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Who couldn't use a little love?

2/19/2014

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Last week, Briana (clinical intern at TLOTH), and I created valentines for our partner organizations and friends in the area.  We were in love with our adorable little valentines, and interested to see what others’ reactions would be as they received them.  I set out with our valentines in hand to spread some love around the community.

I didn't anticipate any negative reactions.  After all, we had good intentions, and who couldn't use a little love?  But, on a busy workday, you never know...

I am happy to report that the responses to our valentines were overwhelmingly positive!  The  majority of valentine recipients were excited, and a few even seemed taken aback by the kind gesture.  As I delivered the valentines, I told each recipient that we at The Light of the Heart wanted to spread some love around the community in honor of Valentine’s Day.  One recipient gratefully
told me, "We [the staff] can definitely use some love around here!" I replied, "You can never have too much!"

Another gracious recipient gave me a tour of her facility, since I am new to the Aurora area. Many
lovely people struck up a conversation with me, asking me about art therapy, my internship, and even about my commute from Northwest Indiana!  Many told me that they would pass the valentine around the office, or hang it in the break room so that everyone had a chance to see it. How cool is that?


The few negative reactions I received were actually not negative at all. These recipients seemed to be expressing their confusion as to why I was there, and why I was giving out valentines.  Although these recipients seemed more puzzled than anything, they were still kind and thanked me.  No one refused a valentine.

Overall, this was a positive experience for me.  The valentines were welcomed and appreciated by the majority of those that received them, and I am happy to report that The Light of the Heart brought
smiles to many faces this Valentine’s Day! : )
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~Lisa Kolodziej
Clinical Art Therapy Intern

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 "The pure pleasure of creating beautiful images together was enough..."

2/4/2014

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PictureBriana Colton, Clinical Art Therapy Intern
This past Monday started out like any other Monday.  I took an early morning commuter train from downtown Chicago to Aurora, ready for a full day at my clinical internship. As it was the first Monday of the month, I knew I’d be starting the day with our Art Therapy group at Elderday Center, where we work with older adults who have varying levels of dementia.  I
hadn’t seen this group since before Christmas, due to a change in my schedule and the Polar Vortex earlier this year. I felt a little rusty and a little
unsure about what we would be doing.

I shouldn’t have worried. This group never fails to make me smile and remind me why I’m in this field. Carla, my co-facilitator, and I decided
the directive needed to be active and colorful, due to it being a cold gray day and they do so much sitting and listening.  We walked into the room with big smiles, small canvases, and a plethora of paint colors. 
Each canvas had a scribble on it, with which our clients could find a
picture, color in a design, or paint over completely if they so desired.  Before all the materials were even handed out and the directive fully explained, some of our clients had started painting.  They so clearly needed
the colorful and artistic outlet that day!  They were focused, creative, and
  engaged.  A gentleman who has given us the grumpy “I’m not going to do it” attitude in other sessions started painting without being asked twice. He covered his canvas with purple and yellow “A” and “X” shapes. Another older gentleman who regularly questions why he should participate in a particular project completed two abstract paintings with blues, greens, and yellows.  One lady who often hesitates to participate because her friend is very anti-art completed a red and blue painting, and shared a huge smile and “Thank you” when we finished. 

Throughout the art-making were conversations about the Super Bowl, Italian opera, and grandchildren.  How could I have ever been worried that this group wouldn’t go well? It always goes well, because we are making art together and sharing our lives with each other.

One of the gifts of art therapy, beyond the capacity for  healing it brings to many people, is how it builds connection and brings relief through the simple process of creating alongside another person.  Last week, TLOTH’s newest clinical intern, Lisa, arrived.  During group supervision we spent time making art together. It was so much fun to sit with the other women I work with at TLOTH and share our hearts and minds through our creative processes. 
We didn’t even have to talk about our pieces or share deep insight – the pure pleasure of creating beautiful images together was enough.

Days like Monday and moments like I experienced at Elderday and in supervision last week remind me why I am called to art therapy and why I do what I do.  I’m excited to see what the rest of the semester brings, as we start new groups and continue bringing art and light to Aurora and our partners.

~Briana Colton, 2014 MAT Candidate, Adler School of Professional Psychology

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