Author: ArtWould

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Spiritual Depth psychology: Exploring the Inner Self for Better Well-being

In today’s fast-paced world, it is easy to get caught up in the daily grind and forget to take care of our mental and emotional health. While traditional therapy focuses on the mind and behavior, spiritual depth psychology takes a deeper dive into the soul and the unconscious mind. By exploring our inner selves and connecting with our spiritual essence, we can improve our overall well-being and find a sense of peace and contentment.

So, what is spiritual depth psychology and how does it work?

Spiritual depth psychology is a branch of psychology that integrates spirituality and psychology to help individuals understand and connect with their inner selves. It is based on the belief that we all have a spiritual essence that goes beyond our physical bodies and is connected to universal consciousness. By tapping into this essence, we can unlock a deeper understanding of ourselves, our purpose, and our place in the world.

One of the fundamental concepts of spiritual depth psychology is the idea of archetypes or universal patterns of behavior and personality that exist in all humans. These archetypes can reveal hidden aspects of our personality and help us understand our deepest fears, desires, and motivations. By exploring our archetypes, we can better understand ourselves and find new ways to improve our mental and emotional health.

Ways to feel better through spiritual depth psychology

Here are some practical ways to incorporate spiritual depth psychology into your weekly therapy routine:

  • Meditation: Meditation is a powerful tool for connecting with our inner selves and tapping into the spiritual essence. Regular meditation practice can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and increase overall well-being.
  • Journaling: Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a powerful way to explore your inner self and uncover hidden patterns of behavior.
  • Dream analysis: Our dreams often reveal hidden aspects of our psyche and can provide valuable insights into our unconscious mind. Keeping a dream journal and working with a therapist to analyze your dreams can be a powerful tool for self-discovery and growth.
  • Art therapy: Engaging in creative activities like drawing, painting, or sculpting can help us tap into our inner selves and express feelings and thoughts that may be difficult to put into words.
  • Nature therapy: Spending time in nature can help us connect with the natural world and find peace and tranquility.

Conclusion

Incorporating spiritual depth psychology into your weekly therapy routine can be a powerful way to improve your mental and emotional well-being. By exploring your inner self and connecting with your spiritual essence, you can better understand yourself and find new ways to cope with life’s challenges. Whether through meditation, journaling, dream analysis, art therapy, or nature therapy, spiritual depth psychology aims to help you find a sense of inner peace and contentment.

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A Healing Solution for Mental Health Issues Caused by the Pandemic

What is Eco-Art Therapy?

Eco-art therapy combines psychotherapy and environmental education, using creative activities such as painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and writing to help people connect with nature while exploring their feelings. It takes place in indoor and outdoor settings so individuals can take advantage of natural elements like trees, plants, flowers, water sources, rocks, sand, etc., while practicing art expression. Through this therapy, individuals learn to express themselves creatively while being mindful of their environment.

The Benefits of Eco-Art Therapy

One of the main benefits of eco-art therapy is that it allows individuals to explore their emotions without judgment or criticism from others. It also helps people develop healthier relationships with themselves and nature. In addition, it can also help foster creativity, leading to improved problem-solving skills and increased motivation. Finally, eco-art therapy can help reduce stress levels and increase self-esteem as individuals learn to tap into their inner resources to cope with difficult emotions or situations they may face during these turbulent times.

Eco-art therapy offers a unique approach to helping people deal with the emotional impact caused by the pandemic. Combining art expression with environmental education allows individuals to explore their feelings while connecting with nature in a meaningful way. Through this therapeutic practice, individuals can learn how to use creative expression to improve their mental health and cultivate healthier relationships with themselves and the natural world around them. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues caused by the pandemic, then eco-art therapy could be an excellent option for finding relief from these difficult times.

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Cherokee Generational Recovery through the Acknowledgment of Historical Pain: Living Beyond Genocide

Generational transmission of trauma refers to the transmission of the effects of trauma from one generation to the next. This can occur in any culture, but in Native American culture, the impact of trauma has been particularly severe and long-lasting due to the historical trauma inflicted upon Native American communities by settler colonialism.

The Cherokee Nation is a Native American tribe that has been deeply affected by the intergenerational transmission of trauma. The Cherokee Nation, like many other Native American tribes, has a long history of trauma that stems from the forced removal and relocation of Native American peoples from their ancestral lands

One of the most significant sources of trauma for the Cherokee Nation was the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which resulted in the forced removal of thousands of Cherokee families from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States to the Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). This process, known as the Trail of Tears, resulted in thousands of Cherokee individuals’ deaths and profoundly impacted the survivors and their descendants.

One study found that Cherokee individuals who had experienced historical trauma were more likely to report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues, as well as higher rates of substance abuse and other health problems. Another study found that exposure to historical trauma was associated with increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors among Cherokee adolescents

The impact of trauma on the Cherokee Nation is not limited to the individual level. The intergenerational transmission of trauma can also have negative impacts on community functioning and cohesion. One study found that historical trauma was associated with lower levels of social connectedness and community cohesion in Cherokee communities.

