Moving Blog

As I currently have two blogs, with nearly the same information, I am going to discontinue using this one for the moment and post all my blogs at artjournaling.blogspot.com.

Who knows, maybe in time I will start using this one again!

Self Care Journal

March 24

March 25

Mandala

Today I had a group about Mandalas and I decided to make a mandala alongside of the group. This is what I came up with:

Self Care Journal

March 10

March 16

March 18

Self Care Journal

March 8

March 9

Self Care Journal

Well my self care lunches have become more frequent, and actually inspired me to work on it at home more... A while back I completed the fronts of all the pages in the moleskine, and now I am working backwards. I love having opposing images on both pages, and it is neat seeing how my style and expression continues to change.

March 3

March 4

March 5

I love how the pocket on the image above turned out. I had been trying to think of how I would incorporate the collage paper dolls that I made in my children's art therapy group. I love that the symbolism of a safe place in my journal correlated to the safe place that I hope the clients are finding.

Self Care Journal

February 28

March 01

March 02

Journal Group

Here is the page that I worked on in group to show the clients how to use the photographs I took of them. (So fun to take really cute belly shots)

And I prepared this page today to model writing in it next Tuesday!

The ladies really make it feel worth while, when they tell me it is their favorite group of the week, and they stop by my room to get art supplies to work in it over the weekend! So worth it!

Self Care Journal

February 24

February 27

Journal Group

Last week I had the pleasure of starting an Art Journaling Art Therapy Group. It meets twice a week, and is composed of the pregnant ladies at the clinic. The hopes is that the women can journal about their pregnancy and baby, which will hopefully help with the attachment to the baby in utero!I am not sure about the ultimate goal, but I can tell you this, one of the lady's told me today it was her favorite group. That is enough for me at this point.

I have decided that I will also work in a journal during the group, so that I can help create the creative atmosphere, but also to demonstrate journaling techniques.

Here is the cover that I created today in group (You might recognize the journal from this post and instructions on how to make it can be found here):

And the inside covers, that I worked on at home (the ladies are also encouraged to take their journals with them to work):

Self Care Journal

February 23

Self Care Lunches

Recently I found that I was so tired at the end of the workday, I was not using my journal... So I decided to start doing "Self Care Lunches." Every Tuesday and Thursday, I take my journal to my therapy room at work, and use my lunch break to create art (and to eat of course). This has worked out wonderfully. And again has made me accountable for my self care!

February 16

February 18

Self Care Journal

February 9

February 11

February 12

Self Care Journal

I have been bad at updating the blog with these images. Here is a smattering of recent images... and I hate to say I do not have dates on most of them.

February 4

Self Care Journal

September 14

Self Care Journal

Work continues to pick up pace, and I am feeling the "need" to journal more and more. I am hoping that I can get back in the habit...

Also wanting to start an art journal night (kinda like a book club). Some good friends, a potluck and art making, sounds like a perfect night to me. I will let you know how that goes.

August 31

Self Care Journal

I am still trying to get back in the habit of journaling after work. Not going so well, but I need it!

August 21

Self Care Journal

July 24
I have had my first full week on the job, and have not really gotten back into the swing of the journaling yet, but have also not been seeing too many clients... It will happen.

Child Therapist's Survival Kit

Today I got the most amazing care package from my sister to congratulate me on my job. It was this great big box with a basket and all these trinkets with little cards on it. Not only did they offer survival tips, but they also will be useful at my new job! I truly have the most amazing sister!!


Here is a list of what was inside, and the message on each card:

• Rope -- so when you reach the end of yours you can tie a knot and hang on
• Clock -- don't forget to take some time for yourself
• An extra pair of hands -- for when you just can't do it alone
• Hugs and Kisses -- because every child (and therapist) deserves them
• Gum -- to help you chew things over... (...not chew others out)
• A puzzle -- to remind you that its hard to put people back together, but sometimes hey can't do it without you
• A magic wand -- to fix things that you can't
• Balloons -- to blow up so that you won't
  
• Cotton -- to help remember that feelings are soft
• Paper plates -- for the times that you have too much on yours!
• Coffee -- to help you stay awake
• A coloring book -- because at the end of the day sometimes being a kid helps
• A yoga video -- to remind you to be flexible
• Glasses -- to remind you that sometimes clients see the world differently
• Dry erase board -- to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, but you can always erase them
• Notepads -- for jotting down notes and appointments
• Magic 8 Ball -- for all the times you don't have the answers
• m&m's -- because they make friends
• Air Pump -- to get pumped up on bad days
• Trail mix -- to remind you to eat
• Band aids -- to heal hurt feelings (theirs and yours)
• Lifesavers -- to remind you of the many that need your help
• Eyemask -- to cover your eyes and forget the little things
• Music -- to help your clients (and you) relax
• Shout Wipes -- to get rid of the messes you will make
• Sour patch kids -- to appreciate the differences in others, and to take the good with the bad
• Paper clips -- to help you hold it all together
• Smarties -- for those days you don't feel so smart
• Nuts -- because sometimes you feel like a nut
• Candles -- to remind you to share your light with others
• Tissues -- for when the big stories of little people break your heart and make you cry
• Bath salts -- to take you away at the end of the day
• Sill putty -- to stretch you beyond your limits
• Pain killers -- for the headache you will get
• Starbursts -- for when you need a burst of energy
• Cell Phone -- to remind you that it's ok to call for help sometimes
• Rubber band ball -- to help you bounce back from the hard hits
• A friend -- to hug you when I can't
• Clothespin -- to help you hang in there
• Toothpicks -- to help you pick through the problems that can be helped, and which ones can't
• Tootsie Roll -- to remind you to roll with the punches
• Quarter -- for when you need to call in for a mental health day
• Smiley Face -- to remember your impact on those you help (and that smiles are contagious)
• Button -- to remind you to button your lips from saying what you really think
• Penny -- to help make "cents" of it all
  
• Mirror (and tiara) -- for when things get really tough, and you feel like you are doing it all wrong, don't forget to look in the mirror and remind yourself of what a brilliant princess you are
• Cat in the Hat hat -- to remind you to have fun (if your job ever becomes work you shouldn't be doing it anymore)

I was speechless, and in tears!

More Big News!

I have a job! A real art therapy job! Which means my art journalling will be picking up again here soon.

The job is at Queen of Peace which is where I had my last internship. It is a substance abuse clinic for women, but I will be working with the children that come into the clinic with the moms. It is full-time, and I start part-time next Tuesday and full-time on the following Monday. So much to learn and so much to share...