emotion for you.
The trauma of CSA can live deeply in the body in ways that are difficult to put into words. Creative expression can be a way of gently beginning to untangle and bring clarity to what is held within.
David Pietrangelo, a participant here at The Gatehouse has been sharing their creative journey with me, and it has been inspirational to watch their internal come together as an external experience to be witnessed; this is what untangling can look like:
Art, like healing, can be messy, take many forms and is not about the end goal, the final product – it’s about the journey; the act of creating.
Creative expression can move from many places including humor. Creating allows us to begin to understand ourselves more deeply, find what we appreciate, what brings us joy, what unknown pain we are sitting with. I’ve noticed within myself and others, creation can bring out coping mechanisms like perfectionism; it is in this soft space that we can gently acknowledge its presence and return to the act of creation; this is the softness with which we shift these behaviors.
The Gatehouse has started a social group, Creative Connection Hub, which runs every Tuesday from 12-2pm. This is a group to gently engage in creative activities and socialize. This is not a therapy group, but a place to connect to the community beyond trauma, and enjoy creativity and perhaps connect with your inner child. This group runs every Tuesday from 12-2pm with one virtual group on the last Thursday of the month from 12-2pm.
The Gatehouse does offer individual and group Expressive Art Therapy found here: Expressive Arts Therapy Program | The Gatehouse
At The Gatehouse Creative Connection Hub (CCH) one of our weekly activities was poetry prompts: An Ode to something Ordinary. Here are some resulting poems:
Ode to the Pickle
(or, I Owe it to the pickle)
I didn’t know whatever to pick
i.e., I was in a pickle.
I needed something to do the
Trick,
after my thoughts were down
to a trickle.
I settled on what was a
cucumber.
Yes, the pickle is what I chose,
But my thoughts remained
encumbered.
Was it a mistake? Goodness
knows.
The pickle comes in many a
flavour,
along with cuts & sizes &
Shapes.
Really there is so much to
Savour.
Colours? Usually green like
Grapes.
But, no matter the pickle type,
it always tastes so fantastic.
Truly there is no reason to
Gripe.
About the pickle, I feel
bombastic.
The Ode That Wasn't ... But Might Be?
Sarah was supposed to write an ode.
We thought that for her, words would have flowed.
Like it did for Erin with her tea.
And with some effort, pickles for me.
But she didn't.
She took pause to offer fruit to us
To help our ode-ish words flow sans fuss.
Twas the reason she gave for us to eat.
(By the way, much healthier than meat!)
And so we did.
Maybe eating her fruit wore her out.
Nah, she has talent to rhyme, no doubt.
Likely didn't want to show us up.
Cuz she grinned, as she drank from her cup.
Fooled us she did.
But still we await your magic prose
That'll make us good from heads to toes
We are not impatient, we can wait.
Zada, please write it so we can state:
"Yay!!! It, you did!"
To register for Creative Connection Hub email erin@thegatehouse.org