It is important to acknowledge the ongoing impact of trauma on the Cherokee Nation and to address the needs of those affected by trauma. This can include providing mental health and traditional healing services and support for individuals, as well as addressing the social and economic inequities that contribute to the perpetuation of trauma and resiliance-building factors like chosen family, spirituality and service to the community.

References:

  • Brave Heart, M. Y. H., & DeBruyn, L. M. (1998). The American Indian holocaust: Healing historical unresolved grief. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 8(2), 60-82.
  • Brave Heart, M. Y. H., & DeBruyn, L. M. (2001). The historical trauma response among Natives and its relationship with substance abuse: A Lakota illustration. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 33(2), 181-189.
  • Garbarino, J., Kostelny, K., & Dubrow, N. (1991). What children can tell us about living in danger: The impact of community violence on young children. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
  • Gaskin, C., Yellow Bird, M., & Brave Heart, M. Y. H. (2006). Historical trauma, intergenerational trauma, and HIV risk behaviors among American Indian young adults. AIDS Education and Prevention, 18(6), 511-524
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An Examination of Eco-Art Therapy: A Proposed Natural Modality for Treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract for: An Examination of Eco-Art Therapy: A Proposed Natural Modality for Treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

There exists room for improvement within the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Currently, there is good support that Eco-Art therapy is a viable complementary or alternative therapy treatment method for this condition. Eco-art therapy expands our client’s awareness beyond a focus on the individual or family, or a cultural or social perspective to include the larger ecological systems as a source of both suffering and healing (American Art Therapy Association [AATA], 2014) It gives the therapist and client greater awareness of the context within which they are interacting.

Another aspect of eco-art therapy is that Eco-art therapy is a form of positive psychology. It is a method full of optimism, gratitude, peace, meaning, and purpose. It marries art therapy and ecotherapy into a complex and emerging field (Pike, 2021). Although eco-art therapy is an under-researched and emerging area in the modern field of psychology there is a lot of promising support of its applications in the treatment of PTSD. Eco-art therapy can be described as combining concepts from ecopsychology with concepts of art therapy to create a unique modality that applies beyond the Eurocentric norms of many other modalities. Art therapy can help with  negative emotions, stress responses, restricted affect, depression, anxiety, as well as some somatic responses. Through the containment of the outdoors and increase socialization many of our modern ailments may be alleviated. Adding awareness beyond oneself to include the Earth as a whole creates a deeper understanding of healing and suffering that can empower and validate the client.

IF you would like to request the full research document it can be requested from Research Gate at the link below:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353273278_An_Examination_of_Eco-Art_Therapy-A_Proposed_Natural_Modality_for_Treating_Post_Traumatic_Stress_Disorder_-_By_Rebecca_Wood-_MFT_Trainee

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California Arts Council: Grant Opportunities

Arts and Accessibility Grant

See the California Arts Council. Grant for Disabled Artists in California for Career Expansion, Art Supplies, Gallery Space, etc. I encourage any of my qualifying friends to apply and everyone to share to help sustain arts in this underserved community.

Please see the links below or explore other grants options offered by this organization.

http://www.arts.ca.gov/programs/access.php

http://www.arts.ca.gov/programs/program_files/1920/Program%20Flyers/NADC_Flyer_2020.pdf

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April’s Featured Poem: Brave as I Can Be

Today a new monthly process will begin to help display Art Would and it’s communities poetry. Near the first of each month a new poem will be featured including a quote form the writer and photo if available. Please keep checking back for more poems or write Info@Artwould to submit your poem to be featured on our website.

As Spring begins to bloom so does love, this month is a poem about the rush of falling in a love.

“This poem I wrote learning to love again as I was beginning to feel the stir of something special with someone I have now been with for sometime, our love only grows deeper, I am blessed to have these feelings in my life”
(Rebecca Wood-Artist in residence).

Brave as I Can Be

 

 

As your lips touch mine

I feel like I can love again

As you wrap your arms around me

My breath settles

 

The stars in the sky sing to me

As I ponder what tomorrow will bring

The trees stand tall for me

Be as brave as I can be

 

As ashes fall

and what yesterday fades

I give in, I give in

 

A fire

a passionate romance

As our bodies sway

 

In this life we take a chance

Fall, fall

Does the ground give way?

 

 



 

By Rebecca Wood If interested in reproducing contact Artwould at info@artwould.com  this work is owned by it’s creator but the artist can be contacted on your behalf for use approval.

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GO Create Today! <3

Creating art seems like one of the best ways to stay healthy and keep your mind sharp. I have been using creativity since before I could remember and it has been a healer in is own primal right. Have you ever wonder why humans have been creating art for so long? Perhaps there is just something natural about it.  the call to action for today is go out and be creative! Make something anything!

Rebecca